The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-19
Says Leader of Mine Workers
 Has "Big Head
TOO SMALL FOR HIS JOB
In Denunciatlon of Mitchell District rresident Accuses Him of Trying to shirk Responsibility for
 Present Trouble.

Pittsburg, Pa, February 1S.-In a state ment he made public tonight President Dolan of the local district United Mine Workers of America. scores the methods of John Mitchell. national president of the mine workers. and charges him with trying to shirk the responsibility for the position in which the mine workers are at present.
 The statement says:
 President Mitchell is trying to shirk the responsibility for the mess he has gotten the miners of this country into by saying that l am evidently trying to divide the miners forces. I am not I am trying to save the miners from the dangers which threaten them because of Mtchells lack of courage Mitchell got started wrong in the joint convention and did not have the courage and common sense to make temporary retreat when he saw he was worsted and should take up the fight along other lines.
 He led the argument for the miners by demanding an advance in wages on the claim that prices of coal were higher at that time than they were two years ago. The operators immediately took him at his word and offered to bring in the books of all companies in the country, large and small and have them examined if the miners would agree to take a re- duction if the price was shown to be lower, the operators to pay an advance if the pay were shown to be higher.
 Says Mitchell Was cornered.
 IF L. Robbins asked Mitchell to accept that offer Mitchell let on he never heard the question Robbins repeated the ques- ton half dozen times and Mitchell sat staring into space. Robbins appealed to the chair and the chair ruled that Mitchell ought to answer the question. Mitchell then arose and said:
 "I decline to answer the question: From that time on our cake was dough. The operators had us whipped from that moment.
 "When Mitchell saw what mess he was in, he thought he would scare the operators by the threat of a national strike, but the operators called our bluff. After this blunder of Mitchelfs we were In nice shape to ask the public to allow us to shut off their coal shut down the railroads and stop the mills and factories, and then have the newspapers make pub lie sentiment for us by telling everybody how just our cause is
 "From that time Mitchell made the first blunder. he went from bad to worse until the Ryan resolution made our situation homeless and we came off without an agreement Mitchell has always lacked courage. He is more careful of his own reputation as a successful leader than he Is of the interests of his people. Two years ago when the operators whipped him into line for reduction, he disap- peared from the convention with ar 1t- tack of what he called nervous prostra- ton and after he got out of the Turkish bath he made all the miners leaders fight to have the delegates accept the reduc- ton before he would do so
 Not Unfriendly.
 Mitchell says I have always been un- friendly to his administration. have not, although he has always fought me. had the gall to be a candidate for na- tional vice president against him in 1898 and he never forgave me. have letters In my desk to prove that he sent organizers into his field and issued orders to spare no expense to have me defeated for dis trict president in my own field, and 1t was the unions money and not his own that he was willing to be so lavish with to vent a personal spite.
 'It has been evident for years past to everybody connected with the labor move ment that Mitchell Is suffering from common ordinary dose of big head. He Is working all the time toward the one man power, and the truth of the matter is that he is not in touch with his own people, or with the mining situation. Cir cumstances have made him. The tide has always been in his favor until lately and now he does not measure up to his job"