The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-19
Mine. WORKERS plan ).
POLITICAL ACTION
Big Union Takes Up Program
Laid Out and Proposed
BY Pres. Mitchell.
Political Activity Evident
Among all Unions and Eff
forts Will Win.

Washington. D. c., May 17.-(Special
to the Labor World.)-The resolution
by the Anthracite Mine Workers con-
vention at Scranton, Pa, directing that
the unions push the political program
of the American Federation ,of La
Dor, was foreshadowed a year ago In
an editorial by President John Mitchell
in the Mine Workers Journal, May 25.
1905. He said:
The resolutions adopted by the
miners OF District 2, wero sent to
Harrisburg to secure the passage Of
remedial laws call for more than q
passing notice. They are in line with
the resolutions adopted by the Penn
sylvania State Federation Of Labor, and
the resolutions adopted by the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor at Wilkes
Barre, Pa, and Boston, Mass.
1T is simply the beginning Of a
movement to restore sovereignty to
the people which has been insiduously
but surely wrested from them until
now the people are but voting ma
chimes to register the will Of political
bosses. composed chiefly of corpora
ton agents. The fragrant defiance OF
the will and demands of the people are
not even apologized for, nor Is any ex-
plan alton given and those chosen as
servants have, by gross usurpation,
become the masters.
These encroachments are not Of a
sudden growth. They are the results
of years of slow, sly but sure move
te =
people are almost completely in
thralled But an awakening has be-
gun. In Montana the trade unions and
the farmers have wrested from the
bosses the submission of a constitu-
tional amendment for the Initiative
and Referendum. In Chicago the ref
erendum Is in use. This year the trade
! unions and the farmers unions Of Tex
| as have joined hands and secured the
| establishment of a referendum sys-
| tenn.
The action of the Penn sylvania
State Grange and the State Federation
| of Labor and the resolutions adopted
| by District 2. indicate that an attempt
will be made to restore to the people
Of Pennsylvania their lost power and
| overthrow the political oligarchy
which has practically subjuceted the
people of that state. 1t is very easy
! terribly easy, for the trades unionists
and grangers to do this. All they
have to- do is to join hands and selec,
men who will give publicly an un.
qualified YES or NO to their de-
mands and elect them. 1t Is within
| their power to utterly change the sit
uation and restore to themselves thu
power they have lost by their indif
ference and political bias.
with the questioning of candidate!
and the referendum taey will become
of right the masters, not the me,
whom they elect, and the creator will
be greater than the creature. Mex
year, 1906, will come a golden op
portunity to the grangers and trade
unionists Of Pennsylvania. A COVER
nor and legislature are to be elected
Now is the time to begin preparation
for the coming battle to restore to tn
people their rightful power to rul
themselves and overthrow the lnsolen
audacious and constituencies coteri
that has trampled upon the right
practically destroyed the liberties an
arrogated to itself the imperial powe
of an absolute monarchy"
The Strongest Political Issue.
In Georgia. at joint debate betwee
two of the Democratic candidates fc
governor, some days ago, one of tt
candidates, Judge Russell, declared fe
the Initiative and Referendum viii
Hoke Smith, the other candidate d.
not mention the plan for more pow,
in the voters. It would have been III
wise to have told the voters that the
! should not take more power to then
! selves.
This demonstrates that the stronge
possible plea that a real reformer CO