Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-19
IulnsxS Al! His. Batteries
u Loose ION Mitchell. j
Scores Him Numerically fol
His Almost Every Action.
Accuses Him Of Being Cause Of Most
Of Tie Miners Troubles.


ment made public tonight President
ptlun of the local district of United
Milne Workers of America, scores the
methods of John Mitchell. The state
melt says:
'Pr,sident Mitchell is trying to shirll
he 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. | am not.
am ttyns to save the miners from the
dangers which threaten them, because
of Mitchclrs lack of courage Mitchell,
and Mitchell alone. is responsible for
the :, riOus situation which now con-
front: the miners. He got started
wrong III the joint convention and did
Eot have the courage and common
sense 10 make Il temporary retreat
Wh'!l h. saw he was worstrd and
shoi.I; t;iic up The fight along other
lines.
'Iic led the argument for the miners
by demanding an advance in wages on
the claim that prices of coal were
higher at that time then they We're two
years ago The operators inm" late
Is took him at his word and Offered to
bring il; the book; OF all the compa-
nicS iii the country. large and small
and have them cxamin"d. If the miners
would agree to take n reduction IL tho
price we're shown To be lower; the OPP
orators 10 pay an advance If the price
We're shown to Ec higher.
"F. l.. Robbins asked Mitchell to accent
that offer. Mitchell never let on he heard
the question. Robbins repeated the uues-
tim hal
staring into space. Robbins appealed TO
the Chair and the Chair ruled that Mitch
ell ought to answer the question. Mitchell
then arose ard said L decline to answer
From that time on our cake was dough.
Mitchell may say I am not smart enough
to write an intelligent statement, but a
man does not have to have D college cdu-
cation to known when he is whipped
and the operators had us whipped from
that moment.
when Mitchell saw what a mess he
was in he tried to scare the operators
from following up their advantage by
making radical statements and playing
to the galleries. He thought no would
scare the operators by threat Of 4 ma
tional strike. but the operators called
out bluff. After the blunder Of Mitchell
We are in nice shape to ask the public to
allow us to shut off their coal. shut down
the railroads and stop the mills and fac
tories and then have the newspapers
make public sentiment for US by telling;
everybody how just our cause is.
From the time Mitchell made that first
blunder he went from bad to worse until
the Ryan resolution made our situation
hopeless and we came on without an
agreement. Mitchell has always lacked
courage. He is more careful of his own
reputation as Il successful leader than he
is of the interests Of his people. Never
i'll his career has he fought against the
popular tide, no matter whether it was
right or wrong. Two years ago when the
operators whipped him into line for Il "a
duction, he disappeared from the convcn-
ton with an attack of what he called
nervous prostration.' and after he got
out of the Turkish bath he made all thu
miners leaders fight to have the dele
gates accept the reduction before h:
would do 50.
Mitchell says / have always been un-
friendly to his administration. l ha,c
not. although he has always fought me
Ittu tiIc Sttil " UG ~ CdilullItc 1Or lid
tional vice president against him in 49,
and he never forgaye me. l have letters
in my desk to prove that lie sent organ
izcrs into this field and issued orders 10 |
spare no expense to have me- 1cfcatcd
for district president in myl Own field. !
And it was the unions money and not hi |
OWL that he Was willing TO be So lavish /,
with to vent 4 personal spite.
1T has been evident for years past e. |
even yuody connected 'ytth Tie labor move !
ment that Mitchell is suffering from a |
common, ordinary dosr Of big head He
is working Ill the time toward one man
power and the truth OF the matter is that
he is not in touch with his own pcopl.. |
or with the mining situation. Circum-
stances have made him. The tide has al. |
ways been in his favor until lately ami |
now he does not measure up to his jobs |
1t takes something besides Prince Al |
bert coat and 4 carnation in the button |
hole 20 mako 4 real labor leader. It takes
common sense and courage and the man
who lacks either ought to hire somebody |
to tell him of his short conings and re.
tire from his job