The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-12-28

The retirement Of John Mintchell
from the presidency of a labor union
engages more public attention than
would the withdrawal from public life
Of probably any other man in America
with the exception 70 President Roose-
welt, says Frederick Forbes, in the
Philadelphia. North American. And who
is this John Mitchell, and what has he
much moment? Why is his withdraw
al from the leadership of q. labor union
an event that challenges the attention
of the nation? In the hooks and cram
nies=of southern and central Europe the
name Of John Mitchell is whispered in
the reverential awe that is the tribute
of the lowly to the hero. The sullen
peasant Of Ruthenia looks across the
sunset and dreams of the day when he
ssslsiN ?sail%to the land from which his
more fortunate brother writes home Of
Lain ALiteaseIJy herman who fights the
battles Of the poor. In Calabria, Po-
land, Finland, wherever the mails can
carry the scrawled letters of the immi-
grant hor6es that have flooded the
mines Of America, John Mitchell is en-
veloped in the halo Of romantic adj
lniration. But in this country we know
John Mitchell for businesslike, clear
headed, high minded leader Of the
forces Of toll in their irresistible uplift.
Has Never Known a Waterloo.
He has been called the Lincoln Of
characters of the two men, the meta
phor is striking in its aptness. The
dominant note in the career of the great
emancipator was neutrality-suspicious.
with his friends, patience with his ene-
mics, patience in defeat, and what was
more noteworthy still, patience in vic
tory. And no man could know John
Mitchell In the dark days of the great
anthracite strike of 1902, when, with
winter coming on, the miners found
themselves facing a depleted treasury
cold homes, empty larders, hungry
wives and children, their billion dollar
antagonist cocksure of victory, raviling
the union president in terms Of gross
est abuse-no one could have looked
into those deep, sad eyes and watched
that thoughtful face without sympathy
with the suggestion that the mantle Of
Lincoln had fallen on another man from
his own state Of Illinois to help carry
on the fight for freedom Of the toiler.
And if John Mitchell is the Lincoln of
Labor, he is also its Napoleon, but a
Napoleon who has never known q
waterloo-not even a Leipsic.
And now at 80 years of age he vol
UNFAIRLY retires to the Elba Of his own
little home. 1t is SO easy to be full
some over the commonplace that even
deserved praise Of the exceptional may
seem to be exaggerated. But a review
Of the achievemnts Of John Mitchll is
convincing.
Born Of Irish Parents.
John Mitchell was born in Braidwood,
ILL.,, on Feb. l. 1869. Both his mother
and father were of Irish birth. His
father had served with honor in the
Union army throughout the civil war.
The boy was two years old when his
mother died. His father married a
second wife, and in 1873 he died, leav-
ing nothing to help his small family in
their fight for existence. Young Mitch
ellis stepmother may have been kindly
enough, but circumstances We're not
such that she could give her stepson
any advantages. He attended school
a few months each year, but he was
needed at home to care for the younger
children while their mother struggled
for their sustenance.
When he was 10 years old he deter
mined to strike out for himself, and LEFT
home to take work on 3 farm. But
he was the son of miner, and had it
In his blood. Three years later found