The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-04-25
HOW TO END ALI
THElAB)R TROUBLE [ /
John Mitchell Says He Believes
:. ~: the Plain: Truth Will End *
-, ST. : . szst:. Conflict s;,:E,. :

> n am a trade >unionist. I am not one J,
Of Those, who believe that: the trade
union is the ultimate: I recognize thee
fact that there is a great evolutionary
movement going on; that is sloWlyI
but surely. changing our. social life.'
But, nevertheless, my experience has
Satisfied: me- that the trade union
movement is the best movement ever:
born for the amelioration Of the con-
dition of those who toll. :.f:>'' ~ e: ::
IT, believe that the trade: Union:
movement stood for nothing else than
securing a few cents higher wages or
securing a few hours less labor, l
would leave it. If I thought that is
all it does, I would quit \the trade
union movement and I would try to
start myself a new movement. But,
believe it does more than that. ], be-
lieve the trade union movement raises
the standard of our citizenship; be-
lieve it raises the manhood and the
womanhood and the childhood Of all
our people. And any movement that
elevates society, that elevates the
manhood and womanhood of our peo-
! pie, contributes immeasurably to the
welfare of our people and to the good
of our country.
I am not an old man yet, but I
, have seen many practical results from
| the trade union movement. I have
| seen in my life thousands who em-
ployed labor and thousands who labor,
| brought together and made to work IN
| harmony. -..
| do not believe that in our country
! there should be an irreconcilable con-
| flict between labor and capital. Not
withstanding the fact that;I have gone
through quite a number of strikes, I
have not yet abandoned my opinion
be brought together, if they can sit
down in honest conferences; if they
will look one another straight in the
eye and. tell one another the absolute
truth, I believe. when that is done that
the day of conflict between labor and
capital will end.
I have never been one to believe
you help labor by denouncing capital.
I am one of those who believe that
| there is not one wrong that labor suf-
fers which it did not bring on ITSELF
I do not believe, either, that any Of
us are poor because we cannot get
rich honorably. I believe that if labor
will do it's own duty all the misery
and all the suffering that labor has
endured from the beginning of the
world will ehd.
I believe it to be the duty of every
man and every woman who works for
a living, who works for wages, or. a
| oIo,,x 70
believe the man or woman who <works
for wages who remains out Of trade
union to be blind to their own inter-
ests. Not only that, but they are posi-
lively injuring the chances and the. in
terests Of their fellow men, and fellow
women. e believe that the trade
unions stand for ,all that is good, for
all. that is best in our citizenship. II
/ thought the trade union. movement
depended on 1aw1essness for it's sue
cess, /. if T believed strikes de-
pended on lawlessness for their
success, would abandon the
l trade union movement. I do not be-
lieve that a strike was ever won be-
cause of violation of law. I do know
that strikes have been lost because the
laws were broken. do know that
every striker is injured if the law is
broken.
In my judgment no great strike can
ever succeed if the American peorla
are opposed to it. I have an abiding
faith in the people of our country.
believe the American people always
try to be right. I believe that if they
decide, if they conclude that ques-
ton is right that a strike. is right,
that the strike will win; and if thee
conclude the strike is wrong, then the
strike. will not succeed. 1t pays to
consult, the wishes of the best people.
1t pays to be right, and it does net
| pay to be wrong.
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