The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-10-29
JOHN MITCHELL j.
NEVER WROTE It
STATEMENT CREDITED TO HIM
is WHOLLY FALSE.
IS NOT WORKING FOR BRYAN
Ex-President of National Organization
Advises the Members to Study
the Situation and Vote as
Conscience Dictates.

New York, Oct 2S.-This is a copy
in full of the letter written by John
Mitchell, former president of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America, denying
that he is in partisan politics, printed
in, the. United Mine Workers Journal
October %: +" j. tEs 'H
To the editor of the United Mine
Workers Journal: During the past
few days | have received numerous in
quiries from secretaries of our local
unions in reference to a poster con-
tanning an enlarged likeness of my
self, below which is prited what pur-
ports to be an interview with m bear
ing upon the present political situa-
ton. Some of these letters are writ
ten in a spirit of criticism, while 9th
ers are commendatory and request
that additional posters be mailed for
distribution.
1T is obvious that these posters
have been received by many If not
all of the secretaries of our local
unions it is apparent that at least
some of our members believe that they
ton is that am attempting to dictate
or at least to influence the manner in
which our members should vote.
ITO those who know me best it
should be unnecessary to say that |
would not be so lacking in modesty
To To ha of q
United Mine Workers of America
pictures of myself, even though | de-
sired to convey to them an express
ion of my political opinions.
"In order to remove any misunder-
standing that may exist, l take this
means of informing our members that
have not mailed or authorized any
one else to mail to any member or
officer of our union or to anyone else
| any poster containing my likeness or
giving expression to my political views
except so far as these views are eX-
pressed in the official circulars au-
thorized by the executive council OF
the American Federation of Labor.
"Only a short time ago a weekly
paper published in the city of Buffalo
printed what purported to be a tele-
gram signed by me, declaring. equivo-
cally for one of the presidential candi-
dates Bryan and with equal en-
phasis voicing opposition to another
(TafD. That telegram, which has
been given large circulation, was not
written by me or my authority. |
never saw it nor heard of it until it
appeared in the columns of the pub
LEGATION referred TO.
Il have borne patiently WITH this
misrepresentation and have hesitated
to say anything by way of correction
because feared that to do so would
be to furnish another opportunity for
garbling what | said and thus place
me in an even more embarrassing po-
sition, and might thus convey the i'm
preston that | was not in full SYM
pathy with the efforts of the working
people to secure remedial legislation
for the wrongs of which they COM
plain. But matters have gone SO far
that | cannot, in justice to my own
conscience, remain silent while others
use my name l.. this unauthorized
manner am abundantly able to
speak for myself. and object to these
unwarranted liberties being taken
with my nam therefore,, | avail my
self of this means of communicating
to all who may be interested this
explanation and expression OF my