The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-04-24
Retirement IF John Mitchell.


After a decade spent in active
work as the executive head of the
United Mine Workers of America,
during which time he has attained
a reputation as a nations foremost
labor leader, John Mitchell, on April
succeeded by Thomas l.. Lewis of
Ohio. During the time that he has
been president Of the miners union
that organization has grown from
a small and insignificant body to one
of the strongest labor unions in the
world, with a total mebership of
100000. Mitchells retirement was
wholly voluntary, and vas due to i'll
health. II he had wished he could
probably have retained his position
throughout his life time, so popular
is he with members Of the union.
The greatest event of Mitchell's
career as a labor leader was the
strike in the anthracite district in
1903, the most memorable the coun-
try ever saw. 1t was inaugurated by
President Mitchell, the demand be-
ing an eight-hour day, higher wages
and union mines.
1t lasted from April until Novem-
Der, when President Roosevelt .p-
pointed his famous arbitration COM
mission and a settlement was effect
ed, to last three years. AT the ex-
piration of the three years, the con-
tract was renewed and now expires
next year. The settlement was con-
sidered favorable to the miners.
Many rumors are in circulation as
to Mitchells future. He has been
mentioned as a possible democratic
governor for the state of Illinois,
his home being in Spring Valley, III.
1t has also been stated that Mitchell
would be asked by President Roose-
welt to go to Panama and make a
report on labor conditions in the
canal n The retired labor leader
will be one of the delegates to the
conference on the conservation of the
natural of the country,
called by President Roosebelt.
John p. White, of Iowa, is now the
vice president. He has been presi-
dent of the Iowa miners.
w. D. Ryan, of Illinois, long on
nected with the state organization Of
miners is the new Secretary-Treas-
urer. Ryan is a Mitchell MAJ as is
White.
Lewis, the new president, is col-
sidered a brainy man. He studied
law and came up from the mines like
Mitchell. He has some elaborate
plan for making the organization big
ger and stronger and his ambition is
to gain the confidence of the pub.lc
in the way Mitchell has held it.
Lewis has been spoken of as a
fierce radical and some surprise has
been expressed that a radical could
be elected to such an important po-
sition by men who have had the
services for years of so conservative
a leader as John Mitchell. AS a
matter of fact 1nomas Lewis is not
a radical in the usually accepted
sense of the word. He is perhaps
quicker to decide than the much low
ed Mitchell, whom he has, on nu-
merous occasions, opposed, and his
manner of handling the various ques-
tons which confront labor leaders
is perhaps less concilliatory toward
opponents. He is also very strong
Uil1o5 Int bic ranutotion &c , fobtor
is due more to his work for what he
thought right within the organiZa-
ton, than for any disregard for pro-
prieties in his relations with en-
ployers. Lewis lives at Bridgeport,
Ohio, and has been vice president of
the mine-workers since the election
of John Mitchell to presidency. He
therefore is not unfamiliar with the
work he has been called to. In a
speech made to a recent convention
OF miners at Indianapolis, after the
tellers had announced his victory
v William B. Wilson, Lewis said:
II desire to set at rest any fears
that may exist. | desire to say to
the American people that if I am a
radical | hope to be always so, for
| will stand and defend the just
rights of those whom I have the hon
or to represent. | hope to be SO
conservative that l may be able to
decide when to accept the things
that we believe justly ours as la
boring men of the country"