The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-10-15
JOHN MITCHELL
AMERICAN CITIZEN
Continued from Page One.
ed from Page One.

VI '''h-hHcWIcu3c WAS
bald and naked. II" grew tn man
hood l'k" the mining lads al his
elbow, possibly with no aspiration
b,N0nd the coal-lnountainS of Iii.
home
II" was miner, acquiring The
expert knowledge of the veteran as
ms muscles hardened and his shout
ders strengthened, intent on the
weekly wage Of his underground toll.
When Mitchell as an awkward
youth Of eighteen drirted westward
IN boNisll search Of a larger field, hi.
restless lodgings showed the first
gatherings Of Ambition.
When he saw his Illinois homo
AGAIN. Mitchell was twenty. a MAJ,
by Nature and almost by Jaw. The
year was siynaliZcd by his election
as Il master workman in the local
branch Of Knights Of Labor. an event
vastly more important in his out
look than the winning of his voting
minority.
1t was in 1895 tina, Mitchcll's
public service first took definite
shape. In this year. he iourncveL to
The district convent ion Of the United
Mine Workers as Observation-Disclosures
enthusiasm Of the .nan who secs
beyond his neighbors. focusing the
attention OF the gathering upon the
strong lines Of his face and the
strong notes of his voice From the
district convent ion. ii was hut !, stem.
20 the calendar Of litc measures it. TO
HE state legislature in its law
nI'k'h& Scancr at Springfield. 1t
was not as representative that
Mitchell went. 1t was lohbist-a
lobbyist who approached men ON the
ground Of public principle. not Of
private gain.
OF John Mitchcll's ploIdngs in
tie domain Of law-mnkin@ and law
breaking. little developed Of general
interest to that portion Of the public
whose three meals :, dav were not
affected thereby. As the alert power
behind the lcgisature----if not the
'Ironc-Alitchrll's patient dovc-tail-
my OF FACTS and votes grldully direc
ted the attention Of the moncv-laShct
'ual-licih to the grave. silent agent
talked so little. When the office Of
>'cc-prcsidcnt OF the United Mine
W"rkcrs lacked an occupant. Nit
rhcll was thrust forward When in
1893. the presidency was vacant i.
was John Mitchell who was named
Tor the post. and the tall stoop-
,houldrrcd young man found him
self al the head Of one Of the lrAlin.
labor organizations Of the nation
with Il two wears gap still between
hIm and thirty.
Win Hr Chniils Of iIni"rnjfN 0u:l
Eternity.
All this while OF law-ScHrchingS
and law-urringS. the cause Of the
mine worker had chung to John
Mitchell like IL newborn infant
cudllin@ to its mothers breast
When lis magnrt-lorcr first drew til,
Young Illinois miner is IL date lost
IN the smoke Of .r:,pid-iirc history
4 it expanded, i, lowered above his
career lill" Il star. burst into Il great
white radiance.
Never WAS aid more needed in tho
vjnLings OF the abor-licld. Gagged
with their own hclplcSSncss. the min
'gS- disor-nnizcd. discouraged. wcrc
ling bcl1Ird. prIl-mcll. into 1hs
-narklcS Of gol'l-lu~,. Never wa
GLOOM heavier upon the American
Norkin~mAn.
II there is Il man who has "iVrl
.~ life for Il clusc-@ivcn 1t more
IIIv and moro completely and moro
@,vn>"tilv than if he had been spraw-
in, ON Tive field Of battle with Il bullet
M his breast -.Iohn Mitchell is that
r.an. and The uplifting Of the .\m"ri-
'au miner that cause. And he la;
Given himself with II TlictncSs an'
. ~ImplcursS and II dircc1ncss Wi,IrI
a.1r bound men tr him. even AS Inc
ra~ bound himself TO Them. with the
chains of fraternity and eternity.
When john Mitchell took h {
..ru- Of the Mine Workers. TIL,
.-Auizntion numbered forty-tElrc'
.ru~and names. To-day. tht'
.'rlens has been increased by "Nc!
rrrr hundred thou>and-wltl :
'autru@"l, of two hundred lEl"lt-
-a&@ more 10 respond t" the WIN
s need. Five hundred Thousand
4'u III the union of the toi'"r- con-
NHc lo leave the shaping Of ihcli