Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-27
MINE WORKERS
UPHOLD GOMPERS.
MITCHELL REPUDIATES NOTHING
HE HAS SAID OR WRITTEN
CONCERNING RESISTANCE.
PREPARE PETITION OF PROTEST
TO ROOSEVELT AGAINST
WRIGHT DECISION.

Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 23.-YeSt
day was John Mitchell day IN the con-
vention of the United Mine Workers
of America When the former presi-
dent of the miners appeared upon the
stage the 1900 delegates went wild
with enthusiasm. There was a storm
of cheers and many of the delegates
wept from intense emotion. Seldom
has such a scene been witnessed in a
convention and John Mitchell was
made the hero of the largest labor or
ganization in the world.
Mitchell, who was deeply moved,
said:
ception you have given me this day.
1t would seem that at least in
miners convention, a former leader
of laboring people loses none of his
luster because he is sentenced to
jail"
He was interrupted by another
thunderous burst of applause. When
the tumult subsidized, MIR Mitchell be-
gan a long speech dealing with con-
ditions of the organization but prin-
cipally with the sentence to Jail i'm
posed upon him, Gompers and Morri-
son and his conception of its signifi-
canoe to the cause of organized labor
and freedom of speech.
Mr.. Mitchell pictured what he con-
sidered the injustice of a system by
which the constitutional rights of
free speech and free press were
denied" and by which men could be
deprived of their liberty without trial
by jury. He repudiated nothing he
had said or written in his book in the
past concerning the duty of resistance
of any order unjustly depriving the
people of these constitutional rights.
He denied the charges that the la
boring men wish especial privileges
under the law, but he declared that
they do wish the rights guaranteed
by the constitution to all men. He
declared no one decried law violation
more than he himself.
He reviewed his own case. pointing
out that his greatest offense seemed
to consist of presiding over the
miners convention that last year
passed the unfair or boycott. res
olution against the product of an al
legged unfair concern
He declared that he had no knowl-
edge of this resolution; that he had
not assisted in preparing it, and was
simply presiding when it was present
ed. He declared that as a matter of
fact probably every miner in the
union last year was more guilty than
he was, because, he pointed out, he
had not voted for it inasmuch as he
was the presiding officer, while all
the other delegates did vote for it.
He had no plea, he said. to make.
Mr. Mitchell dwelt on the fact that
this was day of great fight for the
rights that the forefathers of the
country had aimed to bestow on the
people, and for which men, among
them his own father. had fought as
soldiers. The injunction, he de-
clared, was not all bad. but he said it
had been used as an instrument in
oppression
p ]. McLester. delegate from
Springfield, moved that petition be
prepared, addressed to President
Roosevelt and protesting against the
Wright decision. 1t is to be signed
by every delegate and officer in the
convention
The convention voted $1,000 for the
defense OF Gompers, Mitchell and
Morrison and specified that further
financial aid will be given if neces-
sary.