The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-12-17
MITCHELL FOR BOYCOTT.
labor Leader Claims Right to Buy
Where He Pleases.

]
Where He Pleases.
Indorsing a report of the committee
on boycott at the federation convention
in Toronto. John Mitchell said:
Il want the people Of the Uhlteu
States to know my position. shall
not speak definitely; but, be the conSe-
ouences what they will | shall not
surrender any right guaranteed to me
bv the constitution of our country. !
am not sure how much mental and
physical suffering will be necessary
TO make me submit, but if know my
self not any amount of suffering VIII
persuade me that | have not the right
to spend my money where ! please or
that | have not the right to write and
speak as | please, being responsible
under the law for my acts. Whether
the boycott be a benefit or detrl-
ment, each man must decide where he
will bestow his patronage. | maintain
that my patronage is my own and no
merchant has property right i'll 1t. 1t
is mine to give or bestow as suits my
own pleasure, and any attempt through
the subtleties of the law to take from
men the absolute right to do what they
please with their own money must be
opposed to the very limit.
II understand that cognizance is be-
ing taken at Washington of the utter
ances of men on the floor of this con-
I nf nj rIu 70 off 70 m u
position | propose in the future, as
have in the past. to exercise the rights
secured to me by the fathers of my
country. and | propose If l am sent to
Jail to declare again when ] come out
for the rights guaranteed me under
the law. | make this declaration not
to tickle the ear of any man, but that
may publicly declare the conviction
that is within me.
1T seems TO me that the whole pro-
ceedings should prove a lasting les
son to the workingmen of the United
States and Canada. If all the work
ingmen had been true to themselves
there would not have been a nonunion
pTOuuCJ Oh tue lDdTkeC.
Il am proud of being an American,
but want to see the word American
stand for all the sentiment that is
symbolized by the flag of our country.
| want real liberty. | don't believe in
the liberty enunciated by some of our
courts that men and women should
have the right to work themselves to
death. don't believe in the liberty
enunciated by Judge TuthilI of Chi
cago, who declared unconstitutional
the ten hour law for women and by
that act compelled them to work four
teen hours day.
as the time going to come on our
continent when the badge of faithful
ness to labor must be the brand of i'm
prisonment?" he said in conclusion.
The report which drew forth Mitch
ellis speech and which was adopted by
the convention is as follows:
1--WE say that when your cause is
just and every other remedy has been
employed without result, boycott: we
say that when the employer has deter
mined to exploit not only adult male
labor, but our women and children.
and our reasoning and appeal to his
fairness and his conscience will not
sway him, boycott; we say that when
labor has been oppressed, browbeaten
and tyrannized, boycott We say that
when social and political conditions be-
come so bad that ordinary remedial
measures are fruitlpss. boycott. and.
finally, we say we have right to boy.
colt ana we propose to exercise that
right. In the application of this right
to boycott, to paraphrase the president
(Gompersl, we propose to strive on
and or"