The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-07-15

T. L. LEWIS
Closing Remarks to Special Con-
vention Strictly to the Point and
Furnish Much Food for thought

or international President Il. l. Lewis
delivered to he delegates of tb,. Sna-
clal Convention OF District No. II
United Mine Workers of America, in
this city on July end:
desire to say to every delegate
here that my advice to YOU is that
whenever you have grievance
at any Local Union, submit it
to the District Officers in writing
and keep copy OF the COM
munication at home. You will
then know what the grievance was
and you will also understand that II
was sent to the District Officers. 1t
Will be a matter of protection to Won
as we'll as them in adjusting disputes
IN this district. 1 practice this meth
cd myself at all times
To you as delegates at this con-
Fehtion' L desire to appeal to your in
teliigence. to your manhood, to your
unionism. to go home. or when You
reach home. to do everything in your
power to build up and strengthen this
organization. not because il Is the
United Mine Workers. not because
happen to be the President, not be-
cause Ben Davis is President of the
District. but do it for selfish reasons,
and when 1 say selfish reasons Won
should work to this end, because Won
better conditions of employment and
less hours of labor for you men in
West Virginia. If you do not work
with the selfish end in view, then
there Is no reason why you should
work for the organization at all.
II worked for the success of this
organization because 1 believed that
the things mentioned would be the re-
suits of my labor. we'll as others,
and If we work together. there is no
question about the final outcome.
Success must be the result. l desire
to repeat now what 1 have said for
years. that one of the ambitions of
my life is to see the miners of West
Virginia thoroughly organized. l can
say candidly that If the miners of
row 1 could gladly. willingly and with
great degree of satisfaction turn
this organization over to someone
else. knowing that n splendid work
had been accomplished. West Vir-
ginia miners will not be organized I'M
til they themselves have made up
heir minds that they are going to be
organized in spite of all the OPPOSE
ton. This doctrine we ought to teach
Zach other and everyone &e meet
Men ought to be told that it is to
their interest to organize. Operators
should be told that they will not be
held up and deprived of securing
trade when they recognize the Unitel
Mine Workers; that as West Virgin
ians you want to be organized. but
lied to drive trade away from the
state. but rather to develop the min
ing industry of West Virginia.
Il think that can do Il great
deal along those lines If we bit try.
desire to take this occasion to ex-
pres Tic lilal every
will leave this convention. regardless
of his Individual opinion that he has
had a full. fair and free cpp"rtu-
nifty to express his opinion without
any restraint. The delegates here
should feel that this is one conven-
ton at least in which every man had
an opportunity to be heard whether
he was a delegate or not. as long as
he was a member of our Union.
Il am intensely interested in trying
to have the organization built up and
strengthened. as it ahouil be.
You will all get a pass word in
the very near future. Practice wha:
that pass word tells you to do and
you will make no mistake.
Il wish to also thank this del"ya-
ton for the vote of thanks you have
rendered me a moment ago. 1 appre-
ciate that. but do you know what l
will appreciate a great deal more?
To know when after I have gone
away from here that harmony has
been re-established in this district.
That we will be charitable to each
other with reference to the mistakes
that may have been made. That we