Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-11-24
MITCHELL BOLDLY
FAVORS BOYCOTT
DEcLAIMs AGAINST AUTHORITY
AND DECLARES HE'LL FIGHT
ON AND ON.
DENouNcEs JUDGE TUTHILl FOR
0lscREolTsC TEN-HoUR
LAW FOR WOMEN.

Toronto, Nov. 1S.-Endorsing the re-
port of the committee on boycott John
Mitchell, one of the three federation Of
ficers under sentence for contempt of
court, made dramatic speech to the
American federation of labor conven-
ton yesterday. He declared that, re-
CARELESS of consequences, he intended
to declare for TIE rights guaranteed
him by the organic laws of the voGa
try.
The report which was adopted by
the convention declared:
I'VE say that when your cause is
just and every other remedy has been
employed without result, boycStt; we
say that when the employer has de
termined to exploit not only adult male
labor, but our own women and Ihil-
dren, and our reasoning aud appeal
to his fairness and conscience win not
sway him, boycott; we say, when labor
has been oppressed, browbeaten,
tyrannized, boycott; we say when so
cial and political conditions become
SO bad taa. ordinary remedial meas
ures are frlitless, boycott; finally we
say we have right to boycott and we
propose to exercise that right. In the
application of this right of boycott, to
paraphrase the president (Gompers),
We propose to strive on and ON"
The convention loudly eheered Nit
chell, and called for Morrison. The
secretary did not respond. Gompers
was absent.
Mitchell said he realized that every
statement made by those who, on Mon.
day have to deliver themselves to the
courts, is being scrutinized
Il want the people Of the United
States to know my position" he said
4 will not surrender any right guar
anteed by the constitution of our eoun.
try. | am not sure how much mental
and physical suffering will be neces-
sary to make me submit, but no
amount of suffering viii persuade me
that | have not the right 10 spend my
money where ! please. or write and
speak as ! please, being responsible
under the law for my acts.
whether the boycott be benefit
or a detriment, each man must decide
where he shall bestow his patronage.
| maintain that my patronage is my
own, no merchant has property right
to it. Any attempt through the subtle.
ties of the law to take from men the
right to do what they please with
their own money must be opposed to
the very limit
/ propose, If sent to Jail. to declare
again when / come out that I will not
for my self purchase any product OF
the Bucks Stove and Range company
This whole proceeding should prove a
lesson to the workingmen Of the
United States and Canada. If all the
workingmen had been true TO them.
selves there would not have been a
non-union product on the market.
Il repeat, | intend while at liberty
to declare for the rights guaranteed
ME by the organic laws of my coun.
try. | am proud of being an American
but want to see the word American
stand for all the sentiment symbolized
by the flag. l want real liberty, not the
liberty enunciated by Judge Tuthill oil
Chicago, who declared unconstitution
| al the ten hour law for women, and
thereby complied them to work IA
hours a day.
lis the time going to come wheI
the badge Of faithfulness to labor
must be the brand of imprisonment,
/, ] hope the government viii be so con
Quoted that no citizen will feel he hal
not been given justice and equa
right with every other citizen"
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