The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-18
A. r. l.. RESOLUTION FAvoRS THE
IRISH METHOD WHEN ALL
ELSE HAS FAILED.
M|TCHtLLS ATTITUDE
Former President United Mine Work
ers Makes Stirring Address-Not
Defiant Of Courts, hs Says, But Re-
fuses to Surrender Rights Guaran-
teed by constitution-Wants Liberty.

Toronto, Ont. Nov. 17.-Indorsing
John Mitchell, one of the three Off
GERS of the American Federation of
Labor under sentence for contempt of
court. made dramatic speech to the
convention today. He declared that
so far as he Is concerned. regardless
of consequences, he intended. while at
liberty. to declare for the rights guar
anteed him by the constitution. The
report which drew forth Mitchelrs
speech and 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. boycott: we
say that. when the employer has de-
termined to exploit not only adult
male labor. men. but also women and
children. and our reasonable appeal
to his fairness and his conscience will
not sway him. boycott; we say that.
when labor has been opposed. brow
beaten, tyrannized, boycott: we say
that, when social and political condi-
tions become so bad that ordinary
remedial measures are fruitless. boy
colt. and finally. We say We have a
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
Mitehslrs Speech.
Mr.. Mitchell said that he realized
that every statement made by those
on the convention floor and especially
by those who on next Monday will
have To deliver themselves to the
courts. is being closely scrutinized. II
shall not speak defiantly; but l shall
not surrender any right guaranteed
to me by the constitution of our coun-
try. II / know myself, not any
amount of suffering will persuade me
that I have not the right to spend
my money where l please or that l
have not the right to write and
speak as l please.
Il understand that cognizance Is
being taken at Washington of the ut
terances of men on the floor of this
convention aud want clearly to state
my position. l 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
am sent to jail. To declare again when
I come out that | shall not. for my
self, purchase any product of the
Buck Stove & Range company.
make this declaration not to tickle
the ear of any man. but that r may
publicly declare the conviction that is
within me-
1T seems to me that the whole pro-
ceedings should prove lasting lesson
to the workingmen of the United
States and Canada. II all the work
ingmen had been true to themselves,
there would not have been a nonunion
product on the market. reneat that.
so far as l am concerned. and let the
consequences he what they may. in
tend. while at liberty to declare for
the rights guaranteed to me by the
organic laws of my country. l am
proud of being an American"
Mr.. Mitchell said he had grown up
as an American with stepmother So
poor that she could not buy bread.
and told how he had crept out of bed
at night to get his fathers soldier
coat To keep him warm.
Wants Real Liberty.
But | want to see the word Ameri-
can stand for all the sentiment that is
symbolized by the flag of our coun-
Try he continued. Il want real lib
erty. l do not believe in the liberty
enunciated by some of our courts that
men and women should have the
right to work themselves to death.
l do not believe in the liberty enun-
ciated by Judge Tuthill of Chicago.
who declared unconstitutional the 10
hour law for women and by the act
compelled them To work Il hours a
day
Mr.. Mitchell said he believed the
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