The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-04-18
LABOR IN CABINET
William B. Wilson Head of the
New Department.
CAREER AS A TRADE UNIONIST

Began as Boy Toiler In the Mines.
Driven From the Coal Fields Because
of His Activity In Organizing Unions.
Good Record In Congress.
The appointment of William Bauchop
Wilson as secretary of labor has excit-
ed keen public interest in the man as
well as in the government department
which has just come into being. What
sort of man is he, what has he done,
and what will he be likely to do? These
questions are heard on every side.
Secretary Wilson has been long iden-
tilted with the organized labor move
ment in this country. His friends say
that his career from the time when
he was a poverty stricken lad in the
Pennsylvania coal fields to his eeva-
ton to a cabinet portfolio has been
characterized by three dominant traits
-earnestness. perseverance and integ
rity. Now that he has become a ma
tional figure the incidents of his life
are set forth in this narrative.
Mr.. Wilson was born In Scotland in
1862 When he came to this country
at the age of nine he was an unschool-
ed miners boy, who went down with
his invalid father into the mines ev-
cry day to help him shovel the coal
into the cars so that the little family
could earn enough money to exist.
While engaged in this work he receiv-
ed what education he could pick up in
somewhat heller SHELTER way.
The boy also studied at night,
though after the arduous days work
the evenings study was not usually
long. Before he was fourteen he or
ganized u debating society and took an
active part in the affairs of the people
among whom he lived.
He formed the idea that it was nee
essary for some one to help the min
ers to improve their condition. A de-
sire to help his fellow men thus be-
came one of the keynotes of his life.
In 1880 Wilson had to give up work
in the coal fields The operators for
babe his employment because he had
formed a miners union. They regard
ed him as a menace to their interests.
His union was the outgrowth of the
little debating society he had formed.
When the United Mine Workers of
America became an organization in
1890 it was partly due to Wilson's ne
gotiations that the union was formed.
As Il member of the national executive
board of the old miners union he
knew so much about the affairs of the
workmen that it was decided to adopt
his plan.
Some of the difficulties that he had
to endure in his efforts to organize the
union tested his courage as well as his
resourcefulness. Not only were the
coal companies against him, but many
of the men were hostile. His life was
constantly in danger. At times he
would go down into the mines in dis
guise and plead with the men at their
work
1t was in the great strike of 1894
that Wilson's loyalty was sorely tried.
He had gone to West Virginia to or
ganize the bituminous miners of that
state. The operators had him arrested
on the charge of contempt and then
released him. thinking that he would
leave the district Instead he began
to work more assiduously than ever.
He was again arrested. The opera
tors tried to keep him in Jail until
after the strike was over. bNt he was
released under heavy bail. He held
the miners together. \ plan-so the
story goes-was devised whereby he
would be kidnapped. but one of the
men selected for the deed went to
Wilson, warned him of the plot and
thwarted the attempt.
Wilson was president of District No
2 in 1899 when a violent disturbance
in the soft coal fields Of Pennsylvania
took place The men were desperate
and on the point of abandoning the
strike when they were without funds
and were informed that Wilson had
sold them out. At a meeting of the
miners some one called for Wilson,
and then it was that voices shouted
that he dare not come.
The little gathering was probably the
union in Pennsylvania. Just as they
were about to form plan of capitulat
ing to the operators Wilson's sturdy
form was seen pushing through the
edge of the crowd He hurried into
the midst of the miners and told them
that he had been to Clearfield to raise
funds for them to renew the struggle.
The battle was renewed. and the union
won.
The next year Wilson was elected
secretary-treasurer of the United Mine
Workers of America. In the six years
that he held the office $6,000.000 was
handled by him and accounted for. He
was not under bond
Mr.. Wilson was elected as a Demo
crat in the Fifteenth Pennsylvania dis
trict, which has always been over
whelmingly Republican. to the Sixtieth,
SiSty-frSt and Sixty-second congresses,
hut was defeated last fall for re-elec
zion ny Edgar r. Kiess. Republican.
e., ha i,rbE