The sun., 1919-09-10


o'Rourlte Of Spring Valley. In the year
preceding the United Mine Workers Of
America had been organized and Nit
chell, even then being considerable OF
an oracle in matters concerning the coal
industry became the leading spirit in
his section Of the country In U. NJ w. A
business.
Mitchell studied law and economies in
his spare time and In a remarkably short
period was known all over the country
as convincing. well informed orator
and conferee.
= In 1886 he was secretary-treasurer Of
the Northern Illinois sub-district and
as legislative committee chairman Of
the mine workers was sent TO Springfield
to boost beneficial legislation. His sue
cess caused great rejoicing among his
fellow miners and his methods promoted
vast respect for his ability. Among the
measures he succeeded in having placed
upon the statute records were the run
of-the-mine law and amendment to the
antitrust law.
Elected member of the Illinois State
Executive Board in 1897, Mitchell was
appointed general organizer when tile
general strike became effective. One
year later the United Mine Workers of
America elected him national vice-presi-
dent In September, 1898, he was APP
pointed acting president by the national
board to succeed NJ D. Ratchford who
resigned to become a member of the
United States Industrial Commission.
Three months later he was elected fourth
vice-president Of the American Fedora
ton af Labor. In 1900 he became sec
ond yice-president of the A. Y. of l..
Won Success I'm Strikes.
1t was In Pittsburg in 1899 that
Mitchell was elected president OF the
United Mine Workers OF America. and IN
the same year he was appointed a MEM
Der OF the advisory council of the Ma
tionA Civic Federation. The successful
manner In which he conducted the labor
side of the anthracite strikes Of 1900
and 1902 added SO much to his fame
that he was urged by the trade expan-
sionists, Of whom he was the leader,
to oppose the indorsing of Samuel Com
pers for the presidency of the A F. Of
l. Mitchell, however, saw no value in
an Internal fight such as his candidacy
would inaugurate, and sacrificed any per-
sonal ambition he may have cherished so
as to keep harmony within the organiza-
ton.
In 1904 the Republicans went into ma
tional convention booming John Mitchell
for the Vice-Presidency. Mitchell, a taci-
turn, studious looking man with small.
whimsical smile, wrote TO the Republican
campaign managers that he thought he
could do more for his own people In
the position he then occupied than he
could as President of the United States
Meanwhile, Mitchelrs successes had
not been confined to workmen's organi-
cations. At least five times he refused
lucrative positions In mine owners or
CARNATIONS. He ignored chances to go
into business that would have made him
a wealthy man. He had the success habit
from the very beginning. He was presi-
dent OF the Spring Valley Board Of Edu-
cation before old enough to vote and
despite the fact that he had never grad
uated from any school incidentally he
was an excellent school board head, and
later caused the passage of much legis-
lation making the road to erudition
much easier for the son and the daugh-
ter of the miner. And, unlike SO many
self-made and self-educated successful
men. he was an ardent advocate of uni
verslty training and higher education
generally.
The Republicans having failed to In
ducs Mitchell to seek the Vice-Presi-
dency. the Democrats tried to lure him
with the same sort of bait In 1908
no was asked to run for the Governor
ship of Illinois on the Democratic ticket
The chances Of his winning were more
than ordinarily bright. But Mitchell de-
clined, saying:
81 have no right to seek political
honors 1 will not be a candidate for
the vice-Presidency. nor for Governor
on the Democratic ticket, nor on the
Republican ticket. I am conscious or
the honor. but 1t is best for man to
cling to the plan that he has adopted
as his own LIES work"
In mi Mitchell. then chairman OF
the trade agreement department OF the
National Civic Federation. was told by
the United Mine Workers that either
he would resign from the Civic Fed
Grafton or from the United Mine Work
ers. This ultimatum was forced through
the U. NJ W. A. by the Socialists, whose
more radical views Mitchell opposed.
He let 1t be known that whatever his
decision might be 1t was to be under
stood by the radicals that he still OPP
posed them and would continue oppos-
ing them.
He resigned from the federation and
chung to the United Mine Workers, where
his work was devoted to maintaining its
equilibrium whenever there arose the
menace OF the L w. w. and the anar-
chist OF other breed. One of Mtchells
the following worth while lines:
IT am not an advocate of strikes.
But there are times when strikes are
necessary to clinch the argument Of
truth. Strikes are development of
civilization a means to an end in the
great social evolution that we are fac
Ing. Strikes are the sledge hammers
that weld the connecting links Of labor
and capital and make the endless chain
of commercial prosperity"
Mr.. Mitchell held the presidency of
the United Mine Workers of America
for ten years. He resigned because Of
continued i'll health. He had never met
with failure as a strike organizer and
conductor, yet he had always won by
clean methods and fair play.
Physically he was a spare man of
muscular build and about five feet nine
inches tall. He weighed probably $50
pounds-no more. His physical ap-
pesrance was so wholly indicative OF
the character of the man 1t Is worth
while describing him.
Had Force. Power, Perception.
His face was clean shaven. He had
rather deep set eyes that possessed a
hard, direct gaze. His face was not
mobile but there was fire in his eyes
that betrayed his thoughts. From and
including the nose up Mitchell's face was
that of the intellectual. Below there