Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1901 — As Man to Man. [ARTICLE]

As Man to Man.

President John Mitchell of the Mine Workers argues cogently in the current Independent in favor of the frank recognition by employers of the trades’ union as the agent of their employes. Into the details of Mr. Mitchell’s argument it. is needless to go farther than to cite one striking fact: In the bituminous coal industry, where the union is recognized, there has been peace for three and one-half years. In the anthracite branch, where the union is not recognized, there are frequent strikes and constant uncertainty. More interesting to those who seek to find general principles upon which the relations of capital and labor may equitably and easily be adjusted is a remark near the close of Mr. Mitchell’s article. “I have never known an instance,”, he says, “wjiere the representatives of capital and labor have failed to agree when the two sat down together, put their feet under the table, and told one another the absolute truth. I am confident that every great strike which has taken place in our , country could have been avoided if each side had been reasonable and honest with the other.”