John Mitchell's powerful hold upon public opinion today is not
alone due to his superior intelligence, his self possession, his
business skill, nor his Irish gift of human accommodation, but to
the greater facts that he was always aware of the grave
responsibilities of leadership, that he realized the stern
obligation of a business contract, and that he always followed
the trade union policy of asking only for that which was
attainable. Soon after the Anthracite strike he wrote:
"I am opposed to strikes as I am opposed to war. As yet, however,
the world with all its progress has not made war impossible;
neither, I fear, considering the nature of men and their
institutions, will the strike entirely disappear for years to
come....
"This strike has taught both capital and labor that they owe
certain obligations to society and that their obligations must be
discharged in good faith. If both are fair and conciliatory, if
both recognize the moral restraint of the state of society by
which they are surrounded, there need be few strikes. They can,
and it is better that they should, settle their differences
between themselves....
"Since labor organizations are here, and here to stay, the
managers of employing corporations must choose what they are to
do with them. They may have the union as a present, active, and
unrecognized force, possessing influence for good or evil, but
without direct responsibility; or they may deal with it, give it
responsibility as well as power, define and regulate that power,
and make the union an auxiliary in the promotion of stability and
discipline and the amicable adjustment of all local disputes.
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