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JOHN MITCHELL 323 He believes that labor can secure its own advancement only by recognizing the rights of capital and by compelling cap- ital to recognize both the rights and the honesty of the labor union. Through all these years John Mitchell has compelled men to recognize his own integrity. He has never stooped to de- ceit for his own or others* ends. Loving mankind, and es- X)ecially laboring men, as few have ever loved, he has at the same time been able to preserve his intelligence alive side by tside with his love. He has never allowed his love or his sympathy or his righteous indignation to blind him. He sees clearly not only the present but as far as any man can into the future. So highly are these qualities of intelligence and sincerity prized by thinking people that it is an open secret that had he permitted, John Mitchell might have had the nomination for the Vice Presidency of the United States on the Democratic ticket in 1908. He has to an extraordinary degree the power of seeing facts as facts, uncolored by bias, sympathy, or partisanship. Even more he has had the power to see not only his own side but the enemy's side of all dis- putes. It is this keenness of intellectual vision, this saneness of judgment and breadth of view, this recognition of fact and the necessity of being controlled by fact that have given John Mitchell the place he holds in the world of labor. Though sometimes dissatisfied with him because of what seems to many his over-conservatism, the majority of his followers, in their saner moments, have recognized him as their greatest leader. On the other hand, capital has been willing to treat with him because of his absolute honesty and his realization of fact and its place in all disputes. John Mitchell remains to-day the logical labor leader of the new regime. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOK Organized Labor. By John Mitchell PERIODICALS Dictation by the Unions. Independent, 54 :2228. Labor Leaders of To-day. By L. Steffens. McClure's 19:355.