' 'I
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE- ;.' MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1003. h - -
I, ' ' i 1 1 1, tii i .'ii. n r ,
' : ' i ' : ' ' : ,: '":'
V
,
SECOND SESSION
OF THE COMMISSION
(Concluded
minors would lie $X n yenr, but 1 nm not
BUI'O of thut,
Q. Well, you woio testifying Hint these
lircnkor boys from 1" to 10 yews of ngo
olught lo cni'ii $1 n tiny? A, Yes, sir.
Messenger Boys' Wages.
Q. I nuked n messenger boy from llio
telegraph office, who on mo lievo whether
lio worked right hours n dny mid ho snld
Jio worked ten hours. I nuked him what
ho got mid ho snld thirteen dollars a
month. Would yoa consider tlmt nil In
decent or mi Improper rate of pny?
A. Tlmt Is more tlmn tho hrenker boys
tot.
Q. Yes, hut they do not work every day
for ten hours?
A. No, but they llvo every dny. (Laugh
,ter). Q, Ohl yes. They llvo every dny, un
doubtedly, nnd we nre very Rind they do;
hut tho question Is. who Is to pny thnn
for HvIiir every dny when they do not
work every dny?
A. They must enrn their HvIiir In the
industry where they arc employed.
Q. Yes, but must they enrn It nt nn In
rrensed cost of the product with which
they dcnl to tho poor otsowherc?
A. If nn Industry will not pny living
witges to Its employes, then tho industry
Itself Is of benc'llt to the country.
Q. Therefore, you sny unless tho nn
thraclto Industry cim pny tho wnges
which you deslRiinto ns proper In your
judgment. It ought to cense,
A. No: t sny IE It will not pny reason
able living wages, n wngo sufficient to
educate children nnd Improve citizenship,
then It should cease to exist.
Q. Do you knnw what tho nverngo
wages of farm laborers nre In the t'nlted
States? A. If ho works on nn ordinary
fnrm, a laborer's pny Is from ?18 to ?:
n month, nnd he works from eight to
nine months, lto Is paid his living In ad
dition to thnt. t have worked oit n fnrm.
Q. Yes: so have I. (Laughter.) But I
never got tho wages you Indicate.
(Laughter.) 1 only wish that rate of
wages had been In force when I was
working on a farm. (Laughter.) Do
you know of any ordinary farm laborer
who. working ten or twelve hours a day,
enrn": WOO a year? A. No. sir; 1 do not.
Q. What do you say the average pny
per month and their board amounts to?
A, As fur ns my Information goes, It
varies from $18 to S&", a month. Q.
wculd you be surprised to find that it
was below fifteen dollorsV A. It would
be different from my Information; con
trary to my Information. Q. But yon
have no Iden that the average earnings
of a fnrm laborer In tho Untied Stnles Is
SC00 a year? A. No, I do not think it is.
Q. You say, then, as tho plglitlfrroaion,
that the wages of the anthraclto mine
workers are so low is that their children
nre prematurely forced into the breakers
nnd mills instead of being supported nnd
educated upon the earnings of their par
ents. Do you not know that a great
many of these parents are temporary
residents here? A. 1 understand that
Home of them nre.
Ambition of Foreigners.
Q. Do you not know .that their nmbt
tion is to amass a considerable sum, to
them, of money, with which to return
borne. Q. And In pursuance of that ob
ject they utilize the earnings of their
children as much as possible? A. 1 do
not know that they over realize their
ambitions. ,
Q. You ulso luked for shorter hours of
labor. You sny that demand Is similar to
tho first, and you say that tho ten-hour
dny is detrimental to the health, life,
safety and well-being of everybody em
ployed nbout a mine? A. The work lt
selMs unhealthful, and the work is very
difficult, and, necessarily, the ten-hour
work-day is hard for people.
Q. I now ask you, for information you
obtained from your associates as to tho
length of tlmo the contract miner works
in the collieries of our two companies.
A. My recollection of the returns from
the mines is not sufficiently clear at this
time. Q. That is light; that Is satisfac
tory. Now, would you bo surprised to
learn (reading): "It Is nt range, but it Is
n, fact nevertheless, that where tho vein
Is gcod and blows well, It Is seldom that
n miner, excepting when he hns bad luck,
is found In bis working place after 10
o'clock In tho morning?" (Laughter
from the miners' representatives.! A. I
do not know what you aro quoting from,
but that is not correct. Q. You may bo
sure I am not quoting from my own
knowledge. A. I know thut; it is well to
know that in connection with contract
men, that they start to work earlier than
the other workmen. Q. How early would
you say they start to work? A. Wo have
records of men going to work as early
ns a o'clock in the morning and li o'clock
In tho morning, nnd thny perform two
hours' work before tho ordinary work of
the mine starts. They have prepared
their coal, which is finally londed, and
they go homo early In tho nfternooH
Q. Would you bo surprised, In contra
diction of that, to ho told by an official
authority, not on my own authority, tlmt
they reach their places of work about 7
o'clock orn llttlo later? A. t should be
surprised very much, In view of tho In
formation 1 obtain from tho men who
do tho work.
Q, 1 nsk you Hit, beonuso from the re
port ot tho Bureau of Mines of the state
of Pennsylvania, for ISM, an official docu
ment which I, with other citizens of
1'e.nnsylvnnin, hnvo been taxed to pay
for compiling and publishing, (which Is
under tho lllllsldo Coal and Iron com
pany's Improvement, and Is because of
the Immediate relations to the works of
that company, although tho Inuguago Is
general, that I have used It) that I am
getting this Information. A. If you will
permit mo to sny this much In connec
tion with It: that It frequently oceuin
that a mlno Is not producing a sufllclent
amount of coal to distribute, to furnish
each of tho miners with cars. Some,
times there may bo only two or three
cars In a day, and, of course, that only
means a part of n day's work bo could
load moro than that; and whilo his
laborer Is wailing for tho company to de
liver the cms to him, ho returns home.
You wHPunderstand that In tlmt event ho
would not obtain In tbu wholo day mora
thun half u day's wages. Q. But his
nverago would bo required to bo brought
nn to this iW). A, Those aro exceptions
tlmt I speak of.
Not an Exception.
Q. This Is not nn exception. It reads:
"It Is seldom that a miner, excepting
when ho has bad luck. Is found In Ills
working place TCfier 10 o'clock In tho
morning." and the rciiton Is given. "For
very likely his home-shot has been ilred
long bo:crc this, and ho Is at hoim. or,
perhaps, Bomcwhcrn elso wllh his friends,
In such mines they reach their places
about T, or n llttlo Inter, and for two or
thieo hours It may bo an hour more do.
caslonully they 'pitch In' Willi ul tho
vhn and vigor they have to 'cut' enough
coal for the. duy, and oftentimes In good
place accomplish this with two or three,
shots. Thon, Instead of taking tlmo to
piop it otherwise seumo a seemingly bad
piece of roof, which may bo discovered
near the face, they go home, graving this
work for tho next duy, when, us they sny,
'I'll' stick up a prop under It. lint when
they arrive on tho next day they (hid
tli Hi their coul bus all been loaded, and
they must go ut II, as it were, hammer
niul tongs iignln, to cut enough conl for
that day, as they cannot afford lo loso a
car."
Sir. DurrciwuAVill you tell u what
that Is. what trie, artlclo Is about?
Mr. SlaoVcughV A report of tho Bureau
of Mines ot tho Tlrst nnthruclto district
-that Is our dlstrjet-for IS!'.), published
by tho department of Internal affairs of
the statu of I'cnnsjlvanlu. I havo besn
lending liom pugo JO of that volume.
By Mi MueVeugb: Q. So, It this otll
ciiil report has any basis, the contract
from Fnge 3.) )
nilnor.t must receive, under your assump
tion. $000 n yenr nt least, even If they
seldom urrlvo nt the mlno until after 1
nud nr.hh gencrnlly nt a little after 10?
A, Well, 1 d not wnnt to assume thnt
the report Is accurate, Q. But It tho re
port Is nccuritlc? A. And even tho report
would Indicate thnt If they had londed
nil the cuts they could gel by remaining
there nil day, they would not have
londed uny more conl.
(. llu siiys they go out volunlnrlly nnd
rpoiul the rest of the dny with their
f i lends. Now, I nm asking you, Is It n
fair proposition to nsk this commission
to compel us by their order to pny every
body nt lenst JC0O it yenr, when tho rule
Is thnt they no Into tho mine a llttlo
nfter 7 and gencrnlly Ret out a little nf
ter 10; nnd I nsk thnt In comparison
with what other wage-earners nre able
to enrn In the United States?
A. Yes, but It Is necessnry for you to
state It all-moro than you rend there.
Q. I with you would state It nil.
What tho Roport Said.
A. The report says that they return
tho in xt day and start to work hard
nunln, because they cannot afford to loso
n cur, nnd thnt would seem to Indicate
that even It they had remained at their
working place ill duy they would not
huvo earned any more money In the end
than by doing as It npepnrs they do.
Q. Let ns read a little-further: 'Then,
lnr.tcnd of tnklng time to prop or other
wise secure a seemingly bud piece of roof,
which may bo dlscorcved near tho fnce,
they go home, leaving this work for the
next day." Now nre such men. In com
parison with the other men who have to
mako their living by manly lnbor, fairly
entitled to be paid In every instance lCO
n year. In your Judgment? A. I should
sny that If men only work three hours a
dny thnt they would not be entitled to
fGOO a yenr.
Q. What Is tho price of bonrd per
month In our two properties? A. I un
derstand that board Is usually $18 per
month. Q. So If the avorage farm wages
were J13 a month and It Is below that
nnd you added SIS a month to It, nnd
they worked nine or ten months, that
would be. say $33 a month, making $330
for ten months. Is 4330 equal to J6C0 do
jou think? A. No, sir: 1 do not think
tho conditions are at all comparable. Q.
Does! not tho average farm-hand work at
least twice as much twice ns many
hours as the average mnn nt any of our
collieries? A. No, I think not; not tho
average man.
Q. Of course, Mr. Mitchell, you are
aware that any Increase in the cost 'of
coal, would, If possible, be unloaded upon
tho consumer. You have yourself recom
mended that course to the operators,
have you not? A. 1 have not.
Q. And, of course, you know that an
thracite, coal Is a necessity to the very
poor ot a great portion of the eastern
stales and seaboard. A. Yerf, sir. Q.
and you are familiar with the old truth
very old and always true that the
curse of tho poor Is their poverty, and
that a great many of those unfortunate
people have to buy their coal by the ex
ercise of the extremest possible economy,
and even then very narrowly escape, if
they escape at all, from the bitterness of
cold? A. AVo do not fix the rates of ccal,
where the poor buy It. Q. That Is not at
ail nn answer to my question; X must
nsk you to answer, then you may sup
plement II. A. Yes, I underhand that It
Is very difficult for the extremely poor lo
purchase coal, nnd. In connection there
with 1 would say that when the ten per
cent, advance was paid to tho miners
upon the authority of experts it
amounted to five cents a ton given to
the miners and that the consumers paid
much more than thnt for It.
Putting Expense on Cities.
CJ. And you expect therefore any ad
vance will not only bo added upon the
bowed iiuek of tho poor of our great
cities of tho custom states, but will bo
multiplied by the operators? A. I expect
that the operators will do that It they
can.
Q. And you are willing to be a party of
that Increased burden?
.A. Not willing to be; we may be forced
to be, but we are not. willing to Impose
upon the consumer of coal; we havo
nothing at all to do with it.
Q. You have not?
A. No, sir.
Q. You have no public duties, no social
duties, with reference to this?
A. Wo have no way of controlling It.
Q. No: but linyo you not aspirations and
duties of a social and religious character
with your organization?
A. Certainly; I say wo havo no way ot
controlling It, that the operators charge
tho consumers ns much ns they choose for
tho coal. We aro not consulted In tho
matter at nil.
Q. No: but when you demand an ad
vance, hi your wages and sceuio It, you
know, as well as vou know your namo,
that nn additional burden will bo put upon
tho poor people, who hnvo to buy It,
A. Tho operators must bo entirely re
sponsible for thnt.
Q. But you are tho stnrt, you start tho
stnno rolling which Is to roll uin their
back and break It, In some cases. have
here now p. demand from Philadelphia,
for the poor of that city. Fortunately tho
weather hns moderated recently. Thoy
were pnnlc-strickon Inst Saturday by tho
news that a cold wavo -was coming, for
they could not get their coal. Now you
mako It harder for them to get it If you
add to the cost of producing, do you not?
It may be light to do so, I do nut say
It Is not right; I only want you to face
tho consequence of your action.
A. 1 should sny that If nn mlvnnco of
20 per cent, was paid to the miners and It
thu advance amounted to 'JO cents u ton on
coal, which is 100 per cent, more than tho
experts who havo made calculations here
to faru havo said, It would Increase tho
cost to tho consumer nbout 20 cents a
month, tho poor man would bo out ot his
earnings ?o cents moro a month, Ho
would not bo out more than that becuusa
ho does not uso moro than a ton a month,
I do not think that 20 cents a ton ought
to be added to tho piico to the consumor;
In think tho operators might pay that out
of their prollts,
Q. But supposing they have no prollts?
Mitchell's Quick Itetort.
A. Then they might pny It out of their
freight rates,
Q. Suppose their freight rates do not
pay any profit, thou whero nro thoy to
liy It from? A. 1 presume they would
chnrgo It up to tho consumer whether it
pays or not.
i. I was going to ask If they had uny
other place to tiiko It. If you demand an
Increase nnd thoy hnvo no profits whero
mo thoy going to plum It except upon tha
bowed backs of tho poor.
A, Thoy misht put It on tho bowed
backs of the rich,
Q, The rich do not mind It. they nro
ready to ugrcn with you lo make a trust
for them nnd u trust for you; but 1 urn
not, I am asking about the other classes.
A, 1 cup only say Unit thoy luivo done,
thnt already without payhur tho minors,
ono cent In wages, They havo Increased
tho prlco of coal no cents a ton without
solicitude for tho public,
Q, For how Jong?
A. It Is going Into effect now,
(, For how long?
A. I understand It Is announced to bo
for n fw months.
Q. Do you not know It will termlnato
tho first of January?
A. l'robubly so, I do not know,
Q. That is a month and a hair, Do you
know tho reuson given for that advance?
A. I understand to coiimpcnsato ho
companies for the additional cost of min
ing coal Incident to a long Idleness.
Q. Anil the destruction of property
which bus bevn incident to thut cessation?
A. I understand m).
Q. In one of your other reasons you
state that shorter hours Incijiso the in-
ITl u r k i NfliinTl
W I m
1mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaMmmmmmmmmmmmwmmmmm
1 ...D0AN S KIDNEY PILLS..,
u
g lust what
tensity and efficiency ot labor? A. Yes,
sir. Q. Have you had experience to jus
tify that? -A. Vrs, sir. Q. TInvo you no
ticed tile publication In today's newspa
pers In New York of an additional esti
mate of the cost of some work there by
reason of tho reduction of the hours of
labor from ten to eight, showing thnt the
Increased cost Is 25 nor cent.? A. 1 have
not seen that, Q. "Would you bo surprised
to learn that employers of labor in very
many cases havo ctlmntcd their- loss at
as much ns 30 per cent, by reason ot the
reduction of tho hours of labor from ten
to eight? A. I do not know what tho em
ployees have estimated it nt; I know tho
experience In coal mining, what effect
It has had.
Additional Cost of Work.
Q. Do you know what the chief ot trio
bureau of construction In tho nnvy depart
ment officially reports ns to llm addi
tional coFt of work In government navy
yards whore the eight hours system pre
vails over private yards wboro tho ten
hour system prevails? A. No, I do not
know Q. Would you not bo surprised
to learn that it Is XI per cent.? A. 1 would
not bo surprised to learn n considerable
difference In any lino of employment In
tho amount paid by tho government and
somo prlvato concern. Q. Nor 1. All'tho
same you alludo to the uetion ot thu gov
ernment In reducing the hours of labor of
Its employes ns an argument In favor of
tho reduction of the hours of labor In conl
mining? A. Yes, sir. Q, You see that ar
gument Is not valuable? A. I do not seo
whero there Is any comparison botwecn
my statement and the fact that tho In
creased cost of government work.
Q. As tho world bus gone on through
theso long years of stress and strife, hns
any Industrial community in its history
boon efficient and successful In competing
for thu markets of tho world upon a day
ot eight hours labor? A. 1 think the most
prosperous ami most highly civilized na
tions on earth havo tho shortist hours of
labor.
Q. That Is not an answer to my ques
tion, l asked In the long courso of hu
man history whother tho luborlug classes
huvo evor succeeded In competing for the
commerce and business of tho world on
an eight hour day? I do not mean to say
they may not do so In tho future, I urn
asking only whether thoro Is such a rec
ord or whether this Is a new step wo nix
asked to tnko? A, I do not know that tho
clght-hour day has been established for a
sufficient number ot years to enable mo
to say what 11b effect will bo. 1 do know
that tho most prosperous Industries in
American nro those that nro operated
under the clght-hour day,
Mr, MuuVentfli hero read from the
New York Evening I'ost tlio following
excerptB from tin article on the constl
lutlon ot the Operative Plasterers' as
sociation, of New York?
HMia ITAPamnn'a TVnt.r '
"Thti duty of tho foreman Is primarily
'lo see that all pien working under him
nro In good standing in this society'; the
lorcman, should ho employ a nonuienibcr
becomes Immediately ic;,ponslbe for his
initiation fee, Should ho fall to report a
prill-member put upon a job, tho same
penulty applies. Hut the most grievances
which a foreman can commit Is 'In.
Hitting on rushing tho men,' or similarly
'bringing about a condition of utfulrs
that would be detrimental to the mem
bers of this society,' This, If proved
against him, Is punMiublo by a flue, bus
peiuion. or at the second offense by de
gradation to tho ranks. 'It shall not bo
allowable for members to work single
handed at any part of the trade of pins
tcilng where two men can work to ad
vantage. Foremen will bo held strictly
responsible' for the violation of this rule.
M A klf Mf D lurks In every ache of the back. Don't be deceived by back
MWWfcilM achc. Don't mistake its meaning. Don't fail to reklize the
serious side of a "bad back.",
The pains and aches of a "bad back" are many and varied sharp stitches severe
twitches acute twinges of pain slow exhaustive aches. The back is tired, is' lame
and weak.
The "danger in it" comes from the kidneys, for most backache pains are but kid
ney ills. Backache tells of a kidney blockade. The delicate little kidney filters are
clogged and warn you through the back. Go to the assistance of the kidneys when they
''cry for help." Don't experiment take
n M U J p B is near .at hand when the kidneys are sick. The urinary dis
""E"' charges tell the kidneys' condition. "A brickdust" like deposit
in the urine, or when too highly colored, too frequent in pass
ege, irregular in any way, neglect is serious.
Disorders of the kidneys and bladder call for prompt attention. The early symp
toms are but forerunners of dangerous diabetes, hard to shake off dropsy, which makes
an invalid of the most vigorous constitution Bright's disease, dread destroyer, incurable
in advanced stages.
Doan's Kidney Pills act quickly cure quickly. Don't wait until too late.1
SCRANTON PROOF.
HAHPTON STREET.
Sirs. E. Davis, ot 918 Hampton street, says:
"My kidneys troubled me for three yenrs
more or less with sharp shooting pain hi the
small of my back, less during the day than
nt. night, unless I lifted anything or strained
my back or over-exerted myself In doing my
housework. At night I turned from side to
Bide, trying to find a comfortable position, and
II kept mo awake for hours. There was also
a kidney weakness which was very annoying
and distressing at all times 1 became so bad
that I was confined to my bed for over a week
and had to have a doctor. It was then that I
saw Doan's Kidney Pills advertised and so
highly recommended by Sernnton testimony
that I wan ludueed to get them from Mat
thews Bros.' druc store. They nroved to be
I needed and helped mo right nwny.
.My Dar.K was Dctter nna stronger man it iibu
been for a long time, nnd tho kidney weakness
completely disappeared. "
After working eight hours, a
member shnll receive Ills wages If ho
(tcniMids It, and If tho member's demands
arc not complied with, he shall receive
tho lfgulnr into of wages for all work
ing time he is waiting.' "
10. You aro not familiar with this or
ganization at all, aro you?
A. 1 do not know anything nbout It.
Q. Hut do you think that eight hours
In thut organization adds lo the ellicieiicy
of tlio labor nud enjoyment of the em
ployer? A. 1 do not know anything about that
orfiunlzatlon. Q. I credit you. nnd sin
cerely credit you, Mr. Mitchell, with tho
desire you express, to establish pcrmnf
out pence and friendly relutioiH betweObi
employers and their employes. I feel you
nre working tp thut end, nud I am also,
although wo may bo pursuing different
paths.
Now, a subsequent demand Is as to our
system of weighing coal. Do you know
how wo do measure tho wages of tho
minirs ut our collieries? A. I under
htand you weigh tho coal. Q. Is. thoro
any further demand upon us In respect
to thnt? A. Yes, vt ask that you pay
for ii legal ton of coal, Q, Don't wo do
that, A No, sir, CJ, What do wo pay for
it. A. Your tun Is. I understand, from
2710 pounds to ,11W pounds 1 will not bo
euro ot tho exact figures It Is olio of
thoso special tons.
A Legal Ton of Coal.
C.1, Let us clear up this obscuilty In It,
which appeared to mo In your laifguugo
this morning, or perhaps resulted from
my Inability to understand what you
said. Svhut do you menu by a legal ton
n Icgul ton ot what? A. Coal. Q. Do
wo not pay every man lor every 2JI0
pounds of coal we can sell inerchnntuhle
conl? A. You possibly pay for somo UHl'l
pounds, but thoro aro somo you do not
ray for. CJ, Some of tho niorchantablo
cool. A. Yes, sir: somo of marketnblo
coal. Q. Marketable nnd merchantable,
you know, nro two different things, If
wo nre rolling coal below what It costs to
prennco It, wo aro substantially giving
nwaj our cupltal. and If wo nverago
such wages . as wo think you will ills
cocr when you have, tho entire tabula
tion of our collieries hoforo you, ought
wo also to pay for producing coal which
wo sell nt iv loss? A, You ought lo pay
the miner for every pound of coal that
ho mines that Is marketnblo.
Q. Your next demand Is thut wo should
mako an agreement with you, represent
ing tho United Mlno Workers of America;
and I wish to nsk you If you havo pre
pared iv proposed form of agreement,
which you nsk this commission to com
pel us to execute? A. No, I hnvo simply
suggested In my opening address to the
Commission iv form that 1 thought would
bo practicable and acceptable to- all the
Intercut In this Held. Q, That was u
form for settlement of disputes. A. Yes,
Sir.
G, Hut that did not go Into any detail.
You say: "An agreement between tho
1'nlted Mlno Workers of America nnd
tho anthraclto coal companies, uf tho
wages which shall bo paid and tlio con
ditions of employment which shall ob
tain, together with satisfactory methods
for tho adjustment of grievances." Now
your proposal was wholly lmlted to- tho
adjustment of grievances? A. No. sir; 1
had suggested tlmt thu wuges which tho
cnmmUMoti should award would become
a part of the agreement, and then that
provision should bo made for tho ad
justment of any grievances during tin
life or the agreement, on general mat
tcit. Q. Would you kindly have sketched out
a fcim of agreement, for Instance, Unit
you would wish tho gentlemen that 1
represent to sign with you? A. I would
suy I huvo the sketch X make In my
FILMORE AVENUE.
Mr. Thomas Dailey, miner, of 121
Fllmorc avenue, says: "No one knows
how much I suffered. I could not lift
anything. My back hurt every time I
stooped and often It seemed to break
In two. I read of a person who lives
around here having been cured by tak
ing Doan's Kidney Pills, so I got them
at Matthews Bros.' drug store. The
first box helped me so much T contin
ued tho treatment until X had taken
six boxes In all. They fixed me up
all right and did me an Immense
amount of good, so that I recommend
ed them to all whom I heard complain
ing of backache or other kidney trou-v
bles."
opening statement, which I think will
tover the matter very fully.
A Long Question.
Q. You think it does, t read it. and
it did not seem to me to be such n pro
position us wc could Intelligently ills
cuc. I will rend it again, and if It is, I
will bo glad to ?ay so. Now, your rea
sons in support of that demand that we
should mako nn agreement with you nre,
first, that they should not bo compelled
to nmko or sign lndlvldtinl agreements,
but should have tho right to form such
organisations and choose such agents
nnd officers ns they desire, to net collec
ts cly Instead of individually whenever
they deem that their best Interests nro
subserved thereby. As to that, I am In
cordial agreement with you. As 1 stated
In the beginning, I havo not tho slightest
f.csire to Interfere with tho right ot any
employes to form an association and to
be repiesentcd by such of their number
and by such outsldo assistants ns they
seo proper to secure yourself, ur any
body cNe to nfslst them In tho adjust
ment of any grievances of which they
complain. Your second reason Is Unit
agreement!) between employers nnd em
ployes through worklngiuen's orguiitiui
tlcns, nnd tho ordinary method of regu
lating production and wages In tho bi
tuminous coal fields and In other largo
Industries aro beneficial, succe-sful, and
In keeping with thu spirit of tin- times;
nnd your third Is: Villous of working
men tend to tho better discipline of tho
men nud to tho Improvement of their
phslcnl, moral and mental condition,
nnd to tho preservation ot friendly rela
tions between employer and employe;
nnd your fourth Is: Kxporlcneo shows
that the trade agreement Is tho only ef
fective method by which It Is possible
to reguluto questions arising between
employer and employed In largo Indus,
tries, and that a trndo agreement Is tho
only possible way to establish tho rela
tions between employers and tho wage
workers in the anthraclto Held on a Just
and permanent bnsN. ami as far as pos
sible to do away with any causes for tho
recurrence of such dlfllciillles as thoso
tlio present anthracite coal commission
have boon called III tu settlo. No, thoro
is nothing In that Mr. Mitchell, distinct
ly declaring that wo inusUbo parties to n
partnership with the United Mlno Work
ers of America, and 1 wish to ask you
whether that Is one of the demands you
make upon us? A. Yes;.
The liialrmaii: What Is ono of the de
mands? Mr. MneVeugh: That wo should enter
Into iv dcllnlto agreement with tho
United Mlno Workers of America, and
not enter Into such trade agreements as
nro sketched in theso reasons.
A. Thero urn four demands, four Issues
In tho strike. Ono of them is that an
agreement bo mado, that tho wages and
conditions of employinont lai Incorporated
In an agreement between tho organization
and thu opcrutors, You ktated In your ex.
iimlnatioii In chief that your agreements
with tho bituminous coal operators had
worked successfully and hnrmoiiioubly,
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that tho operation of them fur
nished tho best possible reasons why the
owners of tho two companies wo represent
should bo naked to enter Into a like agree
ment? A, Yes, sir.
Q. You further stated that tho only dlf.
llcultles that had uiisou under those
agreements was us totho legal construc
tion of soma of their phrases, and that
they had been settled amicably between
the parties? A. Thero bus lieon every llttlo
difference Q. And what thero wus was
confined to tho construction of the lan
guage of tho agreement? A. No, I
suy thut nt times thero has been
dlfl'crtnccs of opinion as tlio tho
liiUrpictatlon of tlicso agreements.
KUUi,, il
A FREE TRIAL.
We will mail free to any
address a trial box of Doan's
Kidney Pills. Foster-Milburn
Co., Buffalo, N. Y.
There has been differences botwecen
the miners and tho operators locally
on raro occasions on account of other
matters, but thoy havo always been ad
justed amicably. Q, And thoso were raro
occasions, ns you say? A. I'cs, sir. IJ.
And were slight matters? A. Very few
serious differences.
Q. Not going at all to tho effective
working of tho mines, or tho discipline of
them? A. I think that the discipline in
tlio mines liaso been very satisfactory In
tho soft coal Holds.
Q. In what states huvo those agreements
been most successfully carried out, In
your judgment? A. Well, J think tt'ut
they havo been morn successful, because
they havo been moro complete, In tho
states of Jowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio,
I think thero they havo been moro com
plete. Q. Would you bo surprised to learn that
tlio bituminous operators or a consider
able number of them reported that ns a
result of thoso agreements, so far from
any Improvement being notlcenblo In con
sequence of them (rending): "On tho
contrary. In many mines there has been
a considerable Increaso In tho proportion
of lino coal (waste). Wo havo reports
from nearly all tho larger operators In
I ho mlno scale districts of tho stato nud
tho burden of their testimony Is that there
Is no Improvement in tlio methods of min
ing, and consequelly no decrcaso In tho
proportion of lino coal and no improve
ment whatever In tho quality of tho lump
ccal. Things havo grown worso Instead of
belter," Would you bo surprised at such
a statement at that from ono of tho best
states, onu of tlio stales you havo nnmed
as tho best. AVould you bu surprised to
learn that a considerable body of tho
bituminous coal operators In tho stato of
Illinois made that statement?
A. No. I would not bo surmised thnt
they mado tho statement, for I can ex
plain tho conditions undor which they
mado It.
Q. I wish you would?
A. f understand that they were about lo
enter a convention with tho miners In
which thoy wero going to nsk for changes
In their prices, and woro prepailng nu ar
gument tu favor of a cluingo In conditions
of work. However, tho very statement
they mako Is not sustained by tho ofll
clal reports of -the mlno Inspection bu
reau of Illinois. In fact tho contrary is
true, showing that thero lias befn a very
decided Improvement.
Q, Hut wo havo discarded tlio reports of
tho mine Inspection bureau, Your friends
In tho rear of the room laughed and
jeered at It? A. They woro men that
worked moro than three hours Mr, Jlnc
Veagh. Q, Mlno Inspection bureau reports In
Illinois aro very good; mlno Inspection re
ports In Pennsylvania, nro wotthles.i.
Now would you bo surprised to learn that
thoso operators declare: "In tho shoot
ing thero Is still the same tendency lo
over-shoot tho coal that prevailed under
our previous agreements. You need not
bo reminded thut tho operators complain
of this exresslvo uso of powder ut our
several stato conventions, and In all of
our Joint meetings that huvo taken placo
sltico tho Interstate movement was iuaug.
united. In many Instances tho reports
to this oftlco show clearly that largo con
sinners of conl havo complained as never
before of the Inferior quality of coal pro
duced In tho stato of Illinois."
Q. Would you bo.surpiised to learn that
their comnimlssloiier said, "1 havo myself
visited evcrv scale, district In tho state,
and whllo thero Is less friction than for
merly piovulled between the coal opera
tors and coal miners, and whllo 1 am sat.
Islled thut tho relations between tho em
ployer and employe nro more cordial than
over before, still 1 Hud thut everywhere
tho complaint Is made that tlio quality ot
Coal produced under tho mlno run sys
PBlBnr '
m
Mi
I
: SI
i
83r
tem has steadily deteriorated. At th
coal produced under the mlno run sys
tem tho coal operators of the stnte wei"
assured that tho mlno run system would
"mako bettor mlneis. which would result
in a. better quality of coal being produced.
I sincerely regret lo say that this prom
ise has not been fullillcd as the results
conclusively prove; for no ono can dis
pute the fact, whether on tho side ot tho
operators or miners, that tho quality or
coal produced at the tlmo tho mine-run
system was adopted became bud and has
gradually but surely grown worse from
year to ear. It is duo to tlio ofllcials nf
the Mate organization" and 1 wnnt to
give you the gooil side ns well ns tho bad
"and I lielioro also duo tits officers of
tho local unions generally to s-ny thnt tin
honest effort has been made to correct thu
abusen of which tho opcrntois complain '
and I hnvo noL tho slightest desire in
thu form of question I put to question
your perfect good faith and tlio good
faith ot tho gentlemen associated with
you "that an honest effort has been
mado tu correct the abuses of which thu
operators complain, but an yet they have
been powerless to produce tho desired
cluingo, nnd their el'foits, besides being
vain, have tended to mako them unpop
ular with it few men nt every, mining
camp whoso chief mission In life. It seems,
Is to glvo trouble. This stnto of affairs
seems to mo most deplorable, and dis
couraging In tho cxtremo, for tho rcaron
that mlno labor Is uowhoro olso so well
organized as In thb stato nf Illinois."
Thnt Is true,. Isn't It? A. It Js ns wei
organized there as elsewhere, ii. And as
well paid? A, Their wages enmparo fa
vorably with other slates.
Q. Now. Mr. Mitchell, frankly, consid
ering that us tlio experience nf tho bltum
ous operators m tho favorable statu of
Illinois, which you select as one ot tin
favorably states, do you still nsk this com.
mission to compel us to outer into n.i
agreement with your organization? A. I
think that possibly In oritur fur tho cum
mission to know tho conditions in Illi
nois it would bo ndvlsnblo to Invito tlio
operators who nmko that stiltoment to
come here ,"
Q. ".Should you ask mo, ns 1 havo hucpj
frequently asked, why do wo not dls
chnigo such olfcnders" this Is tho opera
tors asking tho question of you, Mr. Mit
chell, and ns tho representutlvn of tlio
owners of these two iiicouslderablo prop
erties, I usk II "why do wo not dla.
charge such offenders, f will reply that
It U well nigh Impossible to discharge n
miner In Illinois mines without laying
II io mlno Idlo In which tho offender Una
been employed. To dlschurgo a mrmbur
of your union for nuy oauso gives of
febbc, even when his ul'fenso Is admitted,
which the miners very generally ie?eut.
This being thu cnt,c, your organization
must llnd llio remedy for our trouble, thf
owners of tho mlnci themselves being ,
powciless to act." Is thut true, or not?
A I think by referilng tu tliu Illinois
ngieiment vou will Hud that whatever
objections they had wen oveicomo by in.
sorting In tlio ugreuiucnt the right to
Jiiro and dismiss tlio men. Q Under -tho
limitations which Mr. Wlllcox explained
this morning. A. Yes, sir. Q. Well, thnt
Is our of the things 1 wi$h you would
offer to put In this agreement, nud see
what privileges you propose to afford us,
Wo will ho very thankful for small
favors, I huvo been rcudlng Mr. nar
Imvo been rcudlng'
I'sioil mo to stuto frr
row requested mo to stuto from u letter
ti:liHinltted by you under (Into ot August
3, HW1, to gentlemen generally designated
as "brothers," uud I hope I coino within
that designation. It is uddresscd to you
and transmitted by you to tho brothers
of tho organization. Would you be cur.
prised to llnd that tho same conditions
oNlbt today In thu bituminous mines of
Illinois; us that letter describes?
T