The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-17
READINGS RULE OF IRON
DIVIDENDS TIE ONLY FACTOR IN
SHAPING ITS POLICY

AAS AlH6TS III IuS COMPANY : NAipAvS
and the Pocket-books of Consumers
Not Intentionally Shown Any Mercy
or COnsid eration-Far Tillman to
Look Out Tor Private Purses.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 16,-The Congress
sional committee investigating the Reading
strike had before 1t to-day as the first wit
ness A. b, Whiting, General Manager of
the Reading Coal and Iron Company. His
testimony covered much of the same ground
traversed by President Corbin yesterday.
Referring to the testimony given in Wash
ington by the representatives of the miners
on the second day Of the committees meet
ing, Mr.. Whiting said few of the miners
owned their homes, but not many; not
one in 100; probably not ono in 1000
The coal company owns the houses at
the mines as q general thing, but there have
been no evictions. The houses rent from
S3 n month to $l2. The company has no
stores, does not collect from its miners for
doctors or priests, or taxes or anything else
Its ownership of the houses and collection
of rents constitutes its entire business with
the miners so far as their living is con-
cerned.
The witness could not tell the committee
anything about the leases under which the
miners held their houses, but he was certain
that there had been no evict1ons in the
Reading system on account Of the breach
of any lease held by the company.
NEED OF ORGANIZATION ADMITTED.
The witness did not object to labor organ
izations, and in answer to questions from
Mr.. Anderson, admitted that organized cap-
tai had an advantage over labor, which 1t
employed, and that such labor was within
- sl..
itself He defined the strike as "a refusal
of men to work, and a lockout MS "a re
fusal to let men work. He said that on
the Reading system, until now there had
been no strike nee the adoption of the slid
ing scale of wages, which had been
discussed, and he had never known of II
lockout in the mining region. Tho COM
mittee wanted to know if the coal company
did not when the supply was large and the
prices low, in various ways deprive miners
of all opportunity to work, and he admitted
that in some cases which he referred to,
and explained that it amounted to that.
He did not think that the railroad company
had ever refused to ship the coal Of indivi-
dual operators who We're paying men higher
wages than the Coal and Iron Company
NO EFFORTS TO GET NEW MEN.
"Have you made no effort to supply the
places Of the striking minersp was asked.
"No, sir"
"WhyF'
Because we desire and expect our Id
men to come back"
'On your own termsH
cat the old rates, yes.n
What force do you rely upon to bring
these men hackp
"Well, SUI stheir necessities"
Mr. Anddfson-Thati is to say, starvationl
The Wi ness-It is only necessity that
compels any of us to work
When asked whether the allotment svs-
tenn was advantageous to the company, the
witness said yes, and when further pressed
to know why n was broken up he said that
he did not know.
"How about consumers in that allot-
ment!n
The witness-Oh, we did not consider the
consumer. It was, was about to explain,
of advantage to me-
FARMER TILLMAN TO THE RESCUE.
Chairman Tillman dnterruptingl Well,
YOU did not consider the consumer. OF
course not, but we do, and we propose, il
we can to pass law that will protect the
consumer whom you don't consider. 1t is
consumer whom we represent and we pro-
pose to see to that.
The witness admitted that all the mines
in the Schuyl<ill region except the Reading
mines are open and paying the 8 per cent.
they were able to do this only because the
Reading mines are not in operation. If the
Reading men went TO work the price Of
coal which had advanced 81 a ton in Phil
adelphia, would drop, and the individual
collieries would be compelled to reduce
wages also.
The witness corroborated Mr. Corbin's
testimony about violence from strikers TO
those employees who had remained at work
since the strike. Threats of murder were
made through anonymous communications,
and armed men, with clubs and pistols, in
timidated the people who were at work.
INsTIGAToRs OF THE RIOTS.
He referred TO the riots at Shenandoah
and especially to the threats at Shamokin.
The men specially responsible were the
Poles and Hungarians. They were not
brought to this country or to the mines by
the railroad or coal company. The armed
police, paid by the company, and the con-
stables Of the county were there to preserve
order, and had succeeded in doing so. The
witness denied that Pinkeiton detectives
were employed, but admitted that Capt.
Linden, of this city, the head Of the PinkeT-
ton detective agency here had organized the
coal and iron police few years ago.
A. A. Mcleod, General Manager Of tho
railroad company, and George u. Keim
also went over much of the same ground
covered by Messrs. Corbin and Whiting.
Their testimony developed the fact that
there are a good many well-paid officials
connected with both companies, hut no de
tails were given, the witness remaining
silent when questions concerning these
salaries were asked.
MR. TILLJAN NETTLED.
Failure TO get at such information as was
sought nettled Chairman Tillman, and he
proceeded to PROFOUND long question to Mr.
keim He wanted 10 know how 10 was that
the Reading Coal and Iron Company, with
its long list Of fat and well paid officers get
ting from $4,000 up and down, with its
debt Of $4O000,0O0 or more, and the rail-
road company with its debt Of 100000 900, !
and It's fat and well paid officers with obli-
cations 10 meet, interest coming due, and
lust out Of the hands of a receiver. can
afford to allow its mines TO stand idle and
submit TO q loss of half Of its income and
more, while tho public is compelled % pay
50 30 to 81 30 per ton for coal, when 10
should be 50 less by the witness own show
ing. ,,
Tho witness was silent, and Mr.. Tillman
continued. Where do you expect TO get
your money 10 pay your interest on your
bondsl Where do you expect 10 get your
money 10 keep you out Of bankruptcy again;
IL seems TO mo that you are robbing tho
stockholders Of your company and robbinR
the public 30 pay fat salaries 10 "A set OF
officers who appear not 10 know anything
.I,ont tho comma mics they are etIuuOeaI