The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-23

Mr.. Garner went on to say with
vehemence, "and now publicly brand
1t as a miserable and damnable lie.
and ! want to add that the man who
uttered that opinion Is not At to tie
the shoe string of the humblest miner
whom he maligns. 1t Is not true that
the miners have turned their hands
against any man, and no one has
turned his hands against the miners
except some Of those whom the miners
have placed In positions Of power.
When next Mr.. Roderick draws his
$4,000 salary and 5000 for expenses he
would do well to recall who made 1t
possible for him to do so.''
Ashland Delegation.
delegation Of the members Of Local
union. No. 1917. of Ashland. which has
a membership of 1900 and which Is
taking the lead in demanding Mr.
Roderick's resignation occupied seats
In the gallery.
Mr. Harris, of Clearfeld. moved to
refer the resolution to committee say
ing 1t was not right to expect to thus
convict a man on the unsupported tes-
timony of one member, who might be
mistaken and who alone was branding
Mr.. Roderick's alleged action as a
crime.
Mr. Haag of Schuylkill spoke against
referring the measure and Mr. Reynolds
opposed referring 1t to the committee
on mines and mining because he and
Mr.. Garner were both members of the
committee but the house decided by an
overwhelming vote that the resolution
should be dealt with by the mines and
mining committee.
Mr. Hitchcock, of Tioga. took occas-
ion to say that in his opinion a man
who would be so indiscreet as to make
the uttcrances attributed to Chief Rod
erick was wanting in the brains neces-
sary to conduct bureau of the i'm
portance of the bureau of mines and
mining.
Mr.. Ferrebee, OF schuylkill. declared
he heard Mr.. Roderick make the state
ment attributed to him in the resolu-
tion. and Mr.. Reynolds, correcting Mr..
Garner's statement that he, Mr.. Rey-
nolds. does not now recollect the Incl
dent, declared he recalls II quite dis
tinctly and when the time comes will
give his evidence freely and candidly.
Mr.. Reynolds Version.
To Tribune correspondent, Mr..
Reynolds stated after the session that
the statements made by Mr.. Roderick
are not exactly recorded in the reso-
luton and that, at all events, they
were made In the heat of discussion
which was supposedly private. Mr..
Reynolds will make known his version
of the affair when the committee comes
to investigate the matter.
Mr.. Garner declares that Mr. Rod
erick not only said just what he is
credited with in the resolution, but
added that the miners will be so
badly licked in the strike next April
that they will be without any power"
The discussion i'm which the alleged
utterances were made was on the
clause of the Garner bill providing for
increasing the mine inspectors from
eight to sixteen and reducing the sal
ary of the Office from $4,000 to $1,000.
Chief Roderick is known to be in
favor of increasing the number of in
spectors and had in mind bill to ef-
feet this same purpose by providing
for an assistant inspector in each dis
trict. He is unalterably opposed, how
ever, to reducing the inspectors sal
aries, and Mr.. Garner himself has
agreed to accept Represen ative James
amendment leaving the salary as 1t is
at present.
r. j. Nichols, of Nanticoke, presi-
dent Of the United Mine Workers of
District No. L. j. j. Kearney, of Arch
bald, and Henry Collins, of Carbon
dale, members of the executive COM
mittec of the mine workers, were
among those who were in attendance
at the morning session. 1t was sup
posed, generally. that they were here
to urge the adoption of the Garner
resolution, but inquiry developed the
fact that they knew nothing of it until
reaching Harrisburg.
On Another Mission.
Their mission had to do with Chief
Roderick, but was not of the hostile
nature of that which brought the
Schuylkill county men on the scene.
The Lackawanna men We're on hand
to secure the passage Of IL bill provid-
ing for the election of mine inspectors
by the people. They had understood
that the Garner bill. providing for the
doubling of the number of inspector
districts, would contain a clause maxi
ing the Office elective by the people,
and We're surprised to learn that the
bill did not contain this clause and
further that no other bill was being
considered that would carry out this
idea.
when they came to inquire why this
was thus. they were Informed that an
amendment making the inspectors
elective was prepared and was about
to be attached to the Garner bill. when
National Organizer Benjamin James
came along and representing himself
as having been empowered to act for
the mine workers of the whole region,
protested against the amendment and
succeeded in having il withdrawn.
Next Monday the presidents of the
three districts, reinforced by commit
tees from each district and armed with
credentials that can not be questioned,
Will be in Harrisburg TO present to the
house committee on mines and mining
united demand for the election OF
inspectors by the people, aud other
new legislation which the mine work
ers in their district conventions have
agreed upon. II. j. Duffy.