The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-11-22
History Made at Scranton.

TT ISTORY is being made at Scran-
ii ton, Pa, where sits the arbitra-
\ ton commission, taking testi-
mony upon the causes and results OF
the great coal strike. John Mitchell
| the president OF the miners organiza-
ton, has occupied the witness stand
for nearly five days. He was regarded
as the principal witness in the affair
AS well say he is the only witness in
the case; because no matter who fol-
lows Mitchell, the case for the miners
cannot be weakened nor the side of the
operators strengthened.
Aside from the end the commission
has in view, there turned up in dia-
logue between counsel and witness
much that was interesting, much that
goes to modify ones exalted opinion of
the lawyer and revise his own views
upon the unlettered man of the COM
mon people. Wayne MacVeagh, erst-
while cabinet officer under Cleveland,
was the attorney of one of the coal
corporations. Because of his trans
cendant ability, his skill in cross-ex-
orators to conduct what may be called
the prosecution The operators conf
IDENTIFY hoped. that Wayne MacVeagh's
presence, even the sound of his voice
in ironical inquiry would be sufficient
to confuse the witness or cause him to
lose temper under the lash Of insult.
Nothing of that nature overcame the
witness. The replies Of John Mitchell
to the operators counsel were manly
and dignified, serving to give added
information to the commission and at
the same time put the prosecuting at
torney really on the defensive. Wayne
MacVeagh caught a tartar when he
caught John Mitchell, and when he let
go, he was man enough to acknowledge
that the witness really got the best of
the interrogation.
Those who are ready to give Mitchell
too much adulation over the result of
his encounter with MacVeagh, should
reflect that. Mitchell stood upon firmer
ground. No truer saying goes than
this, that thrice armed is he who hath
his quarrel just" The wonder begins
over the thought that labor unions new
er before produced such a remarkable
man as Mitchell. The wonder does not
cease over another thought, that
Mitchell is not product of the skilled
trades, where intelligence harmonizes
with the days york, but he comes up
from the smut of the shaft, philos-
opher in overalls. All his environ
ments were against the knowledge
which was his in order to answer such
a lawyer as Wayne MacVeagh.
Some of Mr. Mitchell's replies were
just as ironical as the questions put
by counsel; and some of them betrayed
the Celtic wit of the witness. Here is
an incident during the examination,
which we clip from the published re-
port
Mr.. MacVeagh took up the sugges-
ton for yearly agreement and at
tempted to show that the union could
not control its members, and therefore
an agreement is impracticable.
Mr.. Mitchell said there were many
that both sides justly com
planned of and which he had hoped
would be wiped out by agreements. Il
dare say" Mr.. Mitchell remarked, eff
our union violates the contract the peo-
pie of this country will take good care
that we have no union left. There will
be no question about that, and if the
operators violate it the people of the
United States will see that they re-
greet it,
Mr.. Mitchell said this was country
Of majorities. whereupon Mr.. Mac
Veagh replied:
Yes, but God with one is a majority.
If nan is doing right he is on his
side"
The court room was convulsed when
Mr.. Mitchell answered that he would
be willing to leave the whole dispute
10 God.