The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-19
POWER OF THE OPERATORS.

Commissioner watkins thought the law
would prevent the operators doing that by
reason Of their corporation, but Mr.
Mitchell said that they had the right to
shut down their mines.
Commission Wright asked "Dou you
consider 1t iustihable for the employers in
a certain district, in order to resist the de-
mands Of labor union to paralyze any
industry or any group Of lndustriesT
No, ] do not think 1t proper" Mr..
Mitchell replied.
Would the same answer be made If l
should substitute unions instead of EN-
ployersr
ii think, in either case answered Mr.
Mitchell. some other avenue of adjust
ment than the paralysis of the industry
should be sought"
In the Afternoon Mr.. Ross line OF exam.
ing was for some time directed toward
minous mine working. the number of men
employed, the wages paid and a comparison
of these with the wages paid In the an
thracitc fields.
work in the hard coal regions, Mr.. Mitchell
said that, when the breaker runs ten hours,
the men usually work seven, eight or nine
hours. When the breaker runs less the men
work in proportion. On the average, how
ever. the men worked more hours than the
breakers
"As matter of fact" said Mr.. Ross,
''has not your organization stopped the
miners from working on the days when
the breakers were idlef'
Mr.. Mitchell admitted that In this dis.
trict the rule is that the men shall not pre-
pare coal on idle days This, he said, was
Tor the purpose of preventing favortism.
MITCHELL DENIED USING sLURs.
'Do any of these epithets and slurs," in
quired Mr. Ross. you have made regarding
the horrible condition of the miners apply
to our company
"Will you tell me particularly what slurs
you refer to?' Mr.. Mitchell asked
Getting no direct answer. he, with some
spirit, repeated his query, saying; II
would Ike you to refer specifically to what
you mean by slurs. dc. not recall having
used language of that character:
MIR. Ross did not take any notice OF MI
Mitchells remark, but, Instead, TOOK up the
line of his examination
lyon have spoken of the existence OF
favoritlsm, fer one thlng M e HgSs S sys
tenn of docking. Do they exist III our
minesY' t,-
''That is my information was the reply
In reply to another question by MI ROSS,
Mr.. Mitchell declared that the rule oil the
local unions to not prepare coal when the
breakers were idle did not have for ets OBJ
ject the restriction OF the OUTPUT ar,,,,ttod IN
"If these miners had been permitted e.
work" asked Mr.. Ross, ION these lule
days, the output would have Deeh greater
II don't know whether your company
wanted more coal than the miners produced
1--WE have wanted for several years All
the coal we could get, We nave never
been able really TO supply our orders
"That Information, Mr. Mic Mitchell n.t an
,snaHr snt from the men you represent,
because they said their sales were limited
entirely by the competition OF hituminous
coal" .,.,., -
1--WE are not discussing comDetltloh az !
,,rosen+ - Mr. Ross remarked. During TINS
Sra Of prosperity we worked all the miners
we could to advantage
a say" said Mr.. Mitchell, further an,
swering the question, that tnat lulo "a,
the presidents of your companies