Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-11-20
IN The SWEAT BOX.
The Miners President Cross-Ex.
aminsd by Wayne Macvsagh.
DEMAND FOR YEARLY AGREEMENT.

Although Many Hours Were Taken Up In q
Discussion OF the Question Not Much
Material Progress Was Mads-Prssi-
dent Mitchell Holds His Ground.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1s.-In the
presence Of as many persons as could
be jammed into the superior court
room yesterday Wayne MacVeagh,
for the Erie company, and John
Mitchell, for the miners, continued
their brilliant battle of cross-exam-
lnation before the anthracite coal
commission. The two men, the one in
his thirties and the other in his sew
enties, were followed with intense in
terest by both the commissioners
and the crowd throughout the day.
The fourth demand of the union,
which calls for yearly trade agree
ment, and which means straight
out recognition Of the union, was
the bone OF contention, and although
four hours were taken up In q dis
cussion Of the question, not much
material progress was made. Wayne
MacVeagh, skilled in the art Of cross.
examination, attempted to show the
utter irresponsibility Of the union and
liz unftness to make contracts which
Il could not live up to. His principal
argument was the alleged boycott,
and he often hard pressed the min
srs' president for an answer. The
latter, however, slowly and deliber-
ately gave some reply, but they did
not always satisfy his inquisitor.
Mr.. Macveagh, in the presence Of the
sssemblage, expressed his admiration
Of the ability Of the witness and on
one occasion, where Mr.. Mitchell par
Red question regarding the boy
sotting Of coal and iron policeman
by hotelkeeper, the distinguished
attorney threw up his hands, laughed
and said: "Mr. Mitchell, you are the
best witness for yourself l ever con-
fronted."
Mr.. Macveagh weighed heavily on
what he said was a reign Of terror
In the anthracite region during the
period Of the strike. He read list
Of IA names Of men who were killed
during that time and also submitted
In evidence about rs printed pages Of
acts of alleged violence, boycott and
intimidation and, with the assistance
Of statistics of other documents,
maintained that it would be utterly
lmpracticable for the coal companies
he represents to enter into agree-
ments with an organization that
could not control its own men.
Mr. Mitchell stoutly maintained
that the discipline in the organlza-
ton is as good as II possibly could
be where 147,00O men are involved.
He claimed that the strikers were
not entirely responsible for the acts
Of lawlessness that were committed.
Replying to specific instances pointed
out to him by Mr.. MacVeagh, where
men had been deferred from going to
work through fear Of personal harm
or social ostracism for themselves
and families, Mr.. Mitchell said that
In some cases men may have been
deferred, but he denied the assertion
that such alleged acts prevented the
mines from being operated. He said
that when the strike was declared
every mine worker in the region quit
work and remained out even after
the entire national guard or the state
had been thrown into the coal fields.
In Short he said that the men would
not have gone to work under any
condition.
During the cross-examination the
commissioners often interrupted with
questions in order to stop long col
loquy over some disputed point.
While the examination was at times
quite spirited, the best of good feel
Ing prevailed.
In the course Of the forenoon ses-
sion Mr.. Macveagh examined Mr..
Mitchell regarding the eighthour de-
mand and referred to the fact that
Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield
and William Mckinley worked more
than eight hours day and were thus
enabled to climb the ladder to the
presidency. Mr.. Macveagh grew elo-
quent in the course of putting one
Of his questions to Mr.. Mitchell re-
garding the martyred presidents and
added ~ only mention these be-
cause they are three victims Of the
spirit of anarchy, which is the curse
Of this country to-day and the only
serious curse affecting it,"
The miners president, quick as a
fash, came back with the inquiry:
"Trade unions are not held RESPONSE
BILE for it are they?' to which Mr..
Macveagh quickly responded they
were not and supplemented this with
the remark that labor unions are
most admirable, The bringing Of the
anarchy into the examination
caused distinct murmur Of disap-