The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-12-18
FREOERicN8BUeo, Va, THURSDAY DECEMBER Is. 100
MINERS, CASE CLOSED
Occupied 10 Days Presenting Testi-
mony to Strike Commission.
ABOUT teo WITNESSES HEARD

Mine Workers Claim Railroads Exor-
bitant Freight Rates Decreases Rev
enue Of Mining Properties - Chill
den On the Stand
Scranton. Pa. Dec 16.-The mine
workers. after occupying 10 DAYS in
presenting about 100 witnesses. closed
their case before the anthracite coal
strike commission late yesterday af-
ternoun. excepting one witness who
was called this morning. Yesterday
attornoon's session was one of the
most important sittings the commits
sion has yet held. because the ques-
tiun oil whether the close relationship
OF the coal carrying railroads with the
mining companies shall figure ia the
commission effort To- adjust the CON
troversy. came sVuarely before the
arbitrator. The decision OF the com
mission. III Chairman Gray's remarks
can be SO called. was briehr this:
That ,he commission i'm a general way
is arerse 90 widening the scope of the
investigation beyond the terms of the
submissions of the miners and tho
operators, that i'm carrying on the in
Nestigatiun IL assumes the coal com
panics can afford 90 pay fair wages:
that IL the coal companies. in present
ing their side of the case. maintain
they cannot afford 10 give an increase
in wages. then the commission will
hear what the miners have To say on
the ability OF the companies to do SO.
and that il a business cannot pay fair
wages the employer ought To- get out
of it,
These 7--lts We're brought ont dur
Ing the two hours consumed by the
miners lawyers reading documentary
evidence. to the whole OF which the
coal companies entered specific and
general objections.
Tho mine workers depended a great
deal on inc evidence they had TO pre-.
sent 10 show that the coal carving
railroads control the coal companies
and that the railroads charge are OK.
orhitant- AMI discriminating freight
rates. thus greatly decrcasing the rev
cn-cs OF tine milius properties The
miners wanted y present inis ovL
dea'e IN documentary form. but as OBJ.
lection VAS made Co IL snl sustained
by Ire commission with tho above rui-
mss the matter was not pressed. Clar-
clco $. Dll'ow and Henry n. LLOYD.
iepges ntnr tho miners. said. after
the aoJoulnmout. that they are VOL
satisfied witn the attitude of thc com
mission. and Win f-ht ont tire matter
alone the line Indicated by the COM
mission.
Ih" carly part of the afternoon SOS
sion was taken mp in hearing the tcs-
timony OF the remaining Witnesses
who are or have been i'm tho employ
of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and Iron Company, after which Mr..
Darrow announced the close of his
case. excepting the one witness to-
day. For tho remainder of the after
noon he presented documentary evil
aence showinA the relationship be.
tween the railroads and the comma
MES. and numerous other matters per-
tanning 10 the anthracite coal indus
Try.
Several little girls employed In silk
mills were called to the witness stand
yesterday morning. and as result
Chairman Gray plainly gave his opin-
ion of parents who send their chill
dren TO WORK az tender age. The
first girl called was only II years old.
and she hal To- go to work because
her father had been hurt in the mines.
She said she worked from I 4. VI. to
6 p. NJ. for So a week. In answer to
Chairman Gray she said her father
expects to take her ont of the mills
next week. 10 which Judge GRAY re-
Piled that he should be commended.
Annie panFs, aSed IS years said she
worked at night from $50 o'clock I'M
I'll $50 in the morning. She had to
stand up all night during her work
and received 81 cents night. When
the girl said she was employed at night
every member of the commission
seemed to be shocked. Judge GRAY an
peared especially indignant He asked
her where her father worked. and she
told him in the mines The girl also
told the number of persons in the fam
lily. and finally Judge Gray said Il
would like TO see the fathers of these
girls" He repeated: TT NAV be
necessity to send them to the mills
DuN / uoh iIiuh latlef has right
to coin the flesh and blood OF his chill
dren into money. It's an outrage.
would like to see what insticts he has.
The chairman OF the commission smoke
with much feeling and his views appa-
rently received the approval of the
other commissioners.
Mr. barrow. for the miners. said II
was not altogether the fault Of the
parents. but the employers are to
blame for not paying wages enough
to permit man to keep his children
In school Judge Gray replied. that
may be, but there are miners who re-
ceive enough to enable them 10 keep
their children out of the workhouse."
Judge Gray here inquired as to the
law in Pennsylvania regarding child
labor at night One statute was found
which partially covered the case. and
the chairman remarked that il seemed
as though the statutes of Pennsylvania