The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-11-18
Wilcox and McVea Try to
Trip Him.
AND The TWO ARE Fooled
The Two Brilliant Lawyers Brig all Their Le-
gal Guns 10 Bear on Mitchell! but His
A'mor Proves 10 be impene-
trable.
(By the Associated Press.

Scranton, Pa, Nov. 15.-Prcsident
Mitchell, Of the Mine Workers Union, |
occupied the witness stand throughout
10th sessions of the Coal Strike Commits |
sion today. For -four hours and a half
he took the cross fire of the two brilliant
attorneys Of the coal operators and
ended the day with few scars as a re-
suit Of the battle.
DaviG Wilcox, of New York, general
counse for the Delaware and Hudson
Company, and Wayne McVcagh, OF Phila-
Gelphla, who is representing the Pennsyl-
FGn1a Coal Company and the Hillside
coal and Iron Company, were the princi-
PAL questloners, and they put hundreds
OF questions to Mr.. Mitchell. Harmony
prevailed between the lawyers and the
witness
The members Of the commission con-
tlnue to take the same intense interest
IN everything lone and frequently inter-
rupt with questions in order that they
may have a better understanding of what
IS being said. The afternoon session was
the more interesting. Mr.. McVeagh's
questions, was, as a rule, very keen ana
While he assured Mr.. Mitchell that he
was not radically opposed to him, he did
" ilS du opportunity 10 place Mt.
MitchelIs reasons for better conditions
IN the anthracite field in a bad light be-
fore the commission. When he began his
cross-eXamination of Mr.. Mitchell at
noon, he informed him that he was not
opposed to proper organized labor.
lie took up the demands of the miners
scriatim. He questioned Mr.. Mitchell on
the demand Cor an increase in wages.
and pressed the national president hard
when he asked him if he cared to carry
the responsibility of Increasing the living
expenses Ct the great mass of our people
OF the Eastern States who would ulti-
! mately have TO carry the burden if the
demands of the miners for higher wages
We're granted. Mr.. MitchelTs reply, in
substance, was that the miners could not
assume the responsibility, as it was a
situation over which they had no control.
Mr.. McNeagh made the most Of his OPP
Porturity to nicture the great burden that
would fall on the people if the demands
Of the miners were granted. From this
question he passed to the demands for 6
shorter work day and the weighing OF
coal by the ton of 2,2i0 pounds. and Their
: took up the fourth demand Of the mer
fer trade agreements, which practicali,
means recognition of the union. H
asked Mr.. Mitchell what sort CT a con
tract he would draw up and the latter re.
Piled he would favor an agreement as
outlined in his suggestions TO the com
mission yesterday.
After going over the demands of tat
miners, Nj. McVcagh took up the con.
J ditions existing in and about the collier
les of the companies he represented ant
, tried to show that the conditions Spoken
; of by Mr.. Mitchell we're not borne out b,
| investigation. He took Forest City
: whore the mines of the companies are sit
uated, as an example, and produced pho
' tographs Of houses in the town and ais
: referred 20 the large deposits of none.
!, in the local bank to show the prosperit,
of the community. Mr.. MITCHELL. althongI
not admitting that the conditions as pre-
sCntcd by Mr./McNeagh were true, sai'
he could not, for lack of familiarity Wit
the community, deny his assertions. TIL
q Constitution of the United Mine Worker
of America also was taken up by tn
lawyer and he and Mr.. Mitchell sevcra
times spared for points r~egardingth
i references contained in in to an eight
), hour day. Mr.. McVeagh contended tina
no one had the right to deny a man tn
Z privilege Of working more than eigf
d hours a day if he 50 desired. He sal
9 not one member Of the commission Woul
4 be occupying his present high place i
: references contained in it to an eight
n hours a day.
o With reference to this argument, MI
n Mitchell thought it was not fair to cOmpar
tho mine works with the arbitrators. Nj
: McVeagh had himself started out in lf
c by working fourteen hours a day on
Il farm and for more than forty years h
L had worked more than ten hours a day
n To tho 6irnpt question a ( to Nhnt her hf
as president Of the union, had a right I
curtail the hours OF employment eac
day for the miners, Mr.. Mitchell said b
thought he had. and made an oXplanatlO
By saying that if one minor worked NOR
than eight hours a day it would proDabl
result in the other men being compellc
q TO work the same number of hours.
s During Mr.. MitchelIs examination /
Mr.. Wilcox, the fact was brouGht o.
o that if the increase in wages was granite
r it would increase the expenses of til
companies about twelve million dollars
n wear. In regard to child labor, NJ
a Mitchell said, he was in favor of a Sta
law Which would make the minimum az
for a boy to go to work at the %collierif
fourteen years instead of twelve.
The attention Of MI. Mitchell W;
directed to the demand that the opcri
tors should make an agreement WI
q tic United Mine Workers and Mr.. NJ
st Ncagh asked if he had prepared a era
L of such agreement which he would ma
the commission compel them to cxccut
y Mr.. Mitchell replied that he had SUI
cestcd in his opening address 70 u
It commission a form that would be pract
: cable and acceptable to all interests
. tho anthracite field. Mr.. McNcash d
clarcd that there was nothing III NJ
Mitchells suggestions that the COZ
NAMES must enter into partnership wi
tho United Mine Workers ana lnqulr
if that was one of THO miners demanf
Mr.. Mitchell answered it was, Wher
! upon Mr.. TcNeagh said his compa
:, was c~ndeaNoripg to ascertain ana Wou
continue to ascertain what reasons the
- were Cor attempting to compel them
enter into that agreement.