The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-19
The Mine Workers Have New Fr.e-
tically ConclEded Their Evfae.es
Before the Commi.sfon-The oaes-
ton of The Relationship OF the eoaa
Carrying Roads and the Miafnx
Companies. came Up at the AFTER
noon Ses.ios-ShIla Labor IN the
Mines Was ~resente in as Awrun
Light and Judge Gray Was severe
I'm His Crfttcism OF Il.

Scranton, Pa. December lk-The
mine workers. after occupying nineteen
days in presenting about ieo witnesses.
closed their case before the Anthracite
Coal Strike Commission late this az
ternoon. excepting that they will call
one important witness tomorrow Morn
ing. The afternoon session was one OF
mission has yet held. because the Ques-
ion of whether the close relationship
OF the coal carrying railroads with the
mining companies shall figure in the
commissions effort to adjust the con-
troversy. came squarely before the ar
bitrators. The decision OF the oornmis1
sion IL Chairman Gray's remarks can
be so called. vas briefly this:
That the commission in n general
way, is averse 10 widening the scope
Of the investigation beyond the terms
OF the submissions OF the miners and
the operators: that in carrying on the
investigation, 1t assumes the coal COM
panies can AFFORD TO pay fair wages and
that II a business cannot pay fair
wages, the employer ought TO get out
OF it,"
The mine workers depended a great
deal on the evidence they had 60 pre-
sent to show that the coal carrying
railroads control the coal company's.
and that the railroads charge exorbi-
tant and discriminating freight rates.
thus greatly decreasing the
of the mining properties. The miner
wanted TO present this evidence in
documentary form, but rs objection
was made TO II and sustained by the
commission with the above rulings, the
matter was not passed.
Several little girls employed I'm silk
mills were called to the witness stand
during the day and as a result. Chair
man Gray plainly gave his opinion OF
parents VIII send their children To
work at a tender age. Ami Denks.
aged 10 years said she worked at night
from $50 until $50 in the morning. She
had TO stand up all night during her
work and received 65 cents a night.
When the girl said she was employed
at night every membe of the commits
sion seemed shocked. Judge Gray ap-
peared especially indignant. He asked
her where her father worked and she
toll him in the mines. The girl also
told the number of persons In the fam
lily and finally Judge Gray said ne
would like to see the father. Il would
like to see the fathers of these girls"
he repeated. 1T may be a necessity
to send them to the mills, but / don't
think a father has a right 70 DIN the
flesh and blood of his children into
money. Its an outrage. / would dixie
to see what instincts he has"
The chairman OF the commission
spoke with much feeling and his views
apparently received the approval Of the
other commissioners.
Theo. Darrow for the miners said 1T
was not altogether the fault OF the pa
rents, but the employers are to blame
for not paying wages enough to permit
a man to keep his children in school
Judge Gray replied h may be, but
there are miners who receive enough
money TO enable them TO keep their
children out of the workhouse."
Judge Gray inquired as TO the Law In
Pennsylvania regarding child abo at
night. One statute was found which
partially covered the case and the
chairman remarked that it seemed as
though the statutes OF Pennsylvania in
this part of the state do not seem to
| bother auS one.