Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-21
COAT S1'RlKE HEARING
Minister Testilies as to Conditions
In Anthracite Fields.
HAZARDS OF MINERS LIFE.


'IallN session -, tl,u SAKE aPoltratOrs
began, the Itcv. Ir Peter Roberts,
VINO has written II book un the coal
industry, Was ca the sand. Simon +.
Wolyerton. Cr;-Hs +. fpr the philadel-
phia and Reading Coal and jron com
pany. cross eXalai"el Dr. Rp'. rts. DR..
Roberts sad that Il comparison of IA
talities Oh Ill railroads in the United
States with those in the anthracite
field shows that 20 per 1000 railroad
employees are killed annually while
81 lior 1000 employees are killed in
the anthracite industry. The fatali-
ties. switchmen, 1lagmen and watch
men, in 1900 he stated to be 53 per
1000 as against 50 per loo among
miners and their laborers working in
side the mines.
The question of arriving at a fair
price on rock in connection with coal
mining Dr. Roberts said was one that
could be adjusted only by the mine
employees and the companies. He said
it was far from the truth to character
iZe the operators as hard hearted and
unjust and as seeking constantly to
grind men down to the last penny of
wages, as had been charged
DR.. Roberts declared that the men in
the southern anthracite district voted
to stand by their brothers in the north
-ern district on the question of insisting
OH the recognition of the union and
also all other points raised in the
ShamOkin convention. Answering fur
ther questions by Mr.. Wolverton, DR..
Roberts said he understood that dis
sensions had occurred between miners
and their helpers, the latter claiming
that the miner left him at an unseason-
able hour and imposed on him the
whole of the labor.
ElabOrates Magazine Article.
After reading from a lengthy article
by DR.. Roberts in the Yale Review on
the labor situation in the hard coal
fields prior to the strike, the witness
said in elaboration Of what he had
written that by investigation regarding
the laborers forming an independent
organization he found that movement
was chiefly rising by the nonunion
men. II do not know what was the
motive Of their action" said he, "but
it seems that they were instigated to
movements of this kind by parties
opposed to the organization of labor"
''If the conditions in the bituminous
regions" inquired Mr.. Wolverton, ARE
better than in the anthracite fields. why
did the men who left the hard coal
regions during the strike return to the
anthracite fields after the strike
The response was that they did SO
because of social and family ties. but
upon being pressed for the reason
which Influenced bachelors to return
the witness said. 1T would depend
upon whether or not he had a sweet
heart
You think that might influence
him." inquired Mr. Wolverton.
II think it would be very great
said DR.. Roberts.
Carelessness of Miners.
The examination turning on the
amount of care exercised by the miners
in their work, Judge Gray remarked
that there is always a margin Of human
which must be taken into
account.
Mr.. Wolverton read long abstract
from DR.. Roberts writings. which re-
cited numerous instances of violence,
and boycott committed by
the members of the union, particularly
the Slavs, during the 1900 strike.
1.-THE effect of putting the control Of
contracts between employer and en-
ployee under the local unions" said
Mr.. Wolverton, would be to put them
In the hands of an orga nization which
you say is controlled by Slavs who
have TO respect for persons or proper
IT,"
Il did not say the organization was
controlled by Slavs," was the reply.
cor that they were in the majority"
He added that from 30 to As per cent
Of the mine workers were Slavs.
Dr. Roberts earlier in his examna-
ton had said the newspaper reports
Of violence had been greatly exagger-
ated. Mr.. Wolverton now read cOpious
extracts from a magazine article, which
DIR. Roberts would not deny he had
written, in which he described many
acts Of intimidation, violence and boy
colt. In explanation DR.. Roberts said
that these acts could not all be attrib-
uted to the union and made brief
speech in which he said the operators
refused to arbitrate and the men were
forced to strike to gain their demands
''They grew hungry in the struggle"
he said. land hungry man is dan
gerous."
Child Labor Law.
The fact was brought out in the
course Of the cross examination that
the Pennsylvania legislature in 1891
passed a compulsory education law ap-
plying to every child under sixteen
years and that under it's provisions
parents Of delinquents can be pun
ished.