The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-21
LAWYER M'VElGH FINDS MINERS
PRESIDENT GOOD WITNESS.
ALWAYS HAS AN ANSWER
Frequently ConsuIts Books and Docu-
ments in Order to Refresh
His Memory.

Scranton, Nov. II. President
Mitchell OF the Miners union, resum-
ed the stand on the converting of the
coal strike commission, and his cross
examination by Wayne McVeigh,
which was begun on Saturday con
tinued., Mr.. Mitchell brought with
him a number Of documents and books
which he frequently referred to in or
der to refresh his memory.
Mr.. McVeigh referred to the sub
ject of placing the responsibility of
increased prices Of coal and queried:
DO you feel still at liberty to say
that it is none of your business what
additional cost the people will have to
pay for their coal if that additional
cost is the result of your demands"
81 have not said at any time that it
was none Of our business" replied
Mr.. Mitchell.
81 have stated it was beyond our
COllIlOl, CAd WS AaNS ASSA
ing to do with the selling price of
COAL"
won't your men have to work five
years to make up the loss they have
sustained during the striker
mot by any Means was h posi-
tive answer of Mitchell.
"Mr. Mitchell, do you think you
have the right to ask for an increase
in wages, which, if granted, would in
crease the cost of living to hundreds
OF thousands of people?'
The miners president replied that
there are 500, 900 persons in the an
thracite fields who are starving n
it is their fundamental right to ask
living wages in return for their labor.
The examination for a few minutes
became very spirited on this phrase
of the consequence of the coal strike
and then Mr.. McVeigh turned to the
matter of protection Of the properties
during the strike. Raising his voice
to a pitch and speaking with fervor,
Mr.. McVeigh asked the witness:
Don't you know as well as you
know your name is John Mitchell,
that in spite of the authorities OF this
city, of this county and this state,
his whole region has been treated
for five months to a veritable fore
taste Of help
w..
Mr.. Mitchell calmly replied:
81 don't know anything of he kind
WELL, you will before We are
through with you,' was the retort.
Eight Hour Question.
Commissioners Watkins here took
hand in the examination and brought
out that none Of the pickets employ
ed by the companies represented by
Mr.. McVeigh had been recruited out
side of the community. Mr.. McVeigf
then read Governor Stones proclama
ton calling out the troops, in which
the governor said there was a reigl
of terror in the region. Mr.. Mitchell
denied the correctness of the gov
errors assertions. The eight hou
question was taken up and in repl.
to a question as to whether he had
right to limit a mans labor to eigh
hours a day, Mr.. Mitchell replied:
"We favor a maximum of eigh
hours a day. and a moment later i
answer to a similar question, said:
"We will accept whatever awar
the commission makes, and tina
award will have precedence over tn
laws of the union"
Then Mr.. McVeigh said:
Lincoln was splitting rails and h
did not limit himself to eight hours
and you demand it not only for tn
men in the mines, but for all the me
above ground as we'll. He was doin
harder work than nine-tenths of OF
men employed in the mines. So wa
Garfield when he was a boy, trudgln
along the path of the canal, and s
was Mckinley in his early life.
only mention these because they al
the three victims of the spirit OF a!
archy which is the curse of this cou
try and the only serious curse a
flicting it,"
Mr.. Mitchell took notice of the wol
anarchy as employed by Mr.. M
Weigh and with spirit promptly i
CURED:
Trades unions are not held respo
sible for it, are they?"
mo, certainly not" said Mr.. M
Weigh. Grades unions are most a
mirable, but you make a demand
us that we shall prohibit every m;
in our employ from working mo
o;nht horrs That strikes lis