Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-19

Mitchell said that they had the right to shut
down their mines.
Judge Gray asked the witness II his So
ciety did not depend. after all, on the old
economic truth that all great forces which
tend to uplift and carry on social advance
ment and civilization depend upon the av-
erage desire Of the individual to better his
own condition and to work for wages, and
upon the desire OF a man who has property
to utilize It and get an income from It.
Il think that is true" was Mr.. Mitehell's
response.
Judge Gray: "If you can imagine all men
ceasing to work at once the whole social
machine would stop"
Mr.. Mitchell said: Yes"
Commissioner Wright asked: D you
consider 1t justihable for the employers In
a certain district, in order to resist the
demands OF the labor union, to p~aralyze that
industry or any group OF industries?'
mo, i don't think it is proper" Mr..
Mitchell replied.
Would the same answer be made II l
should substitute unions instead Of EN-
ployers7'"
Il think in either case" replied Mr..
Mitchell. some other avenue Of adjust
ment than paralyzation OF the industry
HhphAh bN EOhEAA ID a..
Mr.. Mitchell, answering the commits
sioners, said the Uuited Mine Workers did
not incorporate because the step was not
necessary. An organization financially
responsible, he said, must have a large
fund and this the working people did
not have. He said that employers who OBJ
jected to treating with the union because
it was not Incorporated would object to
treating with It anyhow.
Commissioner Wright asked Mr..
Mitchell what he meant by recognition Of
the union and the witness replied: ut
means that employers shall make agree
ments regulating hours Of labor, wages,
etc, with the union and that the union
as such would be held responsible for a
rigid compliance with those agreements.
The cross examination was next taken
up by W W.. Ross OF New York. counsel
OF the Delaware, Lackawana G. Western.
stop Miners working.
AS a matter Of fact said Mr.. Ross,
your organization has stopped the min
ers working when the breakers were idle"
Mr.. Mitchell admitted that in one dis
trict this was 30. This was for the pur-
pose Of preventing favoritism.
You have spoken Of favoritism,' inter-
jected Mr.. Ross. land OF the excessive sys-
tenn OF docking. DO they exist in our
mines?"
THAT is my information" was the reply.
"If the miners had been permitted to
work on idle days" asked counsel a mo-
ment later, "the output would have been
greater?"
did your company. want more coal
than was produced?" replied witness quiz
zingly.
For several years we have wanted all
the coal we could get. We have never
been able really to supply our orders"
THAT information" answered Mr..
Mitchell, us different from what the men
you represent usually say. They claim
their sales are limited entirely by the
competition Of bituminous coal"
1--WE are not discussing competition at
present. tartly replied Mr.. Ross, going
on to esplain that during the present
era of prosperity they had worked all the
mines they could to advantage
II repeat" said Mr.. Mitchell. further
answering the question. that this informa-
ton Is contrary to the statements made
by the presidents OF your companies"
At the request Of counsel Mr.. Mitchell
gave a history OF his connection with
organized labor In 1898 he received a
VI II ~ ~ Cnd0RG
from ten hours to eight in Illinois without
q strike.
t'we did" hessaid.~ewhak we are trying
to- do here; we asked the operators to
meet us and we agreed. on an advance OF
1Srper cent and an eight hour day
Being brought to the question Of child
labor, witness said he could not see any
other reason for II than thet fact that their
parents required the money to live on.
Certain OF the Delawar men, he remarked
saroastically, visited Philadelphia once in
twenty-fou years and told their
grandchildren of the trip as the great
event in their lives. "
Here Mr.. Ross took OCCASION to say that
the company owned only 2s4 houses, which
were rented to the miners at an average
OF s. a mouth, 80 you see." he re-
marked, I'VE have not many houses for
the number of employees, upward of 49,
O00."
"You charge enough for the ones you do
have" was Mr.. MiteheiPs dry response,
while the spectators laughed.
Then they came to the question Of
profits and witness said the company paid
a 25 per cent dividend.
is that not correct inquired counsel.
Il think that was II" said Mr.. Mitchell.
AhViS arr d BoOu many methods Tor put
ting profits away in q railroad" he added.
Replying 10 further inquiry he said there
had been few failures of coal companies
either in the anthracite or bltuminous
fields. although Mr.. Ross commended that
mining was a hazardous investment.
Operators Must discipline Men.
What benefit is there2" asked the
lawyer, coming to a new point, ito the
miner in being paid by the ton instead
OF by the carr"
There has been general discomfort
among the miners because they are docked
not only for Impurities, but on account OF
the topping
"You do not know, " said Mr.. Ross, that
Il is necessary to discipline a manY'
Is that the reason" demanded the union
president for the Impurities or for the
fact the car did not have enough in it?"
Answering Judge Gray, Mr.. Mitchell ad-
mitted that about 10 per cent of the total
production OF anthracite coal was put out
on the weight basis.
The commission adjourned with Mr..
Mitchell still on the stand.