Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-17

| yl0n or tile American Federation q.
| Labor.
| Nr. Mitchell, answering question
3r'Mr. Wilcox. said that the local un
ia'a5 or mass meetings may direct the
operations OF p,tkets. Mr.. Wilcox
then read from a statement made by
, President GompeFs Of the Federation
Of Labor at the Chicago trust confer
ence in September. 1899. in which Mr..
tiompers is alleged to have said that
| my trust Legislation which did not es-
Nclally exempt organized labor from
5 operations would meet the unques-
'oned opposition of all the labor forces
and asked the witness il that ex-
pressed his views. Mr.. Mitchell re-
piled that organized labor would not
look with favor upon any law that
would legislate it out Of business.
Mr.. Mitchell. answering further ques-
tions. said he regarded as living wages
for miner not less than 5000 per an
mum. which would cover his actual ne
cessities and permit him to educate his
children.
At this point Judge Gray asked the
witness if he meant to say he regarded
not less than $500 a year for a miner
would be wage to permit the children
to avail themselves of the public
schools and permit the family to spend
n portion of its income for education
and still not make it necessary to re-
sort to child labor. Witness answered
in the affirmative.
On the question of the minimum age
at which boy should go OH the
breaker Mr.. Mitchell said he would adj
vocate that it be put at fourteen years.
Personally he thought boys should lie
kept in school until they are at least
sixteen.
Mr.. Wilcox examined Mr.. Mitchell
at some length regarding the various
demands of the miners.
do you know the wages that are
paid are about $6O,OOO,OOO?' Mr.. Will
cox asked.
II have read that statement" the
witness answered.
Don't you or your committee know
it?' inquired Mr. Wilcox.
mo, sir, we don't" responded Mr..
Mitchell
This is demand for $4,000, 900 in
crease in the cost Of production" said
Mr.. Wilcox.
ION that calculation, yes" replied
the witness. THAT would be about
II or ID cents ton"
Slate Pickers' Wages.
Mr.. Wilcox took up one of President
Baer's statements. and Mr. Mitchell
said that it was susceptible Of several
interpretations. For instance" he
said. "Mr. Baer is quoted as saying
that slate pickers receive IS cents a
day. That may be true in some cases.
but we know that most slate pickers
get much less than that amount"
In reply to another question Mr..
Mitchell said that il the miners had
known ut the outset that the differ
ences would go to board of arbitru-
tion lacy would have asked for more.
SO that while the arbitrat0rs were set
cling the question they would settle ii
right.
Mr.. Mitchell denied that his organi-
zation restricted the quantity of work
a man should perform. but said it did
believe in regulating the hours of work.
In reply to a question as to whether
he believed that all miners should be
paid by the day rather than by the car
or ton Mr.. Mitchell said he did not
know whether it would be practicable.
Here followed long line of questions
on the paying of wages by the ton.
The miners leader said that every
miner should be paid for every pound
of merchantable coal produced by him.
Mr.. Mitchell denied any knowledge of
the organization having inaugurated
strike because of the employment of
men, but he had heard that
local unions had suspended work OH
this account.
He had no personal views to offer on
the subject of members of the union
joining the national guard, but he felt
that they should exercise the same
rights and privileges that every one
else does in that respect.