Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-18
HOLDSH|SOWN
THROUGHOUT
Wayne Macveagh Fails to
Break President Mitch.
ellis Testimony
In STRIKE HEARING
Miners Leader a Match
for the Distinguished
Attorney.

NOV. .lo.-h men WAYNE
MacVeagh resumed the cross exami-
nation of President Mitchell, of the
miners, before the arbitration COM
mission today, he sought to show that
there was growing spirit of violence
and disregard of law in the miners
organization. He said that Mitchelrs
influence over the men was inSuffici-
ent to keep them law-abiding and
peaceful.
Mitchell said the fear his influence
was not sufficient was contradiction
of the claim often made about him.
He said some of the men might have
been deferred from going to work
because of violence, but the strike
lost more in public opinion by reason
of that than it could possibly gain.
He did not approve of anyone COM
mitting unlawful acts.
Right to strike.
MacVeagh read statement regard
ing the right to strike as belonging
to the personal freedom of working
men. He took the view that, in eNer-
cising that freedom. those who strike
must not interfere with the liberty of
others who wish to work.
we hO ioN Want 7tiAu
MacVeagh. land that is anarchy. pure
and simple MacVeagh attributed
the language to Archbishop Ireland,
Mitchell declaring If the archbishOp's
statement meant that men have no
right to picket he disagreed with him,
adding that he did not know the arch
bishop was regarded as the supreme
court ON trades union matters.
After an argument between the at
torney and the witness over the pro-
priety of criticising the acts and de-
cisions of courts, MacNeagh conclud-
ed the cross examination.
Mitchell Holds Own.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1S. - In the
presence of as many persons as could
be jammed into the superior court
room yesterday Wayne MacVeagh, for
the Erie company, and John Mitchell,
for the miners, continued their struggle
in the cross-examination before the
anthracite coal commission. The
fourth demand of the union. which
calls for yearly trade agreement, and
which means u straight out recOgni-
ton of the union, was the bone of
contention, and when Mitchell parried
a question regarding the boycotting of
a coal and iron policeman by hotel
keeper, the distinguished attorney
threw up his hands, laughed, and said:
Mr. Mitchell, you are the best wit
ness for yourself that 1 ever con-
fronted."
Point MacVeagh Was Trying To Make.
MacVeagh's point was that union
that could not control its men had no
right to demand recognition and he
bore heavily on what he said was Il
reing OF terror in the anthracite region
during the period of the strike. He
read list of fourteen names of men
who were killed during that time, and
also submitted in evidence about sew
enty-tive printed pages of acts of viO-
lence. boycott and intimidation. Mitch
ell maintained that the discipline in
the organization is as good as it pos
Sibly could be where 147 900 men were
involved. He said that the strikers
were not entirely responsible for the
acts of lawlessness. and made the ex-
cuse that in time of great excitement
there was always more or less disor
der.
Reply to Specific Instances.
In answer to questions he said that
where there was Il reign of terror
and he had no information that such
was the case during the late strike
conditions arise that are ''intolerable''
or unfortunate Replying to specific
instances pointed out to him by Mac
Veagh. where men had been deferred
from going to work through fear of
personal harm or social ostracism for
themselves and families, Mitchell said
that in some cases men may have been
deferred, but denied the assertion that
such alleged acts prevented the mines
from being operated. He said that
when the strike was declared every
mine worker in the region quit work
and remained out even after the en-
tire National Guard of the state had
been thrown into the coal fields.