Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-18
Commission VIII
CutlnqultyShon
I'll Present 4ah OF Progress VIII Take Slany Weeks 10
Hear Both SIDES OF Re Gseai Labor Controversy
chtcheH Recognized as SNoa Important Whness-Aiac.
Veagh SW Cross. Examining HIM.

regarded as a supreme court on trade
union matters.
The attorney and the witness wan
dcred from the rules of cross-examina.
ton and INDUCED In an argument over
the propriety OF any one criticsing acts
and decisions OF courts
Mr. Mac Veagh thought II was strong
10 follow such a course and that ID
tends TO breed anarchy. MIR. Mitchell
said he was pleased TO say the courts
as q rule are fair hut he regretted thar
In the course OF his experience he had
found some judges against labor. He
l'ierred to Judge Jackson OF West Vir-
einla, who he said had made q great
many serious reflections on men who.
gave up their lives in the cause Of Ia.
Tor. He added that there were no am
archists In the trade unions. Mr. Nit
clell said no local In his union had ever
expelled a man from the union for be-
longing to the national guard and that
40 national labor union Of any kind
ned ever done such a thing. A little un-
Tor in New York state, he said. had
taken such action and Il had been her
aided over the country. He was not
responsible for what some other organ
Ia lion did.
MIR Mac Neagh concluded his cross
examination at this point.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY JUDGE GREY
As soon as Mr.. MacVeagh had fin.
ished, Judge Gray announced that the
commission did not wish 10 limit the
AlATIN Af "a a oh L.,
case as representing others, but they
believed they had obtained as much
Information as they are likely to get
on the subjects touched upon.
Judge Gray announced, however, that
If there was any new line Of examlna-
tion the commission would not object
TO hearing the testimony.
EXAMINATIONS TO BE BRIEF.
Former Congressman Wolverton, rep
resenting the Philadelphia & Reading
Coal & Iron company, Informed the
commission that future examinations
would be very brief.
Francis r. Gowen, representing the
Lehigh Valley Coal company, followed
Mr.. MacVeagh and questioned Mr..
Mitchell regarding his comparison Of
wages paid in the bituminOus fields as
against those paid in the anthracite
fields, The question of weighing coal
was also taken up.
For the first time during the session
the members of the commission then
entered into a general cross-eyamina-
ton OF the witnesses on points which
the previous testimony had not brought
out
Replying to Bishop Spalding. Mr..
Mitchell said that operators could form
q coalition and stop the mining OF coal
throughout the United States,
"They could do the same as we
could" said he "and especially now
when the coal fields Of the country
are passing into the hands Of few
men"
Commissioner Watkins thought the
law would prevent the operators doing
that by reason Of their Incorporation,
but Mr., Mitchell said they had the right
to shut down the mines
Judge Gray asked the witness II his
society did not depend, after all, on
the old economic truth that all great
forces which tend 10 uplft and carry
on social advancement and civilization
depend upon the average desire Of the
individual 10 better his own condition
and 10 work for wages, and upon the
desire of man who has property to
utilize 1t and get an income from II.
IL think that probably Is true" was
Mr.. Mitchel's response.
Judge Gray-lf you can immagine all
men ceasing to work at once the whole
social machine would stop.
Mr.. Mitchell-Yes.
Commissioner Wright asked-Do you
consider II justifable for the employers
In a certain district In order to resist
the demands of the labor union. 10
paralyse that industry or any group
OF industries?
mo; do not think II Is proper" Mr.
Mitchell replied.
Would the same answer be made II I
should substitute unions instead Of EN-
ployers?
II think In ether case" answered
Mr. Mitchell. some other avenue OF adj
justment than the paralysis Of the In
dustry should be sought"
MINERS DID NOT INCORPORATES.
MIR. Mitchell, answering the commits
sioners, said the United Mine Workers
CID not incorporate because the step
was not necessary. An organization TO
become financially responsible, he said,
must have a large fund and this the
working people did not have. He sail
that employers who object TO treating
or contracting with the union because
II Is not incorporated would oppose
treating with II any how.
Commissioner Wright asked Mr..
Mitchell what he meant by recognition
OF the union and the witness replied
1T means that the employers shall
r axe agreements regulating hours OF
labor wages. etc, with the union ana
hat the union as such would be held
responsible for rigid compliance with
these agreements
The cross examination was next tax
en- up by W W. Ross, Of New York,
counsel for the Delaware, Lackawana
& Western who had just begun 10
question the witness when the noon re-