The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-21

days, President Mitchell, of the min
ers' union. completed his testimony at
noon today before the anthracite coal
commission. During his ordeal he was
examined by his own attorney and
those of the Erie Company, the Della
ware and Hudson, the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western, the Lehigh
Valley, and the Philadelphia and Read
ing Coal and Iron Company, and also
by the attorneys of the independent
operators. He was followed on the
witness stand by Rev. Peter Roberts,
a congregational minister who has
studied the anthracite coal industry
and has written book on the subject
He was still on the stand when the
commission adjourned for the day.
zone of the most important things
brought out by the cross-examination
of President Mitchell was his emphatic
declaration that the miners were op-
posed to separating the bitumenous
miners from the anthracite workers,
thus creating two organizations He
made this reply to a question of eN-
Congressman Simon Wolverton, coun-
sci for the Reading Company, as to
separate organiza tions Mr. Mitchelrs
answer was that lit would not be pos
sible nor desirable" The anthracite
mine workers have had independent
organizations in the past. They have
haA several. They have gone. They
are not here now and the men do noI
want any more of their organizations
to go the same way
commissioner Wright, as head of the
department of labor in his report to
President Roosevelt on the coal strike,
dated June Goth, suggested among
other things as reasonable and just"
to prevent industrial conflict in the an
thracite fields, that the anthracite en-
ployeS should organize an anthracite
coal miners union, in its autonomy to
be independent of the United Mine
Workers of America but might be
affiliated with it. There has been
some gossip among the small army of
attorneys at the hearings, that the
commission may possibly suggest such
a separate union, and the fact that
Mr.. Wolverton touched on the matter,
shows that it is being seriously thought
of in some quarters. What effect Mr..
MitchelPs declaration will have On the
attitude of the commissioners, if this
phase of the labor question is taken
up by them, is, of course, not known.
THE non-union men," that is, those
who remained at work during the
strike were made party to the am
thracite plan today by their counsel
agreeing to make public the names of
the men who petitioned the commits
Vbn. When the attorneys for the
hon-striking workmen," as Chairman
Gray designated them, and who num-
bers about 1000, made a demand to the
in
crease in wages, with no reduction i'll
hours, their attorneys desired to with
hold the names of the persons they
represented. The commission, how
ever, decided it could not be a party
to such plan OF secrecy.
In connection with the non-union
feature of the investigation. Mr..
Mitchell announced that he is also rep
resenting thousands of non-union men
who struck with the unioniStS. and that
all the workmen would abide by the
award of the arbitration commission. >
or get out of the union"
Mr.. MitchellS testimony today con-
tained little that was new to the COM
missioners and that of Mr., Roberts
was of a genera character regardins
the economic and social conditions
in the anthracite coal country. The
commissioners, while regretting THAI
they have to do so, are still reminding
D0ln S10GS lEdl lHSy Hoclu lihC u
have the submission of testimony eS-
pedited Chairman Gray. several time
during the day interrupted and show q
that ground then being gone over mac
already been covered. 1t has been sug'
gested that counsel for both sides
agree to rules for the submission OF
evidence, but nothing has yet beer
done looking toward that END.
At the opening of today's session MI
Mitchell was cross-examined briefly b.
". w. Ross for the Delaware. Lacka
wanna and Western, SiIuor =. Wolver
ton. for the Philadelohfa and Reading
and James H. Torrey. representing tn
Delaware and Hudson.
The Individual operators. who hav
not up to the present time pressed thei
case before the commission. through on
of their attorneys. fra II. Burns. o
Scranton, inquired of the commissiol
if they would be given the opportunit
to examine witnesses when question
arise which are different with then
than with the companies.
Judge Gray answered that the
would.
Mr.. Mitchell in reply to Mr.. Burns