Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-19
SKILLFUL FENCING
Between ATTORNEY MacVeagh
and President Mitchell.
Famous Lawyer Makes but Little
Headway With Miners Leader.
Admiral Appearance Made by Mitch.
ell Throughout Day.

Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1S.-In the pres
ence of as many persons as could be
damned into the superior court room.
Monday. Wayne Macveagh, for the Erie
Company, and John Mitchell for the
miners. continued their brilliant battle
OF cross-examination before the an
thracite coal commission. The two
men. the one in his 3O's and the other in
his 7O's, were followed with intense in
trest by both the commissioners and
the crowd throughout the day.
The fourth demand of the union
which calls for a yearly trade agree
ment and which means a straight out
recognition of the union was the bone
OF contention and although four hours
were taken up in a discussion If the
question not much material progress
was made. Wayne MacVeagh at
| tempted to show the utter irresponsi-
bility of the union and it's unfitness to
make contracts which it could not live
| up to. His principal argument was the
alleged boycott and he often pressed
the miners president hard for an an
swer. The latter, however, slowly and
deliberately gave some reply. but they
did not always satisfy his inquisitor.
Mr.. MacVeagh in the presence of the
assembiage expressed his admiration
of the ability of the witness and on
one occasion the distinguished attorney
threw up his hands and laughingly
| said: Mr.. Mitchell. you are the best
| witness for yourself that l ever con-
frOnted."
Mr.. MacVeagh weighed heavily on
what he said was a reign of terror in
the anthracite region during the period
of the strike and maintained that it
would be utterly impossible for the
coal companies he represents to enter
into agreements with an organization
| that could not control it's own men.
| Mr.. Mitchell stoutly maintained that
the discipline in the organization is as
good as it possibly could be where
$4,000 men were involved. In answer
to questions he said that where there
was reign of terror, and he had no
information that such was the case
during the late strike, conditions arise
that are 'intolerable" or unfortunate"
He said that when the strike was
declared every miner in the region quit
| work and remained out even after the
entire National Guard of the state had
| been thrown into the coal fields. In
short, he said that the men would not
have gone to work under any cOndi-
ton.
The miners president, no matter
how skillfully he was questioned,
| could not be dragged into a fiat admis-
sion that he as president of the union
approved of the boycotts complained
of by the companies. He had his per-
| sOnal opinion of some of the phases of
the bycott. but would not express them
| as being the sentiment or policy of his
| organiza tion. Only once Mr.. Mitchell
| showed signs of irritability. This was
| when Mr.. MacVeagh, reading the long
| list of acts of violence. would take Mr..
Mitchell to task for some particularly
vicious act, and say, sharply: You
could have prevented this"
In the course of the forenoon session,
Mr.. MacVeagh examined Mr.. Mitchell
regarding the 8hour demand and re-
ferred to the fact that Abraham Lin
coin, James A. Garfield and William
| Mckinley worked more than eight
hours a day and were thus enabled to
| climb the ladder to the Presidency.
Mr.. MacVeagh grew eloquent in the
course of putting one of his questions
to Mr.. Mitchell regarding the martyred
Presidents and said:
Il only mention these because they
are the three victims of the spirit Of
anarchy which is the curse of this
country, today. and the only serious
curse affecting it,"
The miners president quick as a
flash, came back with the inquiry,
Trade unions are not held responsible
for 1t are they?" to which Mr.. Mac
Veagh quickly responded that they
were not and supplemented this with
the remark that labor unions are, most
admirable.
/ The bringing of the word anarchy
into the examination.vaused a distinct
murmur of disapproval from the many
mine workers in the, court room.
While the discussion of the effect
that yearly agreement would have on
the coal industry In the anthracite re-
gion was in progress. frequent refer
ence was made 10. the workings of
agreements in Soft coal regions. This
led to conference which resulted in
an agreement go invite representa-
tives Of the bktminous operators and
miners to testitf.
The non-union mine workers through
their attorneys John T. Lanahan and
Joseph O'Brien. Monday. filed. the state
| ments of their case with the anthra-
| cite coal strike commission. The state
ment demands an increase of 20 per
cent. upon wages paid in 1901 and the
| adoption Of a minimum rate of SO
| cents per ton of 224O pounds for min
ing.
| 1t protests against limiting the hours
| of labor: against any agreement be-
tween the Miners Union and the opera
| tors; and against any rule by which
| favoritism shall be shown union men.
ANDY Watson Beats Arthur Cote.