The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-20
Want BituninOus and Antra- cite Men on Same Footing,
OTHER WITNESSES EXAMINED
The Rev. Peter Roberts Admits That Wright Measurement of Coal Would to Certain Extent
 Be lmpractieable.

days, President Mitchell of the Miners union completed his testimony at noon today before the anthracite strike com mission. During his ordeal he was ex- amined by his own attorney and those of the Erie company the Delaware and Hudson, the Delaware, LacKawanna and Western. the Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron company and also by the attorneys of the independent operators. He was fol- lowed on the witness stand by the Rev. Peter Roberts of Mahony City, a Congre- gational minister. who nas studied the anthracite coal inquiry, and written 0 book on the subject. He was still on the stand when the commission adjourned for the day.
 One of the most important things brought out during the cross-examination of President Mitchell today was his em- phatic declaration that the miners were opposed to separating the bituminous miners from the anthracite workers, thus creating two organizations. He made this reply to a question of former Con- gressman Simon P. Wolverton, counsel for the Reading company, as to whether it would not be better to have separate organizations. MT. Mitchell's answer was that 1t would not be possible or desir- able. The anthracite mine workers have had independent organizations in the past. They have had several. They are gone They are not here now, and the men don't want any more of their organ izations to go the same way"
 Reasonable and Just"
 
 department of labor, in his report to President Roosevelt on the coal strike, dated June 20, suggested, among other things as reasonable and just to pre- vent industrial conflict in the anthracite fields, that the anthracite employees should organize an anthracite coal miners union and it's autonomy to be in- dependent of the United Mine Workers of America" but might be affiliated with 1t. There has been some gossip among the small army of attorneys at the hear ings that the commission may possibly suggest such a separate union and the fact that MT. Wolverton touched on tho thought of in some quarters. What effect MT. Mitchells declaration will have on the commissioners on the phase of the labor question, when taken up, Is Of course not known. The non-union men, that is, those who remained at work dur
 
 arbitration today by their counsel agree ing to make public the names of the men who petitioned the commission. When the attorneys for the "non-striking'' workmen Chairman Gray designated them, and who number about 2000, made a demand to the commission for 20 per cent increase in wages with no reduction in hours. their attorneys desired to with hold the names of the persons they rep resented. The commission. decided, how ever, that 1t could not be a party to such a plan of secrecy.
 In connection with the non-union feat ure of the inquiry MT. Mitchell announced that he also represented thousands of non-union men who struck with the unionists, and that all the workmen would abide by the award of the arbi- traitors Tor get out of the union. MT. Mitchell's testimony today contained lit- tie that was new to the commissioners and that of Mir. Roberts was of a general character regarding the economic and sociological conditions in the anthracite coal country.
 Want Testimony Shortened.
 The commissioners while regretting they have had to do so, are still remind ing both sides that they would like to have the submission of testimony ex- pedited Chairman Gray, several times during the day, interrupted and showed that BTOunu DeilS SOIle over ndQ dIfeaQy been covered. It has been suggested that counsel for both sides agree to rules for the submission of evidence but nothing has yet been done looking toward that end.
 In the course of his examination by MT. Darrow in the afternoon MT. Roberts furnished statistics showing that the an- thracite fields covered 4S0 square miles. Out of total population of 65O,0OO he said 45O,00O were directly dependent on the mines.
 Answering questions by MT. Wolverton, MT. Roberts said there were four methods of payment in the anthracite region, by the car. by weight, by the yard and by the day. The wages paid are far from uniform, he said. and he then went on to describe the changes which had been made in the size of the cars from 72 cubic feet until they now very from 80 to 92 feet. In moving the car from the breast of the mine to the shaft MT. Roberts said. there was five per cent shake down.
 50 that this measurement" inquired MT. Darrow, "gives the dishonest miner the same wages as the minor who loaded his car carefully?'
 Subsequent examination brought out the fact that the miner who put more than six inches of topping on his car received no additional compensation for 1t.
 Has the que5tioi ol Hllnlng coal and being paid by the car been a source of vexation, trouble and dissatisfaction to the miner?" MT. Darrow asked.
 The witness answered that 1t was one of the complaints that have existed since 1850.
 The first strike in 1868. he said, was on a demand for an eight-hour day.
 Imported Labor.
 Answering a question by Commissioner Watkins, Mir. Roberts said there was an effort made by the individual operators to import labor into the anthracite fields. Tt was done" he said, through ship agents. who got men in New York to watch the vessels coming in and turned the current of immigration. that is the Slave immigration, Into the coal fields" Have miners been obtaining homes to any extent during the last ten years?' the witness was asked This elisited the