The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-15

anu yet THESE men receive
less wages annually than are received
by men performing similar work in
other helds under more favorable and
less hazardous conditions. The num-
per or years a man can retain his
health and strength in this occupa-
tlon is limited. If he escapes death
or injury by falls of rock or coal, he
cannot escape attacks of miners
asthma. There is scarcely a mine
worker who has not contracted this
malady."
IN supporting the demand for the
reduction of the hour of the day la
porers, Mr.. Mitchell showed that it
amounted practically to a demand for
~ per cent. increase of compensation
LOT o5'OOO men, of 81 per cent. of all
mine employees. Continuing, he said:
me eight-hour day is the standard
working day in the mining industry
Eight hours constitute a days work in
the coal mines of Great Britain, in
all the silver, gold and copper mines
ana IN the bituminOuS coal mines in the
states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri,
Iowa, Illinois, Indiana Ohio, Michi-
gan, Kentucky, Tennessee, in Western
pennsylvania and the Indian Terri
tory"
Defending the third demand that
coal shaR be weighed and paid for by
-6'Ae O4AN Nilhl IsAfu pOuIlNlS S1dll COIl-
stltute ton, Mr.. Mitchell declared
that the present method of measuring
the coal produced by the miners in
the Lackawanna, Wyoming and Lee
high regions has been the source of
more discomfort than any other of the
many injustices imposed upon the min
ers, and there can be no contentment
among those workers until an honest
system has been adopted.
isfied with an extra legal ton of from
2,740 to $3.50 pounds, have a system
of docking through which they ap-
propriate additional part of the
miners earnings. A miner is locked
all the way from 500 to 1000 pounds
upon car, as a penalty for loading
impurities for which he has already
been penaliZed to the extent of from
700 to 500 pounds in excess measure
Of weight; in other words he is pun
ished twice for the same offense.'
Mr.. Mitchell then took up the fourth
demand of the miners for a trade
agreement, with the necessary ma
chinery for the adjustment of local
grievances. He outlined the history
and policy of the United Mine Work
ers of America and explained that by
its constitution, the anthracite and
bituminous mine workers had home
ulc lOI lllt lOCdl government Vi lOCdI
affairs.
AS to the responsibility of the mine
workers organization, Mr.. Mitchell
said:
"At the present time the United
Mine Workers of America has con-
tracts with the operators of fourteen
states and districts. fixing the amount
the miners shall receive per ton, the
amount the various classes of labor
IL. ~. ~
hours which shall constitute a days
work, and the methods and machinery
for the adjustment of local grievances
by joint conference with the mine own
erS."
I'VE demand recognition because we
know that permanent peace and friend
ly relations can be best maintained
through a trade agreement with the
organization which our people have
elected to join. Fully 80 per cent. of
the employees of the anthracite coal
miners are members of it from choice,
and they desire to retain their mem
bership in it. 1t was the United Mine
Workers of America that conferred
with the President of the United States
in relation to the submission of the is
sues involved in the coal strike to this
commission: it was the United Mine
Workers of America that was request
ed by the President to end the strike;
it was the United Mine Workers of
America that declared the strike at an
end; it was the United Mine Workers of
America that sent the men back to
work, and it is the United Mine Work
ers of America that is pledged to &C
Cept the award of this commission"
Mr.. Mitchell outlined a plan of pro-
cedure to prevent strikes, and con-
cluded with a plea for the children.
Mr.. Mitchell was sworn in as the
first witness, it having been agreed
that oaths should be administered to
witnesses. He was questioned by Clar-
ence S. Darrow, attorneys for the min
ers.
Mr.. Mitchell contrasted conditions
in the bituminous and anthracite fields
to the advantage of the former. He
said last year 513 men were killed in
the mines and 1000 were injured.
what do you say as to the ability
of your organization to maintain dis
cipline and assist in the settlement of
questions and help in the harmony
of the management of the coal indus
try?" inquired Mr.. Darrow.
Speaking very deliberately, Mr..
Mitchell answered.
81 would say that our experience as
an organization demonstrates con-
clusively that discipline can be main
tanned where trade agreement exists.
AS a matter fact in those states where
we have trade agreements, If any of
our local unions were to attempt to
violate agreements or refuse TO go
back to work when we instructed them
to do so, we would put them out of
the union. Our agreements take pre-
cedence over our own law. The agree
ments must be kept inviolate."
When the direct examination of Mr..
Mitchell by Mr.. Barrow was concluded,
Mr.. Wilcox, for the operators, cross
examined Mr.. Mitchell at length re-
garding the general workings of the
organization.
Attorney Wilcox followed this up by
reading from Mr.. Mitchell's testimony
before the industrial commission, in
which Mr.. Mitchell outlined the policy
of the Miners Union and the condition
of the miners occupation at that time
This took up about an hours time.
After finishing reading the testimony
Mr.. Wilcox questioned Mr.. Mitchell re-
garding the strike of 1900 He asked
how the strike was inaugurated, how
many men were affected and how
many were members of the union. Mr..
Wilcox asked what was done by the
union to prevent violence by strikers.
Mr.. Mitchell said he, in every way,
tried to dissuade miners from commit
ting acts of violence, and said the un-
ions books failed to show the connec-
ton of any union man with them.
Mr.. Wilcox asked if Mr.. Mitchell ap-
proved of the methods of the miners
during a strike in Hopkins county,
Kentucky, but Mr.. Mitchell insisted
that he knew Of no laWlessness commit