Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-11-21
STILL ON THE STAND.
John Mitchell Undergoing a Severe
Cross-Examination.
Conducts Himself Ably before His
Inauisitors, One of Whom Publicly
Expresses His Admiration of
Him Ms n Witness.

presence of as many persons as could
be jammed into the superior court
room Monday, Wayne MacVeagh, for
the Erie company, and John Mitch
ell, for the miners, continued their
brilliant battle of cross-examination
before the anthracite coal commits
sion. The two men, the one in his
30's and the other in his 70's, were
followed with intense interest by
both the commissioners and the
crowd throughout the day, and the
contest will be resumed this morn
ing. The fourth demand of the union.
which calls for 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 n dis
cussion of the question, not much ma
terial progress was made. Wayne
MacVeagh, skilled in the art of cross
examination, attempted to show the
utter irresponsibility of the union
and its unfitness to make contracts
which it could not live up to. His
principal argument was the alleged
boycott, and he often hard pressed
| the miners president for an answer.
The latter, however, slowly and de-
liberately gave reply, but did not al
ways satisfy his inquisitor. Mr.. Mac
Neagh, in the presence of the assem-
blage. expressed his admiration of
the ability of the witness.
The "Reign of Terror
Mr.. MacVeagh weighed heavily on
what he said was a reign of terror
in the anthracite region during the
period of the strike. He read list
of Il names of men who were killed
during that time, and also submitted
in evidence about 75 printed pages of
acts of alleged violence, boycott and
intimidation and, with the assistance
of stacks of other documents, main
tanned that it would be utterly inn
practicable for the coal companies he
represented to enter into agreements
with an organization that could not
control its own men. Mr.. Mitchell
stoutly maintained that the discipline
in the organization is as good as it
possibly could be where 147,000 men
were involved. He claimed that the
strikers were not entirely response
BILE for the acts of lawlessness that
were committed. He regretted that
members of the union had, in some
instances. violated the law, even after
they had been warned to refrain
from doing so, but made the excuse
that in times of great excitement
there was always more or less dis
order.
Defends the Union.
In answer to questions he said that
where there was n reign of terror, and
he had no information that such was
the case during the late strike, condi-
tions arise that are "intolerable" or
unfortunate" Replying to specific
instances pointed out to him by Mr..
MacVeagh, where men had been de-
tered from going to work through
fear of personal harm or social ostra-
cism for themselves and families, Mr..
Mitchell said that in some cases men
may have been deferred, but denied
the assertion that such alleged acts
prevented the mines from being oper-
ated. He said that when the strike
was declared every mine worker in the
| u
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
condition.
Hours of Labor.
The eight-hour day question was
taken up, and in reply to query as
to whether he had right to limit a
mans labor to eight hours day, Mr..
Mitchell replied: eve favor maxi
mum of eight hours" and moment
later, in answer to a similar ques-
ton, said: "We will accept whatever
award the commission makes and that
award will have precedence over the
laws of the union"
Not n Monopoly.
During the afternoon session Mr.
Mitchell declared that n labor union
Is not monopoly, and does not de-
sire to be. It's membership, he said
is voluntary. 1t did not seek to ex-
olude anyone.
"But doesn't it put halter about
their necks and drag them in?" re-
marked Mr. MacVeagh.
mo; it is a democracy in the pur-
est and broadcast sense"
Answering additional questions on
the subject of the lawlessness, Mr..
Mitchell said, with some degree of
| impatience: 81 have time and again
in emphatic language stated that i
disapproye of any lawless act, max
| ing no exceptions to that rule"
The commission adjourned until
Tuesday. Mr.. McVeagh was still en-
gagged in cross-eXamining Mr.. Mitch
ell on boycotts and acts of violence,
to show the irresponsibility of the
organization.
Calls Beers Cowards.
Berlin, Nov. 1S.-rhe Lokal An
zeiger publishes extracts from Gen.
De Vets book on the Boer war, in