Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-17
In Cross Examining
Mitchell in Anthra-
cite Inquiry.
WHO is NOT ROBBED
Commission Decides to
Hear From the Oper-
atorS of Illinois.

Scranton, Pa, Nov. 17.-President
Mitchell resumed the stand today up
on the convening of the coal strike
commission and his cross examination
by Wayne MacVeagh was continued.
In reply to MacVeagh's questions
Mitchell said he had never stated i
was none of his business what addi-
tional cost the people will have to
pay for coal if the additional cost is
the immediate result of the miners
demands; that it was entirely be-
yond the miners control. There are
fields who are starving and it is their
fundamental right to ask for living
wages in return Tor their labor.
The examination being very spirit
ed on this phase of the consequence
of the strike, then MacVeagh turned
to the matter of protecting the prop
critics during the strike. Mitchell in
sisted the city, county and state au-
thorities are competent to handle the
matter.
Don't you know that in spite of the
authorities of the city, county and
state this whole region has been
treated for five months to a veritabIe
foretaste of helI?" was asked by Mac
Veagh.
Il don't know anything of the
kind was Mitchell's reply.
''WclI. you will before we are
= T., I, n
Regarding the s-huur day question,
Mitchell said the union favored the
maximum eight hours. but will ac-
cept whatever award the commission
makes The award will have prece-
dence over the laws of the union.
The commission has decided to
send an invitation to representatives
of the Illinois Coal Operators asso-
citation to appear before the commits
sion and tell of the conditions in that
state under the system of yearly
agreements with the union.
Plenty of Information.
Scranton. Pa. Nov. 17.-As soon as
the strike commission began business
Saturday Judge Gray told Attorney
Lenahan, who appears for the non-un-
lOH lIltiiy Will IClCItICc ~ 1tlldUdH
application to be recognized by the
commission, ,thatthe commission desired
a statement from Lenahan as to who
he represented, what new points he
wished taken up and what he claimed
and his position relative to the general
propositions at issue between the for
NAL parties to the dispute; also a guar
antee of submission to the decision Of
the commission; as soon as possible.
Wilcox then continued his cross-exam-
inatiOn of Mitchell. Wilcox first sub
mitted extracts from the proceedings
of the Shamokin convention that or
dered the strike and batch of other
printed matter pertinent to the inquiry.
No Trust Law Against Unions.
In reply to questions Mitchell said he
would not favor Il law OIL trusts that
did not exempt the labor uniOns-that
would legislate them out of existence;
that he thought 5000 a year was what
for a coal miner he would consider liv-
ing wages-not less; that if he had
known that the. dispute would be re-
ferred to arbitratio he would have
asked more for the miners: that a boy
slate before he was IA years old; that
slate pickers were not paid So cents a
day (as Baer stated) as to the great
majority; that he would oppose one
miner employing three laborers to
load, etc, for him-one labOrer to a
miner was enough. During the exam
nation Wilcox stated that the miners
wages amounted to $60,000000 year,
and that the increase asked aggregated
$12,O00,000.
Hacyeagh Not Opposed to Unions.
When Wilcox was through Wayne
MacVeagh took up the cross-examina-
ton. prefacing that he was not opposed
to the proper organization of labor.
MacVeagh's questions were all as to
the complaints of the miners-wages,
conditions, measuring coal and recogni-
tionof the union. To MacYeagh Mitchell
said he did not know exactly what the
miners wages were, but was sure they
were toolow-on the general knowledge
of the subject; he did not know who
would pay for the increased cost or
mining coal-that was. not his affair