The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-20
in UNION THERE
Is STRENGTH
President Mitchell Does Not
Desire Segregation.
PROCEEDINGS OF YESTERDAY
LEADER OF MINERS HOLDS his
OWN IN CRosS-ExAMINATIoN.

( q CRANTON. Pa, Nov. 1s.-After
being on the stand for four and
/ one-half days, President Mitchell
! Of the miners union completed his tes-
/ timony before the anthracite strike
commission at noon today. During
this ordeal he was examined by his
own attorney and those OF the Erie
company, the Delaware & Hudson. the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the
Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia &
Reading Coal & Iron company. and also
by the attorneys of the independent
operators. He was followed on the
witness stand by Rev. Dr. Peter Rob
erts of MahonOy City. Pa. a COngre-
cational minister, who has studied the
4 anthracite coal industry and has writ
ten a book on the subject. Mr.. Rob
erts was stin on the stand when the
commission adjourned for the day.
one of the most important things
brought out during the crOss-examina-
ton of President Mitchell today was
his emphatic declaration that the min
ers were opposed to separating the BIZ
luminous miners from the anthracite
workers, thus creating two organiza-
tons
/ Commissioner Wright. as head OF
the 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 prevent Industrial conflict in the
anthracite fields that anthracite en-
plOyes should organize an anthracite
coal miners union, in its autonomy TO
be independent OF the United Mine
Workers of America but might be
affiliated with it.
Army of Attorneys.
There has been some gossip among
the small army of attorneys at the
! hearings that the commission may pos
/ sibIy suggest such a separate union
and the fact that Mr.. WOlvertOn
{ ! touched on the matter shows that it
= is being seriously thought of in some
| quarters. What effect Mr.. Mitchell's
declaration will have on the attitude
of the commissioners if this phase of
the labor question as taken UP by
them is, of course, not known
r The nOn-uniOn men, that is, those
who remained a work during the
strike, were made d party to the ar
bitratiOn plan today by their counsel
S agreeing to make public the names
= of the men who petitiOned the COM
: mission.
? In connection with the nom union
! feature of the investigation, Mr.
: Mitchell announced that he is also
= representing thousands of nOn-uniOn
men who struck with the uniOnists, and
, that the WOrkmen would abide by the
! decision of the arbitrator "Or get out
{ of the union
: Mr.. MitchelTs testimony today con-
tanned little that was new to the COM
Z miSsiOners, and that of Mr.. Roberts
! was of a general character, regarding
E the economic and sociological con-
ditions in the anthracite coal coun-
e try.
{ The commissioners, while regretung
= they have to do so, are still reminding
both sides that they would like to
have the Submission of testimony ex-
pedited.
Chairman Cray several times during
the day interrupted ana showed that
ground then being gone over had al
= ready been covered 1t has been sug-
$ gested that counsel for both sides agree
1 to rules for the submission Of evil
> / dence, but nothing mas yet been done
I looking toward that end.
: Before W. W. Ross, counsel for the
5 Delaware, Laclzawanna & Western
] road, resumed his cross examination OF
T. President Mitchell, Chairman Gray for
- the commission again asked counsel
g to assist in expediting the proceeding
Il He said the commission was lOath to
e interfere, but they hoped that Mr.
! Mitchell would not be asked TO give
: his opinion Of matters of which he
, had no personal knowledge.
0 Demands of the Miners.
: Mr. Mitchell, answering questions by
n Mr. Ross said that an increase IN
s wages without adopting the weighing
y system would not meet the demands OF
the miners. An eight-hour day would
increase the annual income of the men,
Mr.. Ross was proceeding 70 analyze
the constitution Of the Illinois branch
y of the United Mine Workers with rela-
r ton TO its bearing on th> contracts
.e with the bituminOus operators, when
d Judge Gray interrupted with an inquiry
r as to the object OF this line Of ques-
u tiOning. Mr. Ross replied that il was
'lI for the purpose of showing that since
r the advent Of the union the bituminOus
: operators have been unable to employ
= any man until he first joins the union.
II He did not proceed further with the
4 question.
When Mr.. Ross concluded his exam
iratiOn, Mr.. Mitchell was cross-exan-
ined BY former Congressman Wolver-
ton. counsel Tor The Philadelphia &
D. Reading Coal < Iron company
;. Mr. Mitchell said it would be impos-
= sible for him to give N detail the
n conditions at each mine or even under
each company. He also declared that
it would neither be possible nor desira-
bic to divide the United Mine Workers
i; 1 into two separate organizations, one
= bituminous and the other anthracite.
" 'eThe anthracite miners he said
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