Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-12-20
LWEL|EST HELD.
Yesterdays Sessions Of Anthra-
Cite|nyestigation Interesting.

At the Opening Of the Operators Case
the Lawyers Representing the Miners
Challenged Certain Wage State.
ments as Being Unfair-Men Who
Got $14oo or $500 Had to Divide
Earnings Among From Four to Six
Men--operators Claim That Recog.
milton of Union Is Not an Issue
Mitchell Says a Settlement Is Near.
Scranton. Ia, Dec. 1S.--Ihe anthra
cite coal operators opened their side
Of the controversy yesterday before the
strike commission and the attorneys
who are representing the non unioi men,
who have been admitted to the nrhitrl-
ton scheme, began calling witnesses.
The sessions yesterday were probably
the livclicst yet held. In the morning
the miners lawyers challenged the fair
ness of certain wage statements handed
70 the commission by the Pennsylvania
Coal company; ii! the afternoon Law
yer Darrow had Il spirited discrssion
with Chairman Gray rs to whether the
miners had Il right to know who Is pay
ing the lawyers representing the non
union men before the commission. Mr..
Darrow having asserted they were en-
plOycd by the coal operators.
Preceding this. Simon T. Wolv"rton,
counsel for the Reading company, who
delivered the opening address on behalf
of all the large coal companies. mad"
the point that the recognition OF llir
onion n; not an issue before the commits
sion, which broliglI Il protest FROM Mr..
barrow. The latter claimed that if it
were not, then the operators should be
forbidden from presenting testimony
that tended to show the union was IT,
sponsble Cor all the alleged violence
committed during the strike.
The alleged unfairncsS OF the wage
statements came to the notice of the
commission as II result Of its inquiry into
the Child labor question in tLis vicinity.
Several little girls testified Monday that
they worked all night in II silk mill in
were employed in the mines and re-
ccivcd poor pay. On Tuesday Everett
Warren, who represents the Erie COM
pany, which controls the Pennsylvania
Coal company. in whose mines sOnir Of
these fathers worked, handed to the
commission Il memorandum Sli0wil,.s
that one father last year recci\ al S14On
for himself ard lnborer. and that the
other father received $1,000 for himself
and laborer.
AT the opening Of the session yester
day the miners placed the two parents
on the stand, and they >worc that tine
earnings mentioned were divided
among from four to siN men. Tits
testimony surprised the commissioners
and Judge Gray asked ii the figures OF!
the mcmorH nduln were taken from the
wage statement already filed by the
company with the commission. Mr..
Warren replied in the affirmative.
Chairman Gray then requested coun.
sci for tlie company to indicate in it,;
statement, LANDED up, whether the
figures given are for one two. or NOR"
men.
"Wc don't say it shakes our faith IT.
the statement" hc continued "U.l-
less YOU can show, however that there
are none of these cases, such ms are
suggested by this testimony it will
very materially Shake our faith in it."
The compnny'S general manager, W.
\. May, explained that there may be-
places where only one man works. and
may be places where there are four
men working. but TIE company keeps
only Il record of the miner in whose
name inc working Is run, the latterpay.
ing his labortr.
Cross examined by Mr.. barrow. Mr..
May said lie did not know whcher two,
four or six men worked TO earn the
money indicated on the memorandum
handed to the commission.
You saw theS" figures handed to me.
to the newspapers and to the commits
sion, and you did not state to any one
that You did not know how many men
shared in the money earned" said Mr..
Darrow.
~ did not say anything about it either
one way OF the other" replied Mr.. May.
The discussion ended with Mr.. Dur-
row directly challenging the good faitl,
Of Mr.. May.
The miners here rested their case, and
Mr.. WolvcrtOD formally opened the on
orators side of the controversy by read
ing statement which represented the
views of all the large coal companies.
Mr. barrow called attention to the
reference in tl'e statement that recoy-
milton of the union is not IN ISSUE before
sion should sustain that claim then the
operators should lave no right to pre-
sent witnesses to show that the N;O.
lenCe committed during the StriAe was
instigated by the union.
stopped in Buffalo last night for IN hour
en- route from his home in Spring Valley.
Ills, to Scranton. lie was asked:
"What do you believe is the cause Of
the prolongation of the trouble between
the miners and the operators. Ird the
CuuSe VI tlitIl IIH biil'N W fpIE' W
terms|'
"Principally the sincerity of some of
the captains of industry" he replied
II believe that Mr. Baer and SOluc Of
the coal har'ns are sincere and mean
everything they say. hut they have the
wrong ideas and principles and it is next
TO impossible to get them to ao,;nowl.
an honest man, and lives nccorli II to
his principles. The strike. believe. Is
now in a fair way toward Il settlement"
Steamer Nagata Maru of Yokohama
was wrecked during Il storm IN miles
from Taku. The 100 Chinese pnS.