The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-18

o.b iSSi-
dent Mitchell, of the mine workers
union, occupied the witness stand
throughout both sessions of the coal
strike commission today. For four
hours and a half he took the cross fire
of the two brilliant attorneys of the
coal operators and ended the day with
few scars as a result of the battle.
David Wilcox, of New York, general
counsel for the Delaware and Hudson
Company, and Wayne MacVeagh, of
Philadelphia, who is representing the
Pennysvania Coal Company and the
Hillside Coal and Ircn Company, were
the principal questioners, and they put
hundreds of questions to Mr.. Mitchell.
Harmony prevailed between the law
yerS and the witness. The members Of
the commission continue to take the
same intense interest in everything
done and frequently interrupt with
questions in order that they may have
a better understanding of what is being
said. The afternoon session was the
more interesting. Mr.. MacVeagh's cross
examination was, as a rule, very keen
and while he assured Mr.. Mitchell that
he was not radically opposed to him,
he did not miss an opportunity to place
tons in the anthracite field in bad
light before the commission. When he
began his cross examination of Mr..
Mitchell at noon, he Informed him that
he was not opposed to proper organized
| labor.
He took up the demands Of the min
ers. He questioned Mr.. Mitchell on the
| demand for an increase in wages, and
| pressed the national president hard
| when he asked him if he cared to carry
| the responsibility of increasing living
| expenses of the great mass of our peo-
| pie of the Eastern States who would
ultimately have to carry the burden, if
the demands of the miners for higher
| wages were granted. Mr.. Mitchell's re-
| ply in substance, was, that the miners
| could not assume the responsibility as
| 1t was a situation over which they had
| no control. Mr.. MacVeagh made the
most Of his opportunity to picture the
great burden that would fall on the
people if the demands of the miners
| were granted.
| To the direct question as to whether
| he. as president of the union, had a
right to curtail the hours of employ
| ment each day Of the miners, Mr..
Mitchell said he thought he had, and
made an explanation by saying that if
one miner worked more than eight
| hours a day it would probably result
in the other men being compelled to
| work the same number of hours.
| During Mr.. Mitchell's examination by
| Mr.. Wilcox, the fact was brought out
| that If an increase in wages was grant
4 ed. 1t would increase the expenses of
the companies about twelve million dol
/ lars year. In regard to child-labor,
1 Mr.. Mitchell said he was in favor of Il
| state law which would make the mini
mum age for a boy to go to work at the
| coIlieries fourteen years instead Of
| twelve.
The attention of Mr.. Mitchell was di-
rected to the demand that the operators
| should make an agreement with the
| United Mine Workers and Mr. Mac
Veagh asked if he had prepared a draft
| of such agreement which he would have
| the commission compel them to execute.
| Mr.. Mitchell replied that he had sug-
| gested in his opening address to the
| commission, form that would be prac-
| ticable and acceptable to all interests
| in the anthracite field. Mr.. MacVeagh
declared that there was nothing iE NJ.
| Mitchells suggestions that the compa-
| nies must enter into partnership with
| the United Mine Workers, and inquired
IT that was one of the miners demands.
Mr.. Mitchell answered it was, where
| upon Mr.. f1acVeagh said his company
continue to ascertain what reason there
| Were for attempting to compel them to
enter into that agreement.
| It Is exie eeted that all of next week
| will be tal-el up by the miners in pre-
! senting tE>ir case. The same great ar
| ray Of lawyers was present today and
| they took notes as the examination Of
| Mr.. Mitchell proceeded.
| From this question he passed to the
| demands for a shorter work day and
| the Weighing of coal by the ton of 2,240
| pounds and then took up the fourth de-
mand Of the men for trade agreements,
which practically means recognition of
| the union. He asked Mr.. Mitchell wbe
| sort Of a contract he would draw up
| and the latter replied he would favor
an agreement as outlined in his sugges-
| gestions to the commission yesterday.
After going over the demands of the
| miners. Mr.. McVeagh took up the con-
ditions existing in and about the coll
lieries Of the companies he represented.
and tried. to show that the conditions
spoken Of by Mr.. Mitchell were not
borne out by Investigation. He took
Forest City. where the mines of the
| companies are situated. as an example
and produced photographs of houses in