The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-16

Scranton. Pa. Dec /, T:i- Inine workers.
after occupying nineteen days In presenting
about 10, witnesses. practically closed their
ca Sc before the Anthracite Coal Strike Com
mission this afternoon.
They will call one important witness to-
morrow. The afternoon session was one
of the most important sit,inSs III" commis-
sion has yet held, because the question of
whether the close relationship Of the coal
carrying road: with thu mining companies
shall figure lit the commissions "Tort -
adjust the controversy came sqrare!y be-
for,- the AZ, TRAITORS
GHAY'S STATEMENT.
The decision Of III. commission. il Chair
man Gray's remarks can he so called. was
briefly this
''That ihs commission IN a general way.
is adverse 70 widening III. scope of th, IN
vestication hs yond the terms Of the submis-
stons Of the miners ard the operators: thar
In carving on the investigation Il assumes
the coal companies car afford 70 pay fa!r
wages that If the coal companies. In pre-
senting the.r side ot the case. maintain th:t
they Cannot afford to give an Increase in
wages. then the commission will hrar what
the miners have 10 say on the ability OF the
companies T. 10 50, and that If business
cannot pay fair ulges the employer ought
to get ur.t Of il
Thesr points ue-e brought out during the
two hours consumed by the ninsTs' lawyers
r.-a'lir@ documentary evidence. !" the who'll
o. whict, The coal companies entered specifii
and general objections
COMBINATION.
The mine workers depended a great deal
on TIL evidence they hal 10 present to
show tha- the coaI-carrying railroads CON
troll III" raa! companies and charge exorbi-
tan and discriminating freight rates. thus
g:eatl.- decreasing the revenues Of the min
ing f;opert.cs
The eI!Iy part 4 the afternoon session
was taken III, IN hearing the testimony OF
III" remaining Witnesses, who are or haye
been in the employ Of the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron Company. after
which Mr.. parIcw announced the close OF
his case. excepting that he would Gail one
witness tomorrow on a matter entirely diff
t~rent from anything tha; has been offer d.
i will present table" he said. "ShoH-
ing The fluctuations in the anthracite in
iUS'ry a - the amount Of mining in the
past ton years and the amount per man.
W" vii; claim. Of course. that the last
var is not = fair criterion as 10 the amount
Of wages that a miner could earn.
We may. at some future t!me-io not
promise now. but Just wish to reserve the
right il il should happen 10 com=-we may
want 10 ask some questions about any COM
f,ifationS that are OF various railroad presi-
dents. when We get them before thiS com
mission. We leave that question as il i.
We may or may not want 10 ask that
TRUST QUESTION.
The Chairman. Well. of course. We will
have TO decide when questions Of that kind
come before Us The scope of our inquiry
is 10 Investigate and decide upon the mat
ter= in controversy between the anthracite
mine workers ard the operators who have
signed the letter of submission or those
W no have interviewed since The question
of the existence of i coal trust cannot he
here.
Il take it that this commission will con-
slider that i has i,lIte enough to do 10 de- !
eide the important issues that now "onsti- |
tUt- the controversy, and. without deciding I
anything until it is actually presented. l !
can Stat "a a general opinion that shall |
- ayers 10 widening the scope OF this III |
vsStiCatinn beyond the terms OF the sub !
mi I-Ou.
MIR barrow: Still l take it that the !
Authority is little broader
han to inquire into the conditions here. and /
that * embraces anything that would tend !
IN the psrf,d!-rt settlement q: this matter. |
rather Inferred that the commission would !
want TO know something about freights and
a
anG mine owners | think il also has direct |
bearing upon this case. At least cna com
oany has pleaded DIRECTLY that they cannot
afford To pay any more wages.
LLOYD'S Summary
Mr. LLOYD then read i syllabus Gr the
documents he had to present. He said;
For the purpose of connecting the pres |
mt facts with I'll" past We offer evidence OK
he causes character and result of The COM |
,inatiCnS. both Of labor and capital. in the
anthracite coal industry. The Profits OF the
business. both Of mining and transportation: !
he relations Of trans pOrtatioa companies to .
pc ratUr> and miners and the political and
CCial consequences that have resulted. !
This evidence thus offered We obtained from
he reports Of various legislative inYastiga- |
ions by ti3- states Of New York and PENN |
glvaD!a and by congress from 1871 IL the |
resent time and II embraces. We believe.
II tn. :mportanJ inquiries OF that charac-
er which have been made.
The first paper that Mr.. Lloyd started TO
cad was an extract from the first annual
eport Of the Bureau OF Statistics of La
4, r and Agriculture Of Pennsylvania flr
he years 1872 and 1873. showing that the
}: :gauiZa;ion Of laDOr was made necessary