Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-26

comparing miner witkoA mSchaa4fc that
the latter must start asafn apprentice. re-
first year In the second year he may earn
a little more. still MORE In Me third, ana
during the fourth aboutfe1. 25aa day. After
that his wage is from $3.50 I'd So a5day, ac-
cording to his skill andi BoDdI fortune in Sc
curing desirable posft9sn. Ns7
Compare this long p9riedt of work and
small earnings with the Apprenticeship of
the miner. An immigrant 5Nst landed on
American soil, speaking one y9r two words
of English, utterly ignesaat. Us eligible as a
miners laborer to a position which gives
him the opportunity to learn Md acquire his
miners certificate white earning between
81 and $40 per day. Is there any COM
parison? Let the commission bring out
these matters. This testimony can easily
be secured. Its presentation and the pub
licity which can be sivens to 1t will be of
indefinite service to every mining company.
The public will have an opportunity OF see
ing the other side. The men themselves
will talk about it. about how much a miner
can earn. ~
Will Attract Labor.
THE mechanic who finds that he is work
ing more hours for less money than the
miner will talk. Unemployed labor will
learn Of the opportunity for comfortable
earnings and will talk. and the miners.
when they enter into a discussion with
other workers Will not be long In seeing
that they have had the opportunity and
have made good earnings, and become jeal-
Gus that their field VIII be entered by
others who wish for equally good fortune
Such testimony will clear the atmosphere
of much of the maudlin sentiment which
Is apparent
s"Thus far the general effect of the tes-
timony presented has given undue promi-
hence to Mr.. Mitchell. In the four and one
half days in which he was kept on the stand
the only point of value ascertained was
that he was In sympathy with the miners
and was not familiar with anthracite min
ing. Half an hour would have served the
same purpose and prevented much sympa-
thy creating generalities He said that
others knew the situation better-they
would be called. Probably these persons
are to be the next witnesses for that SIDE
and If they are men with a good record for
faithful work cross-exa mination will show
what we have already zstated-that their
earnings are sufficient-and this could then
be supported by our own witnesses. Bug
our local attorneys and the superintendent
of the coiieries best fitted for such
questions They are familiar with the de-
tails and can bring out the proofs
We think it highly desirable that any
attempt at compromise should imnedi-
ateiy stop, that the investigation should
continue, and that one or two of the oper-
ators, with your representatives, should col
fect and tabuiate figures of earnings for the
purpose of presenting them in evidence.
After that our witnesses can appear.
Worst Has Been Passed.
after struggling through the last five
months, with their losses and annoyances,
1t Is a little matter to wait short time
more A good fight is never useless. and if
in the end we should not win. 1t will be bet
ter to have ended with the dignity of a
strong effort than to weakly go our
knees now, when we know the other side
has practically exhausted Its resources"
The meeting of the Independent operators
and railroad officials lasted about at hour.
III Dc. ant Entxy h.
New York Ontario and Western said that
President Baer of the Reading was preDar
ing a statement. Later the statement was
issued. and Mr.. Basr left at once for Phil
adelphia.
After mentioning at the outset the names
of the private" operators present, the list
being the same as set forth In the past of
the independent operators, together with
the names of John Marble and few 9TH
ers, the statement given out by Mr.. Baer
reads: o-,,4
"They the private Operators met the
coal presidents who had signed the request
to the President of the Emitted States.
They presented a pBetest against any
adjournment being made at this time, In
slsting that the principles involved were so
serious and affected SO many interests that
1t was not necessary now to have the COM
mission hear all the faets and pass it's tudg
ment upon the whole controversy"
Text Of the Protest.
The protest was az foHows.
SCRANTON. Pa, November %.
To Messrs Raer. Thomas. sTruesda1e, Oily
plant. Fowler and iWaitsr, president.
Gentlemen: The undersigned7 Individual
coal operators, whose product Is carried
over one or the other Of your respective
railroads. having learned that efforts are
being made to effect d settlement OF the
questions now before the anthracite coal
strike commission. of which the Individual
coal operators have been made party at
the request of the commission, and a num-
Der of your corporations. beg leave respect
fully to enter their vigorous protest against
any such settlement to be made at this
time. and set forth the following among
many reasons:
/. We believe that such settlement at
this time and upon the basis suggested
would forever establish the power and per
petuate the injustice perpetrated by the
United Mine Workers.
2 That such settlement would be. in the :.
eyes of the public. a confession that we
have heretofore been guilty of all the Of
lenses charged against US by the said mine
workers.
g. That We have. and believe that you
have, such a perfect and complete defense
to the allegations made by the compliments
before the commission that any money
award the commission would render would
be far less than the amount We understand
that 1t is proposed to concede, especially TO
miners and their laborers.
4. That aside from any money considera-
lions, this commission. composed as we De
lieve of men that absolutely fair. I'M
biased and of unusual experience and good
Judgment in their findings. will make such
declaration as will for many years put
ban upon unlawful practices. oppression OF
mont union men. unjustif1able demands. ana
other grievances that we have been suffer-
Ing under since 1900 when the union first
took possession of cur property. If. on the
other hand this settlement be made now,
when not a single witness has been called
on our part or on your behalf. it will be an
absolute and distinct surrender to the min
ers' union and the troubles above referred
to will not only be continued. but so mag
nifled as to be absolutely unbearable
Operators First Chance to Be Heard
The hearings before the anthracite coal
strike commission present the first oppor-
tunity that the coal operators have ever
had of presenting their case before the gen.
eral public, who are really an important
third party. since abstracts at least OF these
proceedings are published all over the Unit
ed States, and 1t Is a duty that we owe to
ourselves. as we'll as to them. to prove that
the continued and repeated charges OF In
justice, barbarfty and extortton are aDso-
lutely unfounded; all Of which the indi-
vidual operators, at least, propose to DO
The case as presented already shows such
weakness that we believe they were almost
dishearteDed when these suggestions for