Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
Henry D. Lloyd's Argument.

Mr.. Lloyd then read a syllabus Of the doc
uments he had to present He said: For
the purpose Of connecting the present facts
with the past, we offer evidence Of the
causes. character and results Of the COM
binations. both of labor and capital, in the
anthracite coal industry, the profits of the
business both of mining and transporta-
ton: the relations of the transportation
companies to the operators and the min
ers. and the economic, political and social
consequences that have resulted. This evil
dence. thus offered. we obtained from the
reports of various legislative investigations
by the states of New York and Pennsylva-
mia, and by Congress, from 1871 to the pres
ent time. and embraces. we believe, all the
important inquiries of the character which
have been made"
The first paper Mr.. Lloyd started to read
was an extract from the first annual re-
port of the bureau Of statistics of labor
and agriculture of Pennsylvania for the
years 1872 and 1873, showing that the or
ganization Of labor was made necessary by
the previous organization of employers in
the antracite fields.
Mr.. Wolverton objected to the reading
because 1t was too remote, and had no bear
ing on the issues as they stood today. Mr..
Lloyd was, however, permitted to proceed.
He read several reports of legislative and
Of congressional investigations of the min
ing industry, and followed this up by read
ing from financial and trade journals re-
public announcement of financial institu-
lions. to show that a monopoly exists in
the anthracite industry. He submitted five
points in evidence to prove it, follows:
Evidence Of Combination.
1. The ownership by certain railroads of
extensive mining properties in the anthra-
cite fields.
2. That men who are directors in one min
ing company are members of the board Of
directors of other railroad and mining COM
panies.
railroads to the individual operators build
ing an Independent railroad to carry their
product at reasonable rates.
4. The community of interests of the coal
carrying roads and their mining companies
8. Constant acquisition of additional I'M
mined coal by the coal carrying roads.
This brought Mr.. Lloyd up to the point
where he wanted to show the exorbitant
freight rates charged by the companies.
tered by Simon P. Wolverton. counsel
for the Reading company. Three Of the
commissioners had temporarily left the
to make a ruling the objection, and
asked Mr.. Lloyd to read something else for
the time being.
Objection by Mr.. Wolverton.
At this suggestion. Mr.. Lloyd began to
present evidence relating to the profits Of
the coal-carrying railroads and the mining
companies He was instantly stopped by
Mr.. Wolverton, and then ensued a long COL
loquy over the question whether the
freight rates and the profits of the two
classes of companies could be properly
heard by the commission. Chairman Gray
did not think SO, and former Representa-
tive Brumm, one Of the attorneys for the
miners, argued that II was; that the coal
companies and the railroads were one and
the same; that freight rates were much
higher for anthracite than for btumnous
coal. and that the profits of the coal COM
panies do not show on their books but, in
stead, on those of the railroad companies.
1T is case Of robbing Peter to pay Paul."
he said.
During the discussion Chairman Gray
made his announcement that the commits
sion was assuming that the operators could
pay fair wage, and that II an employer
cannot pay fadr wages he ought to get out
Of the business.
Chairman Gray, in a further discussion.
their side Of the case, make the point that
they cannot afford to pay an increase in
wages then the commission will hear what
the miners have to say on the subject.
Little Girls Testify.
Several little girls employed in silk mills
were called to the witness stand. and. as
result. Chairman Gray. plainly gave his
opinion Of parents who send their children
to work at a tender age. The first girl
called was only eleven years Of age. and