The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-17
JUS to the settlement of the strike Of

Gus to the settlement of the strike Of
1900. SIR
"Of course that was the year in which
Mr.. Bryan was again candidate for the
presidency" said Mr.. MacVeagh, land You
were conscious Of the great apprehen
sions entertained by the financial interests
of the country as to the possibility of his
electiOn?' 81
well understood they were very ap-
prehensve," was the response.
Mr.. MacVeagh asked if any advance Sc
cured by the miners was not due to that
apprehension.
II believe" said Mr.. Mitchell. that the
fact that an election was pending had
something to do with the early settle
ment Of the strike"
Mr.. Mitchell denied that he had had
any conference with the coal operators at
that time and said that during the strike
Senator Hanna had spoken to him over
the telephone and had sent Daniel Keefe,
president of the International Longshore
mems a,ninsl. to see him. He denied that
through MI, ->eefe he agreed that if the
10 per cent increase was granted tho
strike would be called off, but said Sena-
tor Hanna had tolG him the operators
had decided to make the offer Of 10 per
cent.
Mr.. MacVeagh here took up the sugges-
ton for yearly agreement and attempted
to show that the union could not control
it's members and therefore an agreement
is impracticable.
Mr.. Mitchell said there were many diff
ferences which both sides justly COM
plain of and which he hoped would be
wiped out by agreements.
Mr.. Mitchell Scores.
Il dare say" Mr.. Mitchell remarked,
''if our union violates the contract the
people Of this country will take good care
that we have no union left. There will
be no question about that and if the oper
ators violate it the people of the United
States will see that they regret it,
Mr.. Mitchell said that this was a coun-
try of majorities, whereupon Mr.. Mac
Veagh replied: Yes, but God with one is
a ma jority If q man is doing right, he
is on his side.
The courtroom was convulsed when
MIR. Mitchell answered that he would be
willing to leave the whole dispute to God
A Call for the Soft Coal Operators.
Reverting for a moment to the yearly
agreements. Chairman Gray announced
that the commission had decided to in
vite Herman Justi, commissioner of the
Illinois Opera tives association. to appear
and state the conditions existing under
the yearly agreements between the soft
| coal operators and the Illinois miners who
belong to Mr.. Mitchells organiza ton. At
the suggestion Of counsel on both sides.
invitations will be sent to other soft coal
opera tors.
Boycottine.
Mr. MacVeagh, seeking a direct answer
to his queries regarding boycotts asked
the witness why he could not use his in
fluence to put an end to boycotting and
| to further intimidation Of men, women
and children whose lives have been made
uncomfortable.
Mr. Mitchell responded that it was the
very fathers and husbands of this people,
who had themselves made their families
uncomfortable. Mr.. Macveagh, drawing
himself closer to where the witness was
sitting, said:
'1f such cases are shown you until you
grow weary Of them, as I will show you,
will you then agree to take drastic, thor
ough going, effectual measures to root it
out as you would any other deadly, I'M
manly. I'm American, cowardly practice?'
This question Mr.. Mitchell answered by
saying that people have a perfect right to
do whatever they choose provided they
come within the law.
When asked If he countenanced the
stoppage Of funerals, the preventing Of a
physician attending non-unionist or any
member Of his family, Mr.. Mitchell de-
clared that he did not.
A photograph of young woman school
teacher, who, it was alleged, had been
dismissed from her position because her
father had been a non-unionist was
handed to Mr.. Mitchell and he was asked
| If it was fair to rob her Of her place on
that account. Judge Gray repeated the
question.
'As a general proposition said Mr..
Mitchell, II should say no. 1t is going
to an extreme which no labor organization
advocates"
| He said, however, that under some con-
ditions it would impair the efficiency of
the teacher because the pupils, the chill
| dren of men on strike, would not obey
and therefore it was proper to petition for
| the teachers removal, at least until mat
| tiers had quoted down.
Mr.. Mitchell in response to questions by
Mr. MacVeagh and Judge Gray declared
| that a member Of trade union who was
| a member of state militia should not
escape service but should willingly per-
! form all the duties Of citizenship and ac-
cept all the responsibilities that go with
with them.