The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-09
TEDDYS NAME
 TAKEN IN VAIN Strike Commissioner Objected
 to the OisrespGct MATTER IS SMOOTHED OVER
Strong Evidence Introduced Against the MarkIes, Who, 1t Is Alleged, Have Not Pald Their Men
 the Increase Promised.

Scranton, Pa, December s.-Almost the entire time of today's session of the coal strike commission was taken up by the mine workers in presenting their side of the controversy with G. B. Markle & Go. in the Hazleton region. The miners placed witnesses on the stand to show that the company refused to employ them because they belonged to the union. had evicted them from their houses for the same cause; that the docking system was intolerable; that the question of the men getting the 10 per cent increase in wages granted as result of the 1900 strike is much in doubt and that the size of the mine cars has increased but the wages have not.
 Two Hungarian women were placed on the stand and told how the Markle com rany deducted house rent from the last wages of their husbands, who were killed in the mines, and how the company att tempted to get them to sign a paper which would absolve the Markles from damages for the death of the men. The women also confirmed the story that the children had to work without pay until the debts owed by the dead fathers were paid.
 The Markle company was not repre- sented by it's own lawyers before the commission. although it had ample notice that testimony afi eting their collieries would be presented The commissioners expect the company to bring in evidence in rebuttal to the stories told by the wit eeses on Saturday and today.
 Was Not Straightout Advance.
 The commissioners were very much sur prised today to learn that the 10 per cent increase granted in 1900 was not a straight out advance in wages, but in- stead was a 21z per cent increased pay of a 71k per cent reduction in powder, making the net Increase in earnings 10 per cent. This increase, the miners as- sert, is not being paid by the Markle company.
 The commissioners today made another request upon the companies, to present figures as quickly as possible, and as a result the Erie compsny late in the day submitted statistics regarding wages, hours and other data relating to the sub Ject.
 At the afternoon session testimony was
 
 had remained the same, the cost of living had increased some 25 per cent over two years ago.
 John D. Hughes, Scranton, manager for Armour z Co.,, gave the wholesale prices for all meats. comparing them with the prices prevailing in 1900 and 1901 He presented a large mass of figures, all of which showed that the prices of meats of all kinds have increased 23 1-5 per cent over the prices of 1900.
 Due to Short Crops.
 Ira H. Burns, lawyer for the independ- ent operators, in ross-examination tried to show that the high grocery prices were due to short crops, making grain dearer for the raising of animals then took MT. Hughes in charge and brought forth a rebuke from General Wilson. MT. Burns said
 Don't you know that the rise in prices of meats was due to the meat trust?" Witness: T do not know of any such institution
 MT. Burns: Do you agree with what Teddy Roosevelt says about the trust % Witness: T believe in some of it.. Before the witness could finish his an- swer, General Wilson jumped ID and with rising indignation, said: MT. Chair man I object to any person before this board referring to the President of the United States in that manner"
 This caused a furry but Nil. Burns calmly replied: "He sometimes calls him. self that"
 Chairman Gray, however smoothed matters out by saying q think the ob- jection Is well taken" To which Mi. Burns replied:
 Well, we will call him the President of the United States