The sun., 1902-11-16

How Few Hours skilled Miners work
He Thinks Miners should Get 1C<D q
Year Each. hut Admits That They
Ought 10 Work at Least Eight Hours
q Day-1Hr witness Not clear about
Pay Of Breaker BO,s-II,ei, Afternoon
SCRANTON. Pa. Nov. 1.-THE anthracite
strike commission held what might fairly
be termed a lively session in this city this
afternoon. President Mitchell of the Mine
Workers was still witness under exami-
nation. The chances seem 10 be that he
will be on the stand for the greater part of
the coming week The counsel for the
different coal corporations apparently in
tend to take him in hand in turn.
Yesterday it was Mr.. Wilcox of the Della
ware and Hudson Canal Company To-
day it vas first Mr. Wilcox and for the bal
ance of the day the Hon. Wayne MacNeagh,
formerly Acknowledgement of the United
States. 1t was during the examination
Of the witness by Mr.. Mac Neagh that the
lively incidents developed.
First there came Mr. Mitchell's reasons
for advocating an eight hour day. Then
there came a controversy between the
miners leader and Mr.. MicVeagh a. to
who was responsible for the additional
burden in the increased price Of coal placed
upon he poor Later there was an Intellectual
attempt to get Mr. Mitchell TO admit
that a prosperous mining town was an in
dication Of the prosperity OF the mine
workers living there. Then came Mr..
Mitchell's reasons for the belief that every
man working about mine should receive
at least s6OO a year. And a. a finish there
was an emphatic declaration from Mr..
Mitchell as 10 why he did not think that the
coal mining companies should be allowed
to employ armed Coal and Iron policemen
about their properties for the purpose
OF protecting them
One Of the notable features Of the testi-
mony by Mr.. Mitchell was his evasions
As a rule he testified with readiness and
apparent frankneSs Mr. MaCVeagh twice
during the afternoon thought il best to
compliment Mitchell upon the -adroit'
manner in which he slipped around an
interrogatory and once, in paISying an in
terruption by Mr.. Darrow. Ir. MacNeagh
remarked that lie thought that Mr.. Mitchell
was making -an admirable witness for
the miners side Of the case.
This afternoons session was illumned
by flashes Of humor on the part of both Mr..
MacVeagh and Mr.. Mitchell that kept
every one in a good humor. At all times
Mr.. MacVeagh was smiling and court eous
Some Of his wittcisms were levelled at him
self, few were at the expense of Mr. Mitchell
and once or twice Mitchell turned the Joke
back The rancor In some of the questions
asked, a. we'll as in some Of the answers
given. was almost lost sight of in the ex-
change Of repartee.
A. 10, 90 la. ,,,,a,
to-day Judge Gray announced that before
the counsel for the non-union men would
be recognized they would have TO submit a
statement as to whom they represented
and by what authority they appeared
After such statement is received the COM
missioners will then finally pas upon the
question
Mr. Wilcox then continued the cross.
examination Of John Mitchell. Several of
his questions related TO the early organiza-
ton Of the United Mine Workers Of America
Later he submitted copy Of the american
Federdfonist. the organ of the Federation
Of Labor, which contained an article on
boycotting. This was placed in evidence
by Mr. WILCOX.
After some questions as TO how picke,s
we're employed by the miners during strikes.
Mr.. Mitchell was asked what he regarded
az living wages He answered.:
well, | regard as living wages for n
coal mine worker not less than $0OO year
He went on TO say that he would not
apply that to the country generally, as a
person at one place might require more
than person living at another But,
generally, the sum mentioned would he
sufficient 10 enable the mine worker TO
live nicely and to educate his children
Judge Gray wanted to know whether he
meant that parents might send their chill
dren to the public schools or spend "a por-
ton of their income directly for education"
Mr.. Mitchell answered that the amount
would be enough 10 enable the parents 10
give their children good common school
education.
MITCHELL's IDEAS on CHILD LABOR.
Mr.. Mitchell first expressed his objection
to having children employed at the mines
under any circumstances. He admitted.
however, that SO far as he knew the United
Mine Workers had never taken any s,eps
TO have the laws regarding the employ
inent Of children about mines modified
He said he wi,hed that the laws coul be
changed raising the aga limit 10 IA years
insteadof IL as at present.
Mr.. Mitchell admitted that there are n
great number of boys employed about the
mines who are the support of their parents
He said that he had no knowledge hat there
are great numbcr Of boys at work whose
fathers are earning good wages. He world
not advocate dispensing with bow labor
altogether. He also said that the United
Mine Workers are not opposed to tho in
PRODUCTION of machinery at the mines.
Mr.. Wilcox then took up the Question
Of the recognition Of the union and asked
IL such recognition had ever been demanded
of the operators. Mr.. Mitchell answered
that such a demand had been made. .b,r
when the papers were produced no such
demand was found in them,
Many questions We're asked Of the witness
about the demand made by the miners
for an Increase of 20 per cent in wages
Mr.. Mitchell said that he did not think
that the miners were asking enough. bu,
he intimated that it was their belief that
they had asked for all that they had any
hope Of getting.
Mr.. Wilcox concluded his examination
by asking questions regarding the unions
attitude toward one miner having two or
three laborers and mining more than
one chamber or breast. Mr.. Mitchell
declared that the union was opposed TO
that because in order to make more money
in that way the miner would have to DEPRIVE
other m,n Of work, Judge Gray manifested
considerable interest in this branch of the
inquiry and asked several questions.
Wayne MacNeagh then took up the cross
examination Of the witness. previous TO
which he made little speech Ii was 10
the effect that he did not want Mr.. Mitchell
to think that either ha or the Pennsylyanin
Coal Company. which he represented had
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