New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-15
MITCHELL. ON THE STAND
THE ARBITRATION COANLS-
SION BEGINS HEARINGS.
UNIONS PRESIDENT ADMITS THAT con-
STITUTION DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR
KEEPING AGREEMENTS.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrauxz.I

sion Oh the strike commission for hearing eVl-
dence clearly defined the chief objects Of the
mine workers and the operators. The recOg-
| milton of the union is the principal aim Of the
miners. while the operators are determined not
/ to recognize il. The purpose Of the crOss-exam-
nation Of Mr.. Mitchell this afternoon was to
prove the union valueless as a body for the pres
ervatiOn OF order control of It's men, ObliteratiOn
OF the boycott and avoidance of lawlessness. So
/ II will be Tomorrow. when the examination con-
i tinues.
On the other hand. Mr.. Mitchell endeavored
| to show that the union had never broken an
| agreement; that an agreement was superior in
/ force to all laws the union had now might
i pass in the future: that 1t had improved the
| condition of the workers. had increased wages
/ and reduced the hours Of employment. and that
its policy to keep contracts inviOlate. and TO
annul the charter of any local breaking
\ agreement. He denied that the union was re-
\ spOnsible for any violence. and said that union
| men had committed serious crimes. that the
union did not approve bOycOtting OF nOn-union
\ men to the extent OF preventing them getting
i the necessities of life. and that there was no
interference with non-union workers
i When the commission assembled in the Su-
periOr Court room at 10 o'clock this morning
| Judge Gray. the chairman, explained the pur-
\ pose of the commission. and said that the
| miners side would first be heard He said:
! The commission will exercise the greatest
l Hberality in the admission OF evidence. and the
| counsel must observe the limitations which they
| believe to be fair
/ Clarence Darrow conducted the case for Presi-
dent Mitchell. and David Wilcox. Of the Della
| ware and Hudson Company. represented the
| operators. Simon P. WoIverton. OF the Phila-
| delphia and Reading. arranged the prelim-
| inaries for the operators. The coal companies
| have twenty-five lawyers and the miners five.
| There were also present many officials from
each side. while back of the bar incIosure
room for about one hundred witnesses.
MIR. MITCHELLs ADDRESS.
The preliminaries were quickly arranged. and
then President Mitchell made his address open
ing the case. The backbone of it recog-
milton OF the union, and the operators were sur
prised by the manner in which he emphasized
this He said in part:
Tn TSrh 26 mns5 G 5 Ga ns5 n %Grs aSos RSSsS IS
than employment in any other important industry
injured is greater than in any other industry. Each
aS s persona Sa o their II veS and tres
times as many are MANNED, and yet these men
men performing precisely similar work IN other
fields. under more favOrable and less hazardous
Il IS certainly not unjust to ask tharehes miners
in the 5itliminous coal 1eIds IN the silver ana
| gold mines the and copper mines. all
OF which Work Is less hazardous. 1r-er from Ia,
y skill N a afds is bsTfs T Ps bs5 se n % ana
L
The eight hour day is the standard working day
l In the mining industry. Eight hours constitute a
days work in the coal mines Of Great Britain. in
bituminOus coal mines in the States of Arkansas.
Mchigan Kentckv an Tennesse and m es4 &e4
ern Pennsylvania and the Indian Territory.
MORE COAL IN EIGHT HOURS THAN IN TEN.
The, reports OF the United States Geological Sur
| vey demonstrate that more coal has been pro-
duced annually since the Inauguration OF the eight
miner Produced more coal per Working day in
eight hours than he formerly produced In ten
| suits would obtained in the anthracite field.
from % to per cent higher wages for eight hours
work Than are paid in the anthracite mines for
The miner should be paid for every pound Of
24O pounds constitute ton when coal is sold to
5 cSSusT S Tn Sn whe coaI i be marsr SsI
| justice can there be In denying the miner the
extrs IsasI ron Of from 40 TO 100 bounds have
system of I'd docking throGgh which they appro-
pirate additional part Of the miners earnings
| A miner is dOcked all the way from 500 to 100
pounds upon car, as penalty for loadins, inn,
PurneS; % M Tor ~n dr 1om ns m % 10 @ Sounds in Excess
,, weight In other words he is punished twice for
CONTRACTS WITH THE OPERATORS
! At the present time the United Mine Workers OF
America has contracts with the operators OF four
miners r9 Shall @ recevs per ton the amount the va
rious classes of labor shall receive per per day. t9s
work and the methods and machinery for the ad-
irfdfrn
itS the mine owners These are mutual contracts
which are advantageous to both miner and operator
or Iockonts The reports OF the United States Gov
ernment on strikes In the mining industry snow
tiy Int rne retnced each wear since the system Of
! ioint conference and mutual agreement has been
W%sre The United Mine Workers of America Is
recognized and contracted with. II assumes the
t9 sgree6,ent has proved effective In restrain
| ing wOrkmen from engaging in local or general
nitude in any of the coal mining States In which
trade agreements exist we seek 20 eStaolSn n .he ne
| same method of adjusting wage oirrerenceS IN tlS
| anthracite field.
PEACE THROUGH TRADE AGREEMENT.
| We demand recognition because we know that
1 rernanent peace and friendly relations can be best
n'iz. t0n which our people have elected Join
EIIv 90 per -Of the employees OF the anthracte
| sire 10 retain their membership in IL II was the
| I1nited Mine Workers of America that conferred
~ the submission OF the issues involved in the coal
| strike TO this commission It was the United Mine
| PRESIDENT to end the strike il the United
/ Mine Workers of America that declared the strike
| America that the men back to work and il Is
| the United Mine Workers OF America that Is
[ oS many of the local strikes against which
There have been many local strikes during the last
| year the fault of which rests upon operators and
\ miners alike Failing to secure redress ior tnelr
wrongs. the companies having refused TO treat with
their representative the miners had no snoiee Duh
\ Recognition of the union does not mean Gictatioo
Danies- In simply means that officers selected by
| the mine workers shall exercise supervision over
| the Organization or shall counsel with the mine
workers as To how their trade affairs shall be
| Quoted The miners have as much right 70 select
sPossseI m sDse 20 age their affairs as have the Stock
holders OF any one OF the anthraclte G0al com
panies 10 elect their officers to perform Ike func-