The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-17
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE MONDAY. NOVEMBER II 1902

the precticabllity OF It; in fact. I sup
, pose 1t would be impractcable. y. Yo
suppose It would be impractical bic?
otherwise, II would have been don
some time ago. q. That ls YOU only rea
son for your answer, is It? a. Well,
do not know anything about II.
The Right to Hire.
Reading from the working agreemen
between the Illinois Coal Opera tors as
sociation and the United Mine Work
ers, Mr.. Wilcox sought to show tina
the right Of the employer to hire an,
discharge was surrounded with sucl
limitations imposed by the union tina
the right vas practically nullified.
After referring to Mr.. Mitchelrs dec
laratlon that the bituminous operators
generally were well satisfied with thei
contract arrangements with the United
Mine Workers, Mr.. Wilcox read from
an interview with the Illinois Goa
Operators commissioner. Herman Justi
III which he declared the commission
had refused to accede to the request o
the mine workers to give testimony by
means OF written answers to question.
propounded by the union regarding
their views Of the mine workers unior
In that state. Mr.. Wilcox also an.
nounced that members of the Illinoi.
association would be here to testify tc
the contrary from that which the union
would have them state.
BY Mr.. Wilcox.
| q. You have testified In regard to the
| number of accidents occurring In the
| mine. DO you know what proportion OF
| those accidents has been due TO negligence
| ,lt tb.. nrt Of tI,n
suffering them? A. do not know that
| any OF them were. q. DO you not know
| that the mine inspectors reports specify
q great many Of them as having been
| caused by negligence of the parties who
| suffered the accidents" A. / do not know
that that is true: / have not been able
| to see that in the inspectors reports
| q. You testified that you distributed
about II million and a half dollars of re-
| lief?
| A. Yes sir
| O. DO you know that when the mines
are running the wages are OYER a million
dollars a week?
\. Well. do not know that. Possibly
q. You understand it. don't you. like a
| good many other things you have testi-
! fled to--you have heard it?
\. Yes. sir. l have heard that state
ment.
.. Can YOU give the names of any nom
! union men who were relieved? A. / cam
| not give YOU their names myself. but
presume our district officers can supply
their names.
ever called on account of refusal to
work with non-,inion men; you mean no
general strike. | suppose? a. ! do not
know of strikes being called at all by the
organization for refusal to work with
non-union men. q. But you know of
strikes having taken place On that pre-
else ground. don't you? A. have heard
that strikes have taken place of that
character. Q. DO YOU know OF the strike
at the Maltby mines? A. Yes, sir. [ have
heard of It, q. Was not that for that
rea son? A. That among other reasons,
l understand q. And that lasted twelve
months? A. Yes, sir
Wouldn't Express Opinion.
In response to a question as to his
position regarding members of labor
unions being members of the National
guard, Mr.. Mitchell declined to say
whether or not he sympathiZed with
various resolutions that We're passed by
labor unions calling on union men to
refrain from Joining the guard, saying
he would not want to criticize resolu-
tions without knowing their exact LAM
said. he believed members of labor
unions should exercise the same rights
and privileges as every one else in that
respect.
With this, Mr.. Wilcox concluded his
examination, and the witness was
turned over to Hon. Wayne MacVeagh,
Of counsel for the Pennsylvania Coal
company and the Hillside Coal and
ination proceeded, t. b. Thomas. chair
man of the Erie board of directors, and
w. A. May, general manager of the
Fries coal department, sat near at
hand. j. c. Browneli. OF New York,
and Major Everett Warren, of Scran-
ton. who are also counsel for the Penn
sylvania and Hillside companies. fire.
quently suggested questions that Mr..
The cross-examination continued dur
ing the last twenty minutes of the
session and all the afternoon.
1t will be resumed this morning.
BY Mr.. MacNeagh: @. Mr.. Mitchell. I
assume you heard the statement made to
the commission that Major Warren, Mr.
Brownell and ! represent the Pennsylva-
mia Coal company and the Hillside Coal
and Iron company?
A. Yes. sir.
g. Now, it is with reference to those |
two companies that | particularly wish |
10 cross-eNamine YOU and in order that !
there shall be no misunderstanding be- |
tween you and me- | do not want YOU to |
Imagine for Il moment that | am opposed |
TO the proper organization of working |
men for the advancement of their oondi- |
tion and the protection of their interests, |
especially when employees of a consider !
ln Al ..pIN Ia. l,A
lieve in their right. but | think in very
many instances 1t is their interest: and |
do not want YOU to suppose for a
that the gentlemen whom | rep
resent think they are infallible. or thai
they have managed these two properties
in the best possible manner. They are
Iuitc aware that they MAY have been
guilty of dorelictions OF duty toward the
people in their employ, and. il so. they
believe you wish to assist the commission
n learning III" truth about those dere-
lotions, so that the commission can
each Just conclusions Now, what |
wish YOU to do Is to state in your own
way and order to the commission where
II you think the owners of the Pennsyl-
'ania, Coal company and the Hillside
'oal and Iron company have failed In
heir duties to their employees.
Not Familiar with Conditions.
\. Why, | am not familiar of course,
With the local conditions under each sep
rate company. | think that the Hillside
and the other company repre-
onted NJ owned by the Pennsylvania
'oa company have been In about the
anne position that other companies have;
hat they have failed to pay wages suIii
iently high: that they have failed To es-
a abliSh conditions of employment that ,
we're fair: that they have Il wrong sys-
EN- of measuring the earnings Of The ,
miners. and that their opposition 10 tho
reatment of the men, as organized