Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-15
COAL BARONS GIVE REASONS
Tell Strike Arbitrator Why Union is Not
Recognised.
LIMITs EFEIcIENcY OF WORKING MINER
Erie Superintendent aud minor on
ciaIs Claim MitcheIrs Organization
Restricts output and De-
strOys Discipline.

commission proceedings consisted mainly
IN an endeavor by the Erie company TO
show cause why the miners union should
not be recognized.
Superintendent May of the Hillside Coal
and Iron company, and the Pennsylvania
Coal company. gave evidence tending to
show that since the advent of the union
the workmen were less efficient and that
a lack Of discipline. limiting the earning
capacity Of the employees, had resulted.
On cross-examlnation he admitted that
where the company and the men disagreed
some good might result by calling in a
third party.
Now Does Much Harm.
Bishop spalding asked IL the men did not
feel timid about making complaints and
witness replied that some possibly were.
The instructions to the bosses, he said,
were that foremen must listen to the men
and that complaints would not count
against them.
His company, 20 said, had no blacklist
and he never heard OF one being in exist
ence in the coal regions.
There was no objection to the men in it's
employ organizing for the purpose Of max
ing complaints, but It did object to the
union as now organized, because It brought
between the men and the company, whose
relations should be cordial, persons who
were not interested in the company and
only indirectly with the men.
The entrance Of the union into the mines
had the effect OF making the work.
men less efficient, caused a lack Of disci-
pline, interfored with authority, caused
tyranny to prevail against other workmen
and limited the earning capacity of the
employees. .J.
Captain May produced a notice issued by
the union miners which stated that any man
placing more than twelve inches of topping
on the mine cars would be fined IS by the
union for the first offense and $40 for the
second offense.
Between the strike of 1900 and the late
strike there was an average of one petty
strike a month in his collieries.
Reverting to the discipline Of the men,
he said a miner fatty refused to obey
the orders OF a foreman and that the latter
did not dismiss himhbeeause he was afraid
the union would tie up the e%olliery by
strikes for his reinstatement.
Mr.. Clark wanted to know IL
the action of the foreman in not Diminishing
the offender did not affect the discipline Of
the men and the witness said II undoubtedly
did.
Superintendent May was emphatic in say
Ing that the employment Of coal and iron
police was most essential in time Of strikes.
The sheriff was unreliable and from his
experience he found that deputy sheriffs,
as a rule, sympathized with the strikers.
The coal and iron policemen in the COM
pany's employ were Of good character.
DOcked to Enforce Discipline.
Wayne MaoVeagh questioned regarding
the weighing of coal and the docking sys-
tenn, and Captain May said the men were
docked for the purpose of discipline and the
company did not seek any advantage
through the docking boss. ~
At the time he did not think the 10 per
cent advance given the men two years ago
was deserved but had since changed his
mind He did not think the present ad-
vance asked for was necessary and gave a
noncommittal answer when asked II he
might change his mind two years hence.
In answer to a question put by Mr.. OAR
row, he said he knew John Mitchell per-
sonally, but would object to meeting him as
the representative Of the men in the en-
ploy Of the Erie company. because it would
bring IN an outsider who had no connection
with the business.
1t was suggested that one Of his own men
6ANN W CANAAhb NOa " "
the interests of the company's 1900 men,
and was asked II he would meet him for
the purpose Of settling dificulties, but de.
clined to answer.
Mr.. May admitted that some Of the fore
men were overbehring and concluded his
testimony by stating that he thought $500
a year was a fair American living wage,
and hat he would like, to see all his men
earning at least tina much.
The first witness at the afternoon session
was Alexander Dryden Of Dunmore, a min
ing engineer who was for many years a
mine superintendent. he gave expert tes-
timony on the many improvements made
In the company's mines in the last two
years and gave a history Of the fixing Of
the so-called miners ton.
He declared that the Pennsylvania Coal
company gave all its miners an opportunity
to earn $3.50 a day.
Samuel ]. Jennings Of Forest City, a gen.
eral foreman Of the company, said he was
able to earn IS a day as a miner. but on
cross-examination admitted that he only
did earn $50 or $50 a month when employed
as a contract miner, but explained that he
was not working full time.
Patrick Mitchell OF Pittston and George
Maxey OF Forest City, both miners, claimed
that the union was directly responsible for
restricting the earning capacity of the min
ers. Mitchell said he was fined s. by the
union because he worked on the night OF
the day the breaker did not run. He did not
pay and was now out Of the union. The
only explanation he could give was that the
union wanted all the men to have an equal
distribution Of cars. Before the 1900 strike
more cars were loaded each day than now.
He threatened to dismiss his laboTer II he
did not load more cars, and the latter re-
piled that II he did he could not get an
other to MI his place. The laborer was
not discharged.
Witness further alleged that even though
he and the laborer were ready to fill more
cars the drivers and runners, who belonged
to the union, would not deliver them.
Maxey's experience was that a young,
strong man was not permitted to send OUT
more coal than an older or weaker man. II
he did get ten or fifteen cars ahead he had
to stop until the other man caught up. The
president Of a local union to whom he COM
planned said IT was done SO that all would
get an equal amount OF work.
Restrain Child Labor.
Lawyers for the anthracite coal operators
and the mine workers i1 attendance on the
strike commission have drafted a bill linn
iting the age OF children working in OF
about coal mines and In mills and factories.
The bill raises the ages Of boys permit
ted to work in the mines from IA to l6