The Washington times., 1903-01-05
STRIKE uTIGANTS
ASSEMBLE FOR HEARING
Commission to Hold Session
Tomorrow.
COMMENT ON MARKLE VIEWS
Recognition of Union Becoming a Dues
ton Of Import-Commission May
Have to Rule on It.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Jan. With
the prospect OF at least a month more
OF daily hearings the anthracite strike
commission, the coal operators and
their attorneys. and the champion Of the
union miners. John Mitchell. and his
counsel, are assembling here today for
conferences, preparatory to the begin
ming OF actual work tomorrow.
There Will be no sessions of the com
mission today unless Judge Gray de-
cides to change his plans. Some of the
lawyers and oven commissioners will
not arrive at the Continental Hotel.
headquarters OF those interested in the
hearings. until late this afternoon.
Simon P. WoIverton. Of the Philadel-
phia and. Reading counsel. arrived Sat
urdsy and spent yesterday and today
going over the evidence already taken.
Comment on Markle Answer.
Chief interest this morning centered
IN the answer of George B. Markle. the
biggest Of the Independents, TO the ale
cations of the strikers. This answer is
noteworthy chiefly because II blames
the United Mine Workers for all the
trouble the company has had with it's
men Yet the mine workers themselves
expected it to be much more severe in
its. denunciation. in view of the Jesti-
mony given in Scranton
Mr.. MsrkIe answers the stories Of
evictions OF miners from their houses
by saying it was not because Of the
unienism Of the men concerned. but be-
cause of Iawless acts they had commit
ted. He gives this also as reason for
HIS refusal to take certain men into his
employ after the strike.
Mr.. Markle's statement that from 1885
until the strike Of 1900 he never had
any trouble with his men, and that the
trouble in 1900 was due to John Mitch
ellis exborting the miners to unionize
and strike. and that since 1900 there
has been discomfort is vigorously denied
by officials OF the union
Recognition of Union.
This reply Of the Markle company will
be one of the first things 10 come be-
fore the commission after it opens its
sessions in the Federal Building tomor-
row. While technically the question Of
the recognition Of the union is not be-
fore the commission, it is becoming more
and more evident because of the promi-
hence OF union officers and because OF
the large amount of time and ink de-
voted 10 the union by the operators that
the &C ; mission must in some way main
tain the United Mine Workers in the
award.
a statement, no less interesting tAaT
Msrkle's, that the coal roads will nC
longer attempt to restrain the indepen-
dents. who assert they propose to &c
what price they can for coal, is com
mented on.
A Philadelphia and Reading official i
credited with saying that. inasmuch a
the coal roads are forced to transport tn
products Of the Independents, there is t,
way TO make a uniform price for coal
In consequence. the Independents pro
pose 10 make the public pay Tor tn
strike By getting as much for coal a
they can at tidewater and let the puT
chasers dicker on carrying charges.
Inasmuch as the supply Of coal is short
this is possible. Whether the coal read.
viii meet the advance is still d ques
ton.