The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-02-12
SUMMING UP FOR MINERS
George F. Baer Listens to Addresses
of Strikers Attorneys.
HAS LIVELY TILT WITH BRuMM

A Seathin9 Denuncistion Of John Mar.
kle-Demands Of Strikers Explained
at Length to Commission BY
Three Attorneys.
Philadelphia. Feb. 10.-George F.
Baer, president of the Reading Rail-
way and leader of the operators dur
ing the last strike of the anthracite
miners, attended yesterdays session
of the strike arbitration commission
ers. This was Mr.. Baer's first appear
ance before the commission. and he
attracted much attention.
He wished to hear the beginning
of the closing argument for the mi
ners in order to reply in his speech on
Thursday to any points that might
be raised. Mr.. Baer sat with folded
arms throughout the long address OF
d. ]. Mccarthy. Shortly before Mr..
Mccarthy began his speech c. S. Dar-
row, chief counsel for the miners. was
introduced to the leader Of the opera
tors by Former Senator Wolverton.
For five minutes Mr.. Baer and Mr..
Darrow kept their heads close togeth'
er and whispered, while every pair OF
eyes in the court room was turned
their way.
Mr. Mccarthy traced the history OF
unionism from the first practical mi.
ners' organization in the anthracite
region at st. Clair, in 1868, to the or
ganization of the United Mine Work
ers, in 1900, with a complete organi
zation of the entire region. Since the
advent Of the union the miners claim
that the men are now Independent.
This is absolutely true, and is as it
should be" he said
Mitchell the Miners Moses.
"Mr. Markle, in his public utter
ances, has taken great pains to hold
up Mr. Mitchell as being something
infamous, as something criminal ani
indirectly holding Mr.. Mitchell r..
sponsble for all the disorder that ex.
listed during the strike. The advent
OF Mr.. Mitchell into the anthracite coal
regions was like unto Moses unto
the people OF Israel. MitChellism
stands for humanity for justice,
for patriotism. 1t stands for al
that is good and noble in man,
whic in Markleism Ss find the anti
thesis OF Mitchellism, injustice. op-
preston, tyranny and character be
smTching.
The evictions at Jeddo are dealt
with ilippantly by Mr.. Markle In his
statement to the public. He argues
with great force that he was within
his legal rights, that it was no con-
cern of his whether those 13 helpless
families had q place Of shelter or not,
II was no concern of his whether NJ.
Coll vas dying or wheess{
and hlina mother naq a pl---
He was clearly within his legal rigb ).
therefore, none should say him =. -.
This may be true, but if ii i. t..2, it
is also true of Shylock. HuManity
shudders even at this late day at the
mention OF the name of Shylock, and
the name of Markle will be synony.
nous for generation to come. for he,
too. demanded his pound of flesh. He
could well cry out with Cain: Am !
my brothers keeper?'
ITO grant an eight-hour day would
not in any manner restrict the output
per year, nor in any manner interfere
with the public rights, as 1t would
still leave on the highest time worked
In the period of five years last men.
toned, which was in 1895, 1872 days,
u days Of unnecessary idleness.
Especially do we ask the eight.
hour day in the interest of the
little children who are employed
around the mines and breakers.
Many of these little children have to
support widowed mothers and little
orphan brothers and sisters, and with
the long hours now in vogue have no
time to acquire education of any kind.
Educate the children, and you have
better citizens and better workmen,
as education increases the efficiency
of workman.
"On the weighing Of coal we ask
that a ton. be fixed at 22i0 pounds
This we think is but just to the miner
with a minimum Of 60 cents per ton.
and differentiate as now on account OF
softness or hardness of the vein or
impurities; that docking shall be rec
ognized with the right of the miners
to employ check-docking boss. That
in all mines where coal is loaded out
as It is mined, coal shall be paid for
by the ton, and in all mines or parts
of mines where chambers are worked
as what is known in mining as full,
where manways are carried and the
coal allowed to remain in the breast
until finished, shall be paid for by the
yard.
The weighing of coal would do
away with the question of topping,
size Of car and docking for light
weight. In collieries where the coal
is now weighed there is no difficulty,
and no complaint is made, so far rs
the evidence shows, by either the mi