Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-17
Attorney barrow Places Res
possibility of Strike and Coal
Famine on Operators.
COURT ROOM CROWDED
Resumes Argument For the Miners
This Morning.
SAYS NEITHER SHOULD BE MASTER
Declares That Raer's Figures Are
Wrong and Attempts to Show That
His Proposition Is unfair-Btterly
Denounces Child Labor.

Philadelphia, Feb. 13---With the de-
claration that he believed the strike
had been due to the blind, alltocratic
and stupid spirit of the operators,
Clarence barrow, the chief counsel
for the miners, resumed his argument
before the coal strike commission this
morning, before crowded court
room. Attorney Darrow contended
that the responsibility for the COAL
famine rested upon those who had3
caused the strike and this RESPONSE
bility, he declared, was upon the op--
orators. "They believed" said he,
that the issue was, who should be
master, the operators or the men, l
say that neither should be master of
the other"
barrow Replies to Baer.
In his reply to President Baer, At
torney barrow in his argument before
the coal strike commission begun yes
terday afternoon and concluded this
morning, said in part:
We have seen the President of the
United States appoint this commission to
settle this difficulty and then. this after
noon, IN the last hour of this proceeding,
the man more responsible than any. other
comes before this commission and says:
We will do exactly that which these men
demanded nine months before. Why did
not Mr.. Baer go TO John Mitchell nine
months ago as he came to this commission
today?
you can do just as you please about
recognizing the union If YOU do not rec
ognize 1t 1t is because you are blind and
you want to bump up againht it some
more. that Is all 1t is here to stay. There
Is neither the power nor the disposition in
this court, take 1t. to destroy the union
And If these agents of the Almighty can
not see the union they had better blunder
along still IL few more years and possibly
after while they will know it is here
and recognize 1t themselves"
Declares Figures Wrong.
Mr.. barrow said the operators have been
deceived by their own accountants as to
the wages paid the miners. Mr.. barrow
adds:
IF, at the end of all this time and labor,
he is willing to give us ) or 10 per cent
upon the figures that he says correctly rep
resent our earnings we will be very glad
indeed to take it, From the beginning of
this strike until the end. whatever you
may say about whether the miners knew
what they were getting or not these OPP
ure or made statement that would stand
the light of day for a single moment when
they talked to the public
Child Labor Question.
In discussing she child labor question
Mr.. barrow said:
IF the work of this commission does not
result in getting rid of this abominable
disgraceful evil of child labor in Pennsyl
.vania. then think the people may wei
say that 1t has been a failure. This Gus
tom has grown up in the state of Pennsyl
vania because there is money in ii and tho
industries of PENNSYLVANIA are dependen
upon 1t.
when these railroad presidents wer,
finally called to book before the Presdcn
of the United States one of them shet
tears because the United Mine Worker
allowed boys to join their organization, he
cause they taught these poor babes doc
trnes of anarchy and disobedience to law
This railroad president shed tears beca,s
the United Mine Workers were spelling TIL
souls of these poor children. and vet h
was willing to take the earnings of thes
poor children that he and his family nigh
be richer because of their toll. There l
not one of these children SO Ignorant. no
one of them so lost to natural instinct
that he does not know who loves him
There is not one that would not run frol
q railroad president to the open arms o
John Mitchell; and they are right.
have no doubt he loves children. Neithe
have i any doubt that the wolf loves nut
ton. These men make living out q
these children, and II they can do nothin
else in this region this infamy should enc
These little children get $165 year
Refuses Sliding Scale.
Mr.. Darrow took up Baers sliding seal
proposition made yesterday and said tina
If Baer believed he made n nice, fair prof.
osition he proposed to show that 1t wa
not He said that the one point raise
on 5 cents suggested by Baer would civ
profits and the miners only tx per cent O
$4.05 basis. Darrows remarks on I'll
proposition plainly indicated that the mil
ers fatty reject the proposition.
Arbitration for Peace.
"Arbitration,'' barrow said. lis the on
means by which industrial peace can !
maintained. Every appeal and every pra
er of the men, he said, was contempt
ously rejected by the operators. No h
man being could have done more than II
organization of miners to prevent ii
civil strife that was thrust upon The pc
Pile of the country I'VE will not tre
with you. but viii post notices ON 81
works which shall be Your contract f
forced the strike that they might demo
strate to the men and TO the generation
to come that the owners of capital are n
masters Of the workmen, They tried
crush the union, which was the first L,
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