The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-10
OPERATORS open.
Delaware & Hudson Leads or
Before Strike Commission.
Their Attorney Makes a State
ment for the Company.
DENIES EVERYTHING.
Says Miners Haven't Established
a Single Contention.
Dates All Trouble From the
Advent of the Union.

Philadelphia. Jan. 10.-The non-union
men having closed their case, the coal
companies opened their side of the COLI
troversy today before the strike COM
mission. Chairman Gray is still con-
fined to his home in Wilmington. suf-
fering from a cold. and General Wilson
again presided.
The proceedings were opened today by
the Delaware & Hudson company,
through its counsel. James II Tclrey. OF
Scranton. In presenting tne c-ee Of The
company he represents Mr.. Torrey first
delivered an address indicating what the
company would try to prove. He spoke
in part as follows:
"A general opening Of the case on be-
half of the respondents having already
been made, I shall at this time confine
myself as far as practicable to a brief
statement OF the particular matters
which It is expected to prove especially
relating to the case of the Delaware &
Hudson company. We shall prove the
charter s powers of the company as set
forth IN its answer already filed with
the commission by which it viii appear
that this was the first company to enter
upon the business OF mining and trans
porting out of the state it's anthracite.
We shall show that for many years up
to the beginning OF the 1900 strike the
relations between the company and its
employees had been friendly and har-
monious, and that the inception OF such
degree of hostility as has since marked
those returns was cOincident with the
entry into the anthracite field of the or
ganization of the United Mine Workers.
so far as relates to the formal de-
mands pending before this commission
4 1t is only fair to this respondent to state
/ that it is in a position unusual even ia
/ debate, and practically inadmissible in
4 legal proceedings, it is compelled to
4 prove a negative After spending weeks
va ff7n
of the miners was closed without the
production of any material evidence TO
p substantiate any Of their claims
with almost infinite labor and pains
and by the aid of an army of clerks and
accountants a vast array of information
has been accumulated for the use OF the
commission, with reference to the wages
and conditions Of employment Of our
employees.
by these statements and from osnar
testimony which will be offered, it VIII
be demonstrated that there is no mefft
in the first demand for a. 20 per cent in-
crease upon the prices paid during the
year OF 1901 to employees performing
contract work 1t viii be shown that
both the rates paid and the annual
earnings upon this kind of work are
larger than are paid in the bituminous
coal fields for similar work and the
wages paid for occupations requiring
skill and training in the region. We
are satisfied the commission will find
curing so little training or skill. the
exposure to so little risk of health or
life and the occupation of so small q
portion of the working day which is. 50
literally compensated in wages as the
work of the anthracite miner. In this
connection we shall show that the en-
plOyment is not extra hazardous and
is more than ordinarily healihful We
shall show that since the last increase
of wages there has been no material
advance in the cost of living. We shall
negative the unsupported claim that the
/ miners are forced to work at an early
age by submitting a list of employees
! whose boys are working, with the au-
nual earnings Of the parents which
I averaged about S541.
ITO the second demand for an eight
hour day for company men, the evidences
which has already been outlined will tn
a large extent apply. In addition there
to, we shall submit statements which
VIII show that even during the uerio1
when coal viii be most in demand AMI
! the collieries We're operated to the limit
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