The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-15
Closes for the Miners in a
fervid Address.
THE OPEN SESSIONS END
The Secret Sessions viii Begin in Washington
Next Thursday-s=A Decision is tx
pected by The End Of The
Month.
(By the Associated Press.D

Philadelphia, Feb. 13.-The anthracite
Coal Strike Commission, after being in
session for more than three months
closed its open hearings today with an
all-day argument by Clarence S. Darrow
In behalf of the miners.
The commission will meet in secret in
Washington next Thursday and begin the
consideration of it's awards. 1t is eX-
arbitrator will be ready to make their
announcement. If an increase in wages
is determined upon the increase is to
date from the first of last November, the
commission having decided upon that date
on October 81.
After the session today the commits
sion held a short conference with the
lawyers for the several sides, and asked
them to hold themselves in readiness
il case they are called upon by the com
mission.
The crowd that heard Mr.. Darrow
speak today was fully as great as that
which listened to Mr. Baer and Mr.. Oar
row Yesterday. He took up the entlr"
time of both sessions-fve and one-half
hours. He touched upon almost every
pbase of the strike and when he closed
he was greeted with long applause, when
Chairman Gray did not suppress
President Mitchell was in court all day
but did not have anything TO say TO the
commission in parting.
Mr.. barrow first discussed the cause OF
the strike. The responsibility for the
coal famine. he said rested with those
who we're responsible for the strike. II
the men struck without just reason then
thew were responsible. but If the men
were right and the operators not broad
minded enough 70 see the business OF
their claims then the latter were re-
sponsible for the trouble. He believed
the strike was due to the blind, auto
cratic. stupid spirit of the operators
They believed the issue was who should
be the master-the operator or the men.
say neither should be the master OF
the other
Taking up Mr.. Baers sliding scale
proposition made yesterday, Mr.. Darrow
said that if Mr. Baer believed he made
a nice. fair proposition. he proposed to
show that it was not. With the assist
Mr.. barrow said the one per cent raise
on five cents suggested by MI Baer
would give the operators an increase Of
sB per cent in profits and the miners
only ~ per cent on the $3.50 basis. Mr.
Darrow's remarks on the proposition
plainly indicated that the miners fatty
rejected the proposition.
Mr.. barrow said the fact that the OPP
h.. pio1in q
threats and assassins," was enough to
exasperate them, and Chairman Gray
interrupted to say that "the commission
does not believe the mine workers are
criminals cut threats and assassins.
Mr.. barrow then took up the thirteen
victions on the Markles' property, and
with language that was extremely strong,
he pictured the eviction of a sick wife
and of a blind woman 100 years of age.
you may roll together all the cruelty
and violence committed in the anthracite
region" he exclaimed, land you cannot
equal the fiendish cruelty of John Markle,
when he turned these helpless people
into the streets simply to satisfy his
hellish hate"
Brigadier General Goblin, who COM
manded one brigade of the State troops
in the field during the strike. came IN
for severe criticism from the miners
counsel He read various reports made
to General Goblin by his regimental COM
manders, and severely condemned the
generals now famous shoot to kill
order
Turning to the boycott. Mr.. Darrow
said there was one illustrious example,
at least in the United States of the
boycott, and that was in the American
Revolution.
Regarding the demand for eight hours
a day Mr.. barrow said;
"This is not a demand to shirk work,
as is often claimed to be the case. 1t Is
a demand for the right of the individual
, to have a better life, fuller life, com
pleter life; and this, like everything else,
depends upon your point of view. There
is only one standpoint from which you
have the right to approach this question.
and that is what will make the best men
and the best American citizen to build
up a nation and there will be no more
strikes and no more violence"