Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-13
Darrow Predicts Destruction
Of Coal Trust.
RELIEF FROM TYRANNY
PEOPLE WILL TAKE CHARGE OF
RICHES UNDER GROUND.
Miners Counsel Declares Union Ex-
hausted Every Effort to Avert
Civil Strife.

PHILADELPHIA, February 13-A crowd
almost as large as that which heard Pres.-
dent Baer and c. S. Darrow yesterday, was
present today when the latter. chief counsel
for the miners. resumed his Closing argu-
ment before the coal strike commission.
Mr.. Darrow wasted no time In prelimi-
naries. He first discussed the cause Of the
strike. The responsibility for the coal
famine, he said, rested with those who were
responsible for the strike.
If the men struck without Just reason.
then they were responsible; but II the mem
were right and the operators not broad
minded enough to see the business Of their
claims. then the latter were responsible for
the trouble.
He believed the strike was due to the
blind, autocratic, stupid spirit OF the op-
orators. They believed the issue was: Who
should be the master-the operators or the
men?' l say neither should be the master
of the other"
Baer's Proposition Not Fair.
Mr.. Darrow proceeded to verify his asser-
ton and quoted from the testimony OF the
late Aro Pardee, coal operator. before a
congressional investigation twenty years
ago, showing the alleged blind spirit OF
the operators score Of years back. when
they refused to treat with the organization
CT the men.
The same spirit he said. exists today. He
briefly referred to the spirit shown by John
Markle in evlctinS thirteen persons for al
legged criminal acts, and then took up Mr..
Baer's sliding-scale proposition made yes
terday.
He said if Mr.. Baer believed he made a ;
nice, fair proposition he proposed to show
that it was not. With the assistance of the
miners expert statistician Mr.. Darrow said
the per cent raise on cents suggested by
,,,-1 xI1 lyH
crease Of 3La per cent in profits and the
miners only IA per cent on the $3.50 basis.
Mr.. Darrows remarks on the proposition
plainly indicated that the miners fatty re-
jected the proposition.
Bosses "Petty Feudal Tyrants."
Reverting to the cause Of the strike, Mr..
Darrow quoted from the replies OF the !
operators last spring, when they refused
to treat with the organization.
He said labor leaders hesitate to call a
strike because they know It means dig
tress and suffering. He wanted the cap !
/ tains Of Industry to know that It was bet
ter for the men to treat with them than
to have the men go to the petty feudal
tyrants" who are under them in authority
for the purpose of getting just treatment.
It would be better for the industry and
the country to have the heads Of the coal
companies and the representatives Of the
men meet face to face, rather than have
boss. If the boss does not like what the
miner says he throws the latter out.
Tried to Prevent Civil Strife.
Counsel followed this by reading the COM
munications from Mr.. Mitchell beftre tho
strike asking for arbitration. Arbitration,
Mr.. Darrow said, Is the only means by
which industrial peace can be maintained.
Every appeal and every prayer of the men.
he said, was contemptuously rejected by
the operators
"No human being could have done more
than the organization of the miners" he
said ito prevent the civil strife that was
thrust upon the people of the country.
They spurned all our requests with con-
tempt .,
post notices on our works which shall be
your contract for the coming year, they
said. They forced the strike that they
might demonstrate to the men and to the
generations to come that the owners Of
capital the masters Of the workmen.
They tried to crush the union, which
was the first ray of hope and inspiration
that has entered their dark lives. But at
this late day, after months of strife on the
part of the men to meet their masters the
operators come in with proposition"
A Reckoning is Coming.
Mr.. Baer, Mr.. Darrow continued, feared
his own combination more than he feared
the miners union, because Mr.. Baer's COM
poor.
'-l'he people do not believe in such an alb
solute ownership of the riches of the earth
as that which the anthracite coal combi-
nation possesses.
1.-The time will come when the operators,
combination will be destroyed, not by the
miners union, but by the people, who Will
take possession of the riches under the
ground and relieve themselves Of the tyr
amy Of these men,"
So long as the laws of the country do not
prevent industrial wars, he said and so
long as the masters of capital want to
fight SO long will the workingmen of the
country fight.