The Tupelo journal., 1903-01-30
WHO rs 2
Shortage In Anthracite
Coal Supply.

of who is responsible fer the APP
parent shortage in the supply of an
thracite coal was the subject of con-
siderable debate. Thursday, by the at
torneys representing the parties be-
fore the strike commission. 1t was
testified to that the miners were not
obeying President Mitchell's request
to make extra efforts to procure
more coal to relieve the situation.
This was followed up by James H.
Torrey and Everett Warren, both of
Scranton, who represent several of
the large companies, challenging the
correctness of Mr.. Mitchell's state
ment that 5000 men are idle and are
ready to go to work.
C. S. barrow, for the miners, re-
piled that he would show that it was
the operators and not the men who
were responsible for the shortage in
the production.
IF 1 DON'T" he said. II will ask the
commission to find against u.s."
The Lehigh Valley Coal Co. closed
it's case, and the Lehigh & Wilkes
barre Co. consumed a few hours in
presenting it's evidence. This com.
pany closed shortly before adjourn
ment, and the independent operators
of the upper region then took up the
operators side of the controversy. II
is expected that these hearings will
last ten more days. The commission
informed the attorneys for both sides
that it would like for them to confine
their final arguments to abont fouI
or five days.
The independent operators of the
upper Wyoming and Lackawanna re
gions followed the Lehigh & Wilkes
barre Co. in presenting their case.
There are about thirty of these con
Germs in the upper territory repre-.
sented by the committee, and an open
ing statement on behalf of all OF
them was made by H. c. Reynolds, OF
Scranton, one of the attorneys. Among
other things he said:
"We believe an advance in wages at
this time is unwarranted, and that to
do so will at once encourage exorbi-
tant demands in other directions
which, if granted, would place a new
burden upon the shoulders of the con
sumner. We hope to prove that the
hours of labor at the mines are now
too brief, and we contend that the
compensation has been and now is
fixed by an economical law which
serves to secure to the men wages
which have been and in the future
will be favorable to their interests.
"We shall prove that by reason OF
a lack of proper restraint of the
union upon it's members, discipline
has been materially affected.
"We expect to show hat the union
has limited production in many ways.
and that in consequence of this there
has followed a decrease in wages OF
the men. That unjustifiable strikes in
considerable numbers have occurred,
thus limiting the production.
"We contend that only contracts
favorable to the men and only e
forcible against the operators are OBJ
served, and that those that are not
favorable are abrogated by Individuals
composing the United Mine Workers.
The statement alleged that ''had the
executive authorities afforded the
measure of protection they were
bound to accord all citizens, the an
thracite coal producers of Pennsyl-
vania would have furnished the usual
quota of coal and the strike would
have been a failure"
In conclusion, the statement says
the system of paying by the a has
been in practice many years; that no
inherent injustice appears in the pay
ment by the car, and we believe it in
advisable and dangerous to make a
change at this time by uniform rule.