Milford chronicle., 1903-01-23
MITCHELL'S FAREWELL
Tells Strike Commission That 5000
Miners Are Idle.
REsTLEssAND MENACE TO PEACE

HNJSAa
Philadelphia, Jan. 19.-In making
what will probably prove to be his
final address before the anthracite
strike commission John Mitchell Sat
urday called attention to the fact that
5000 anthracite miners are still with
out employment, and that the restless
ness of these men is something of a
menace to the existing peace in the
region. The presentment of the New
/ York, Ontario and Western case was
/ concluded. Mr.. Mitchell later left for
Indianapolis to attend the annual con-
vention of the United Mine Workers.
The first witness for the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western was on the
stand when the usual hour of adjoun-
ment arrived Mr. Mitchell then indi-
Gated his desire to address the COM
mission, and Judge Gray directed him
to proceed. In a clear. penetrating
voice the miners, leader said:
This will likely be the last session
of the investigation that l shall be
able to attend. The national oonven-
ton of the United Mine Workers OF
America usually continues in session
for ten days. At the expiration OF
that time we meet incur national wage
convention with the bituminOus coal
operators to fix the annual wage scale
for the year ending May 81, 1904.
wish to take this occasion to express
my satisfaction ana that of the miners
whom l represent for the manner in
which the investigation is being con-
Quoted.
There has been a large part of
the time Of the commission taken up
by the presentation of evidence to
show Iawlessness in the coal fields, or
that Iawlessness existed to a large ex-
tent during the strike, or during the
latter part of the strike. The nom
union man who was brought here, the /
fellow who was called a scab, was
brought here for the same purpose he /
was put in the mines. He was put in .
the mines for the purpose of destroy /
ing the efforts of the men who went on .
strike. Hewas brought here under the .
pretext of getting an advance in wages. /
He was decoyed by plea made be-
fore the commission that an effort
would be made by those who had his
case in charge to secure for him an
increase in wages. He came here paid
by the companies, hotel bills paid by
them, and our men, who went around
to see them. say money was furnished
to them to enjoy theselves while they
were here. He came here, and in not
one single instance did those who rep
resent him attempt to show that he
was entitled to an increase in his earn
ings. The nOn-union man was used,
betrayed, by those who proposed to
take care of his interests before the
commission.
There is one other question that
feel it is my duty to speak Of AS the
commission are no doubt aware, sew
eral days ago 1 addressed a eommuni-
cation to all the anthracite mine work.
ers, urging them to cooperate with the
of the mines in increas-
ing the output of the mines for the
purpose of relieving this terrible suf-
fering due to the coal famine. Since
my communication was received by
them I have heard from a large NUM-
Der of our local unions, and in nearly
every instance the miners tell me that
he production of coal cannot be in
,reased through any effort of theirs:
hat in most cases the companies are
ailing to furnish them as many cars L
Is they could load. In other words, 5
he regular turn of cars would not b
mount to as much as the men are ac- c
and willing to load so that
hey cannot increase the output of the %
mines. There may be some few cases,
hey say, where they could, and have {
greed to do so.
I'VE have 5000 men who were 9
n strike and have so far been refused p
he rightfo work. They are ready to II
line coal. and if there is a shortage Al
coal in the country, and it is pos
ible to move a larger amount of il,
hey at least can increase it to the ex-
ent of putting to work our 5000 men,
HON they agreed to start to work
hen they submitted to this commits
on.
I'VE have waited patiently since the
ate of resumption for our men to be =
laced back in the mines. We believe a
ley ought to be given work. We do '
OF want to, and will not, cause trouble
the mines, but will do all we can to
revent it. But l want the commits
on to understand that the men who
ave been idle all this tnme are get
ng impatient. They are writing ev- r'
y day asking if something cannot be =
me to secure them work in the mines. c
hey are charged. of course, with being
iminals. 1t is alleged they left their "a q,
BIS, and all that. but if they are 60 re
g to have a term Of peace for some Ss Ss
ars in the anthracite field, it seems IL
me they ought to stop fighting now, h
i'd that any desire to punish men by
e companies ought to cease. We are
ianO Buyers Guide Book. u