New-York tribune., 1903-01-29
NAY CALL PRESIDENTS.
Strike Commission Discusses Lamatd-
tion of anthracite Production.


Philadelphia, JAN 28-The question of re-
sponsibility for the limitation Of the hard coa'
production was again before the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission to-day 1t was brought up
by Mr.. Darrow, who asked the commission TO
summon the presidents of the coal carrying
railroads witnesses Chairman Gray sdlu
the commission would consider the request.
Mr. Darrow also announced that he had re-
ceived numerous letters from large operators
and Governors of States in the bituminous coal
region, and desired to have some representa-
tives of that district appear before the co'nlils
sion to give information concerning trade agree
ments. If this could not be DONE the union
would like to have the letters read before the
commission The chairman said the subject was
at present held under advisement by the com
mission.
In asking the commission to request the at
tendance Of the coal road presidents. MI. Oar
row said: There has been evidence offered
here on the part of the operators to show that
the miners have limited production in the las1
wear We believe the fact to be that the coal
roads have placed a limit on production 1or
years So long as they make the charge 10 this
commission for the purpose or lnnuehclhs l''
decision I want them 10 bring into court for
our examinat ton the presidents of the roads, SO
that we may find out the situation
DO YOU mean to charge. or express the be-
lief" said Chairman Gray. that there has been
a limitation by the presidents of the coal roads
other than the limitation that the demand ere
ates? Of course, there is a natural limitation
Anart from, the interests of the operators and
the miners it would be most lamentanle waste
to the country to keep on mining coai Ior WHICH,
there was no demand
Continuing, he said that the deposit OF nara
coa1 should be conserved for the benefit Of those
who come after this generation, and wastetul,
co,npetittve output was a serious thing He
did not know but that in some crude way the
consolidation of these interests had tendeo 10
a more economic management of this store
house that Providence had given US in this re-
gton"
.I do not see that anybody could intelHsenty
consider this case without considering thGt
question" Mr.. Darrow replied But THIS Is lle
aspect I say 1t is unfair to charge up 10 Iile
miners that they have been restricting the out
put, when 1t has been done by somebody eise'
For NV mart I have never believed that rea-
aonahIe limitation of work production was a
had thing All do claim is that it is unfair to
obsrea ,s with limitation of production over
o sar,es Of wears and say the miners do not earn
more money because they are lazy and nave oeen
Inviting tbe supply when. in fact, the operators
have done It
1.-The only adverse criticism 1 have SAID
Chairman Gray lis this: Take conUacI
miner He can limit his own hours OF laoor'
The question is whether the man VINO wants
to work four or five hours should put an IN
b,hftion nm the man who wants to work eight
or nine hours ~
Under our present theory regarding the rlsHIs
~ nronerty." responded Mr.. Darrow, where a
,,., hos q right TO own a coal mine he has
,or4ao+ rigbt tn work twenty-four hours a day,
With all the men he sees ft. Now, the otner
operators come in and, because they own own ran ron
reads or because they are stronger they soy
No you can only mine coal three Gays e "9en, i
ny eight hours day, or whatever 1t is IL Is
exactly parallel whether 1t Is cone Dy the
miners or by the operators. -.
Hare Mr. Dickson arose and said that as ne
understood it the position & OF m th4 fba time Of the
strike the output of coal was restricted anu
limited so that it was Impossible 10 III Ine
storage places. All the companies. ne salo' oI
1ota T2aars had been going to large expense 10
s+oro coal at the terminal points The strlke
aes foreseen and the companies tried to get the
cooI IN advance but they did not succeed
Te1-ba GREAT difficulty in the control OF the an
.,aoi+a +radc" continued Mr.. Dickson, is that
tha roarket will not take 1t regularly ana eQudlly
throughout the year. The Whole Question oH1 fS'
tbareSore that the companies feel that IN lSUI
end 1900 the men have not been willing 10 take
dI-an4aga re all the facilities offered to them
Cbairrnan GRAY expressed the opinion that
If the operators attempted to charge reslIic-
ton TO the disadvantage OF the puoHc OH tHe
nojnars the latter should be allowed to snow
49, A. was not themselves so much as the
onars tors He said also that he did NOT oelleVe
the commission had given any serious tnoushl
to the question Of restriction -,
All the witnesses called to-day were examined
h,1 counsel for the miners with view to elicit
ing information concerning the alleged reslric-
tion of coal production