The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-09
UP OUT OF THE MIRE
CHAIRMAN GRAY WOULD LIKE TO
SEE THE UNION BROUGHT.
MITCHELL WAS INDIGNANT.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNION An
sWERED THE CHAIRMAN.

roIIoquy Between Gray and Mitchell
Afforded an Interesting Break in
the stories of Persecutions-Chair-
man Made His Statement After
Dealt with Its Members Guilty of
LnwIess Acts-Then Explained to
Mitchell.
New York, Jan. S-The principal
feature of the proceedings before the
Goal Strike Commission to-day was
+he exception taken by President
Mitchell to a remark made by Chair
man Gray that he would like to see
the miners union brought up out of
the mire, that is around the baser
narts of it, into the sunlight"
Mr.. Mitchell said the union should
not be indicted unless connection
rould be shown between it and acts of
iawlessness.
Chairman Gray replied that he did
not wish to indict the organization,
Int hoped it would disentangle itself
entirely from the violence and lawless-
ness committed during the stsike.
The incident came suddenly while a
witness was on the stand, and caused
quite a stir among the lawyers on both
sides of the controversy.
outside of this the entire day was
taken up in hearing the stories of nom
union men or their relatives on alleged
prosecutions during the period of the
strike
The Mitchell incident was brought
about by Commissioner Parker. An
thony Ferguson, outside foreman at
the North Mahanoy colliery OF the
philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company, testified that he was
beaten while on his way to work; that
he recognized two of his assailants as
union men. and that they were prose-
cuted and convicted Mr.. Parker ask
ed the witness if the men were expell-
ed from the union for what they had
done, but the foreman did not know.
Noting the interest the commission took
in Mr.. Parker's question, the lawyers
for the non-uniOn men called on Ter
renee Ginley, a member of the execu-
tive board of the union in the district
where the assault was committed, for
the information desired. Ginley said
he did not know whether the local I'M
ion to which the men belonged took any
action.
Chairman Gray then asked:
DO you wait for conviction by the
civil authorities before disciplining
your men? Do you think you can have
effective discipline unless you make
Investigations yourself and bring the
men up and punish them in some way?
l ask you as a member of the order
and as a man who would be glad to
see your order come up out of the
mire and clouds that are around the
baSer parts of it, into the sunlight and
into the aid of free government and
a free country"
IF it is provens that our men have
committed acts of violence, there is no
question about our disciplining Them"
replied the witness.
There was a further discussion on
this subject, and then Mr.. Mitchell
arose and asked Chairman Gray about
his remark to the witness.
Chairman Gray-"Perhaps 1 may
have been misunderstood. 1t was not
an unfriendly wish that was expressed.
said l hoped it would lift itself out
OF the mtre ana of the conditions Gre
ated by these things which have been
testified to, around it's baser parts
AS to the action of our organiza-
ton and the position of the coal oper-
dlOTs' fepHeu MI Mitchell, there is
no doubt in my mind that many of
the witnesses are brought here, and do
not come as witnesses ordinarily do,
TO testify against the strikers and in
directly against the United Mine
Workers. It does seem to me that ui-
I'll there is some connection shown
between the United Mine Workers of
America and acts of lawlessness. the
organization should not be placed I'M
der any indictment at ALL
Chairman Gray said that he did not
wish Mr.. Mitchell to understand that
anything he said indicted the organ
izaton.
Mr.. Mitchell said he did not know
that any member of the union had
been expelled, and added that until
men are convicted of violation of law,
the organization had no right to expel
them and thus prejudice their case be-
lore the trial court.
chairman Gray said that Mr.. Mitch
ellis point was well taken as far as
concerns those under indictment, but
what he wanted to know was whether
any of those men were ever called up
VINO had been VIGOROUSLY engaged in
Illegal acts and whether they were
subjected to discipline by the organi-
cation.
This ended the incident.