The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-01-17
MITCHELL OBJECTS.
Matters a Protest ARainst the Miners'
Union Being Unjustly
ScoreA.

| l-nllduelpnId, Jun. Inc pIluCipAi
feature of the proceeding before the
coal strike commission Thursday
was the exception taken by President
Mitchell to q remark made by Chair
man Gray that he would like to see
the miners union come up out of the
mire that is around the baser part
into the sunlight. The miners
president said that the union should
not be indicted unless connection
should be shown between it and acts
| of lawlessness. The head of the COM
mission replied that he did not wish
to indct the organization, but hoped
it would disentangle itself entirely
from the violence and lawlessness
committed during the strike.
| The Mitchell incident was brought
about by Commissioner Parker. An
thony Ferguson, of Mahapoy City,
outside foreman at the North Maha-
noy colliery of the Philadelphia &c
Reading Coal and Iron company, tes-
tilted that he was beaten while on his
1 way to the works; he recognized two
of his assailants as union men, and
that they were prosecuted and con-
victed. Mr.. Parker asked the wit
ness il the men were expelled from
the union for what they had done,
but the foreman did not know. Mr..
Mitchell had stated on the witness
stand that ~ members OF theAunion
found guilty OF crime are expelled
from the union. Noting the interest
the commission took in Mr.. Parker's
question, the lawyers for the non
union men called on Terrence Ginley,
a member of the executive board of
the union in the district where the
assault was committed, for the infor-
nation desired. Ginley said he did
not know whether the local union to
which the men belonged took any ac-
ton.
Chairman Gray then asked: ado
you wait for conviction by the civil
authorities before disciplining your
men? Do you think you can have eff
feetive discipline unless you make in
vestigations yourself and bring the
men up and punish them in some
way? ! ask you as member of the
order, as a man who would be glad
| w oNC youi Nohit up oub vi thc
mire and the clouds that are around
the baser parts of II, into the sun
light and into the air of free govern
nent and free country"
IF it is proven that our men have
committed acts of violence there is
no question about our disciplining
them" replied the witnesses.
Mr.. Mitchell Protests.
There was a further discussion on
this subject, and then Mr.. Mitchell
arose and said to Chairman Gray:
81 do not know whether / quite I'M
derstood you in expressing yourself
to the witness as to your solicitude
for the organization, that it should
rise above the mire, or that part Of
it should rise above the mire."
Chairman Gray-"Perhaps may
have been misunderstood. 1t was not
an unfriendly wish that was ex-
pressed. l said hoped 1T would lift
itself out OF the mire and of the con.
ditions created by these things which
have been testified to, around it's
baser parts"
Mr.. Mitchell in reply said that
while the commission is going to de-
termine all the questions that are
being presented, there is greater
jury passing upon the attitude of
the strikers. "As to the action of
our organization and the position of
the coal operators" he said, "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
iadirectly against the United Mine
Workers. 1t does seem to me that
until 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
ization. 81 did hope" continued the
commissioner, shat it would Olsen
tagle itself entirely from these scenes
Of violence and lawlessness with
which the strike was attended. They
may have been exaggerated, as you
contend. ! am not passing upon that
now. We have heard isolated in
stances of outrage which we must all
admit. We are not saying that the
organization is responsible for e,ery
act of violence, and we only wanted
TO see whether the organization has
interested itself in maintaining the
order which you have advised, and
whether it has disciplined those who
actually were convicted of disorder"
Mr.. Mitchell said he did not know
that any member of the order had
been expelled, and added that until
men are convicted Of violation of law
the organization had no right to ex-
pei them and thus prejudice their
case before the trial court. Chair
man Gray said that Mr.. MitchelPs
point was we'll taken; as far as con-
Germs those under Indictment, but
what he wanted to know was wheth.
W any of those men were called upon
which had been VIGOROUSLY engaged
in illegal acts and whether they were
subjected to discipline by the organi-
zation. This ended the incident.
Keats with the President.
Washington, JAN. 0.-Senator Nc