The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-18
MITCHELL TALKS TO
COMMISSION FOR
LAST Time
Says Miners Are Not Given
Cars Enough to Move Coal
and That 5000 More Men
Are Ready to Work but
Not Given a Chance.

FreSAQent John MITCHELL, of the Mine
Workers union, delivered today what
he believed was his farewell address to
the coal strike commission The Scran-
ton Coal company closed it's case and
was followed by the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna & Western Railway company. 1t
was while the latter company was ex-
amining witnesses that the hour for
adjournment for the week arrived, and
Mitchell arose and asked to be permit
ted to make a few remarks.
All the attorneys representing the
different interests before the commits
sion, crowded around Mitchell as he
prefaced his remarks by saying that it
would likely be the last session of the
investigation he would be able to at
tend. He explained why he was called
West, and said:
"I wish to take this occasion to ex-
press my satisfaction and that of the
miners whom I represent, for the man
ner in which the investigation is being
conducted. feel confident that by the
thoroughness of the inquiry it will re-
suit in much good.
There has been a large part of the
time Of the commission taken up by
the presentation of the evidence to
show lawlessness in the coal fields, or
that lawlessness existed to a large ex-
tent during the latter part of the strike.
A Certain "Scab."
Personally, I bear no i'll will to
those who came here, and in stating
what am saying, l am trying to sep
arate myself as far as possible from
the special interests represent. The
r1n
the fellow who was called a 'scab,'
was brought here for the same pur-
pose he was put in the mines. He was
put in the mines for the purpose of
destroying the efforts of the men who
went on the strike. He was brought
here under the pretext of getting an
advance in wages. He was decoyed by
a promise made before the commission
that an effort would be made by those
who had his case in charge to secure
for him an increase of wages. He
came here paid by the companies, hotel
bills paid by them,- and cur men. who
went to see them, say money was fur
nished to them to enjoy themselves
while they were here.
He came here and in not one single
instance did those who represent. him
attempt to show that-he was entitled to
an increase in his earnings. The nom
union man was used, betrayed, by those
who proposed to take care of his in
terests before the commission.
American First of All.
II want to say, too. as to the matter
of lawlessness, before being president
of a union, before being a member of
union, / am an American, over and
above everything else. I believe that
every man should first be an American.
There is no man connected with the Or
ganization; there is no man associated
with this investigation, who would con-
denim lawlessness more strongly than 1
would. If 1 did not do it because was
opposed to lawlessness would do it
because it initiates against the sue
cess of a strike and against the success
and advancement of the organization.
4 do not believe lawIessness ever
won strike; do not believe lawless-
ness to a very large degree, deters men
from working. 1 believe lawlessness
under all circumstances will initiate
against men who go on strike, as I
have said many times. l have an
abiding faith in the American people.
1 believe that when they understand
a cause to be right they wilI support
it, and without the support of the peo-
pie no great movement can succeed.
That is true of a strike. If the people
of the country are NOT In sympathy
with it it must fail, and l am sure the
sympathy of the people will never be
with those who violate the law.
Not Cars Enough.
There is one other question that 1
feel it is my duty to speak of. AS the
commission is no doubt aware, several
days ago addressed a communication
to all the anthracite miners urging
them to cooperate with the manage
ment of the mines in increasing the
output for the purpose of relieving
this terrible suffering due to the coal
famine. Since my communication was
received by them I have heard from
large number Of our local unions and
in nearly every instance the miners
tell me that the production of coal
cannot be increased through any effort
OF theirs; that in most cases the COM
panles are. falling to furnish them as
many cars as they would load = In
other words, the regular turn of cars
will not amount to as much as the
men are accustomed and willing to
load, so that they cannot increase the
output Of the mines. There may be in
some cases, they say, that they could
and have agreed to do So"
Maj. Everett Warren, of Scranton,
who represents several coal companies
before the commission, interrupted Mr..
Mitchell and requested him to bring
proof for warranttng the assertions
just made. The companies, he said,
had information to the contrary and
they would show that the men do not
and are not willing to load as many
cars as they can be furnished with.
In reply to this, Mr.. Mitchell said:
Il am not attempting, of course, to
testify as a witness in the matter.
am giving the sources of my inrorma-
ton in each case. do not say this
for the purpose of placing the respon-
sibility on anybody else, The fact OF
the matter is, my information would
indicate that 1t is impossible to move
more coal. The miners tell me the
tracks are congested with loaded cars
of coal at the mines.
Not Giving Men Work.
I'VE have 5000 men who were on
strike that have SO far been refused
the right to work. They are ready to
mine coal. There is a shortage of coal
IN the country, and believe that both
the miners and the operators are doing
Wnat they can to get it out OF the
mines, but they can at least in
crease 1t to the extent OF putting our