The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-13
COURTROOM
CROWDED
President Baer Argued for
Operators Before CommIs'n
HE WAS VERY SARCASTIC
Declared Miners Wero SO Wall Paid
That Labor Flo cked to the Region.
Clarence barrow Began Argu.
mont for the Miners,
my As,na,atpd rra.r.>

tby9 Assooiatsd rrass.>
PHILADELPHIA February 12.--Botors
an audience that fllled evory ,noh OF
space In tho Unitod statos Circuit Court
ROOM President George +. Daer. Of tne
Reading Company mode his closing ar
sument for tho coal operators before the
strike committee to-day. and Clarenoe 8,
Dartow. ohief counsel for tho minors.
began tho summing up for tho men,
The greatest interest was manifosted
in Mr.. Baer's appoa rance before tho COM
owners. There were many prominent
persons present to hear him, among then,
being President Truesdalo. OF tho Deln.
ware, Lackawanna and Western Rail.
road; Archbishop Ryan. JudEes OF Fod-
eral and local courts, state Senator's,
and many mining officials from the coal
regions.
Mr.. Baer concluded his address by MAX
Ing proposition to pay the contract
wages to fall or rise with tho market
prloe Of coal at New York. but that In no
case shall the wages fall below tho pres
emit basis. Tho spokesman for tho coal
companies took up two hours and twenty
minutes In delivering his address. and
when he sat down he was congratulated
by hundreds OF persons.
Mr.. Darrow spoke at the afternoon ses-
sion for two hours and half and will
take up all Of tomorrow In closing the
miners case, The crowd that heard him
was equally as large as that which list
ened to Mr.. Baer, and he too was sur
rounded by an aAmiring. throng when he
temporarily suspended his speech at adj
journment time, HI, remarks to-day
were directed principally at the wage
statements prevented TO the commission.
which he said could not be relied upon.
HUSH FELL.
The instant President Baer rose hush
fell over the assenblage which lasted
as long as no was on his feet. Mr.. Baer
Is considered good speaker. but he pre-
ferred to read his carefully prepared Var
gument. Here and there he would lay
down his manuscript and raise his voice
to q high pitch when he wished to ON
phasize point.
MANY good men have found fault with
us for not making an agr cement with tho
United Mine Workers Of America You
will recall that tho demand made upon
us was for q uniform scale Of wages,
covering the whole anthracite field.
I'VE have made every effort to convince
Mr.. Mitchell and his friends Of the ut.
ter impracticabitty of his scheme
I'm addition to the fact that tho
miners. union was controlled by a. hos
tile interest. swes objected to 1t because
we cannot delegate to tho miners union
or any other labor union tho right to
determine who shall be our employees.
We have the right to employ any honest
man without discrimination as to re-
lyion, nationality or mem bership In la
to- To- ptnht 1rn~
will not surrender. We do not object
to our employees Joining labor organiza-
lions. This Is their privilege, But we
will not agree to turn over the manage
ment Of our business to a labor organiza-
ton because some OF our employees be-
| long to it.
"rhe record shows that an honest ef-
| fort was made to convince the United
| Mine Workers that their demands were
| unjust.
After reviewing the old sliding scale"
wage system. Mr.. Baer presented this
! propositions:
"That the rate of wages now paid shall
be the minimum basis for the next three
years; that from the LIST Of November.
1902, to tho LIST Of April. 1908 all ems
| ployes. other than contract miners, shall
be paid an additional five per cent; that
| on and after April /, 1908. for each Ave
cents In excess of $3.50 per ton on the
| average price realized for white ash coal
In the harbor of New York. on all sizes
| and above pea, wages shall be advanced
ono per cent, the wages to rise or. fall
one per cent. for each five cents Increase
or decrease In prices; but they shall
| never fall during tho next three years
below the present basis
THE average price for each region to
BIO ascertained by q competent account
| ant, ca CHI operator to submit full state
ment each month to said accountant OF
all sales Of white ash coal, and the
prices realized therefrom, I. o. b. New
York"
GREW SARCASTIC.
President Baer grew sarcastic as he
told In detail OF the nego tiations before
the Civic Federation, The operators
pocketed their pride, he said, and met In
church building. where were present
some distinguished men. some were
bishops and some dresseo like bishops"
He pictured the members OF the Fedora
| ton sitting around putting good cigars
and not saying word. while he and
Mr. Mitchell tried to get together. Speak
Ing slowly and deliberately. he arragned
the Federation for not giving the oper.
ators' and the miners REPRESENTATIVES.
the 'small courtesy" Of hearing the re-
port of the committee appointed by
''manly courage to further help tho
| parties In contest.
In the same sarcastic vein be paid his
respects to Henry Demarest Lloyd, OF
Chicago, who delivered an argument be-
fore tho commission IN favor OF trade
WILL REoRGAN1zE 1T,
Mr.. barrow, IN opening. made COM
plimentary reference to the patience OF
the commission. reviewed the strike and
all the sufferings 1t entailed. ana said
II shall apologize for none OF the mis-
takes OF the men. but ! do say It does
not come we'll from their accusers tc
call them criminals,
EIe went on to tell Of the operators re,
fusal to give the men more money, ant
said:
''As consequence OF this act. 147oo
men lay down their tools OF trade. ant
we have seen 100000 men, women and
children reduced to want and starvation
for six long months. We have seen the
President Of the United States appoint
this commission to settle this difficulty
and then, this afternoon, In the last hAul