The Washington times., 1907-09-01
Republican PreSiden-
tial Ticket in Dan
ger in 1900.
Federal Suit Called I'M
pertinent and Scan
dalOuS.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 81
The Reading Company, the Phila-
delphia and Reading Railroad Com
pany, and the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron Company
today filed a most remarkable set of
answers to the suit of the United
States Government to break up the
Anthracite Coal trust.
The answers of the three con-
Germs, of which George F. Baer IS
president, characterize the Govern
ments charges as impairment and
scandalous," and declare that the de-
Pendants were coerced by the late
Senator Marcus A. Hanna into buy
ling their peace with the striking
miners in 1900 in order TO Saye the
Republican Presidential ticket.
1t is learned on excellent authority
that the extraordinary "coloring" in
jected into the legal phraseology Of
the documents was dictated by Mr..
Baer himself. The attorneys who
rev up the papers protested
against calling the Governments al
legations "scandalouS' and i'm
pertinent" but Mr.. Baer insisted,
land in the adjectiveS went.
All Make Same Answer.
! All the companies make the same an
swer 70 the Governments charges that
! tEey entered into an unlawful combina-
! ton to control the production. trsnspor-
/ tation, and sale OF coal
she answer takes up the strike OF
/ 1900, and says that substantially all the
workmen in the anthracite regions
abandoned their work. under the force
and effect of violence. turbulence and
/ intimidation, and the employees and
/ workmen Of this defendant and others
In the same neighborh0od were Induced
or compelled by Ike violence. turbu-
/ lence. and intimidation TO abandon their
1 employment
Scared by Bryan GcAlin.
Shortly afterward IL - represented.
/ IN substance. to the OF Gals OF this de-
/ PENDANT and the representatives OF other
mining companies. by one Marcus A.
/ Hanna, acting as chairman Of the Re
publican National Committee in the then
/ pending political campaign for the cleo
ton OF candidates for President and
Vice President OF the United States, that
/ IL the said strike should not shortly be
settled by an advance IN the wages OF
the worlkingmen in and about the mines
I in the entire anthracite region the
strike would extend 10 the States OF
/ Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. and that the
election OF Mr. Mckinley and Mr.. Roose-
welt would thereby be endangered"
The answer declares that Mr. Hanna
/ represented to the officials OF Che com
I pany that he vas authorized TO settle
| the strike through President Mitchell, OF
Inc miners union, II the operators would
| agree TO give their wOrkmen a 10 per
1 cent increase IN wages.
1t is set forth that the company did
/ agree TO advance the wages OF its mine
and collieTy woTkmen &c per cent and
that the other principal mine owners
/ who had been in conference with Mr.
Hanna had agreed to the same conces-
| sion.
1t is stated that as a result OF this ad-
vance in wages 1t was found necessary
to increase the price of coal on all con-
/ tracts
Hanna Blamed for Pool.
The answer AYERS that ell the confer
( enees between the operators and the
contracts which resulted therefrom
were wholly brought about. compelled
and forced upon this defendant by the
turbulence, violence and intimidation
aforesaid. but the failure OF the Govern
ment Of the United States and that OF
I the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania to
! enforce the laws to protect this defend
ant and its workman in the peaceful and
/ lawful prosecution Of their work and by
/ the opportunities OF the saiu Hanna Ia
the supposed exigencies OF the pending
Presidential cOmpaign whereby this de-
PENDANT was obliged, most uuWiliingly, 10
/ buy its peace and the peace and protec-
ton of its wOrkmen by the said advance
/ in wages ant that the said conferences
/ were in no way whatsoever, IN the least
/ degree induced by the motives, nor by
The alleged unlawful result, so Indefinite
/ y alleged and set forth in the plaintiffs
Ietiuon-
In reference to the charge that the
Reading Company controls the other two
1 corporations. the answer of the Reading
Company admits that the company holds
/ q small interest IN the Philadelphia and
Reading Company and the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company,