The Irish standard., 1907-09-07
COAL SUIT ANSWER
fLAYS MARK Hanna
PRESIDENT BAER OF READING
COMPANIES MAKES CHARGES
AGAINST LATE SENATOR,
GREAT STRIKE OF
1900 is RECALLED
General Denial to Governments
Charges in Monopoly Case and
Politics Is Planned for Offending
Act-TeIls Why Prices Raised.

Philadelphia. Sept. 2.-The Reading
company. the Philadelphia & Reading
Railway company and the Philadelphia
& Reading Coal & Iron company have
filed their answers to the suit Of the
federal government to break up the al
legged monopoly existing in the anthra-
cite coal regions of this state. The an
swers of the three concerns. Of which
George f. Raer is president. make a
general denial Of the government S al
legations. aud go into the first great
strike in the hard coal fields and its
relation to the presidential campaign
Of 1900. when Mckinley was elected.
Blame State and Nation.
II is declared that the agreements to
advance the price of coal We're brought
about in 1900 by the violence and in
limitation of the striking mine work
ers. by the failure Of the United States
government\and state of PENNSYLVANIA
to enforce the law and protect the coal
companies and the opportunities of
the late Marcus A. Hanna. who. it is
alleged, was anxious to end the strike
of the miners on account Of the inn
pending presidential election.
General denials are made nf tho con-
spiracy charges in the answer of tho
Reading company and that of tho rail
way company. The answer of the coal
and iron company takes np the strike
OF 1900 and says that substantially all
tho 'nrl., ;y,t nj to
abandoned their work under the force
and effect Of violence. turbulence and
intimidation and tho employees and
Workmen Of this defendant and others
In the same neighborhood were in
dnced nr compelled by like violence.
turbulence and intimidation to ADAM
don their employment.
Hanna Urged an Increase.
The answer goes on to say that
Shortly aftcrward it was represented.
In substance. to the officials of this de-
PENDANT. and the representatives Of
other mining companies Ivy ono Mar
Gus A. Hanna. acting as chairman Of
the Republican national committee, in
the then pending political campaign
| for tho election of candidates for pres
ident and vice president of the United
] States, and If tho said strike should
not he speedily settled by an advance
| in the wages of tho workmnn in and
| about the mines in the entire antIra-
| cite region. the strike would extend to
the states Of Ohio. Indiana and I'LL
nOis. and that the election Of Mr. Nc
kinley and Mr.. Roosevelt would be
thereby endangered.
The answer declares what Mr.. Han
ma represented to the officials of tho
company that he was authorized to
settle the strike through President
| Mitchell of the miners union, If tho
operators would agree to give their
workmen Il ten per cent. increase in
wages
1t Is set forth that tho company did
agree to advance tho wages of ITS
mine and colicry wnrkmcn ten per
cent. and that the other principal
mine owners. who had been in confer
ence with Mr.. Hanna, had agreed to
the same concession.
Had to Raise Prices.
II is stated that "thcreafter confer
enccs were held between the officials
or representatives of the principal
mine operators who Ind heretofore
| offered the said advance in wages and
the representatives Of tho principal
mine operators who had to do so: that.
| as the result of the agreement OF the
operators. the defendant WIS obliged
to and did agree with certain of the
operators sevcrally, with whom it had
pre-existing contracts for the purchase
| of the coal to he produced by them re-
-spoctivcly and who were severally the
tenants or 1cssees Of this defendant,
to enter into new contracts with such
| AS should desire to do so, increasing
the prices to he paid for the coal to he
produced by them. respectively, and
to be sold and delivered to this dcfen-
dant."
Turbulence Forced Action.
Continuing, the answer asserts that
all the conferences between the opera.