Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-02
SUIT AGAINST
READING RAILWAY
Denies Governments Allegations
And DiscIoses Some PoIiti-
cali History.
MARK HANNA TOOK A HAND.
said IL Miners Wages Were Not Adj
yanced, Election OF Mckinley and
Roosevelt Would be- Endangered

Philadelphia. Aug 3l--The Reading
Company the Philadelphia a. Reading
Railway company and the Philadelphia
& Reading Coal q Iron company to-
day filed their answer to the suit of
The federal government to break up
the alleged monopoly existing lu the
anthracite coal mining OF this state.
ne answer or the three concerns. Of
which George +. Baer Is president
makes general denial Of the govern
meuts allegation and goes into the
irst strike IN the hard coal campaign
ana It's relation 90 the presidential
camaign OF 1900. when Mckinley was
elected. 10 is declared that the agree
mehts to advance the price of coal
were brought about iu 1900 by the vio-
lence and intimidation Of striking
mine workers. by the failure OF the
United states government and state Of
Pennsylvania to enforce the law and
protect the coal companies, and by the
opportunities OF the late Marcus a..
Hanna, who. it is alleged. was anxious
20 end the strike Of the miners on ac-
count OF the impending presidential
election
General denials are made OF the con-
spiracy charges m the answer of the
Reading company and that OF the rail-
way con The answer Of the coal
and iron lauy takes up the strike
of 1900 al. says that substantially all
the workuen lu the anthracite regions
abandoned their work under the force
and effect Of the violence. turbulence
and intiuiication and the employees
aud Workmeu Of this defendant and
others in the same ucighborhood were
induced or compelled by like violence.
turbulence and intimidation to
abandon their employment"
The answer goes on TO say that
shortly afterwards &c was represented
ia substance to the officials OF this de-
PENDANT and the representatives Of
other mining companies by one Marcus
a Hanna, acting as chairman OF the
Republican national committee IN the
then pending political campaign, for
the election OF candidates for presi-
dent and vice-president OF the United
States. that n the said strike should
not be speedy settled by am advance
ia the wages OF the workmen I'm and
about the mines In the entire anthra-
cite region of Ohio. Indiana, and IL
linOis. and that the election OF Mr.. Nc
kinley and Mr.. Roosevelt would be
thereby ENDANGERED.
II hat Mr. Hanna represented TO the
company that he was authorized 10
settle the strike through President
Mitchell, IL the operators would agree
10 give their workmeu "a 10 per cent
increase in wages. II Is set forth that
the company did agree to advance the
wages of It's mine and colliery work.
men 10 per cent and the other prin-
cipal mine owners. who had been In
conference with Mr.. Hanna had agreed
10 the same concession"
II was stated that thereafter con-
ferences were held between the officials
or representatives OF the principal
mine operators who had heretofore
offered the said advance IN wages and
the representatives OF the principal
mine operators, this defendant was
obi ged 10 agree with certain opera
tors. severally. with whom it had pre-
existing contracts and for the purchase
Of coal and who were severally the
tenants and lessees Of the defendants
To enter into new contracts with such
as should desire TO do so, Increasing
the prices 20 be paid for the coal TO
be produced by them respectively and
To be sold and delivered 70 the defend
ant
Continuing. the answer avows that
am the conferences between the opera
tors and the contractors which resulted
therefrom were wholly brought about.
compelled and forced upon this defend
ant bv the turbulence, violence and in
limitation aforesaid by the failure OF
the United States and that the
commonwealth Of Pennsylvania TO
enforce the laws and protect the
workmen Zoo the peaceful and lawful
prosecution OF their work, and 10y the
opportunities OF the said Hanna I'm the
supposed exigencics Of the pending
political campaign whereby this de-
fendaut was obliged most unwillingly
TO buy lbs peace and the price and
protection Of it's workmen by am adj
vance in wages and which said con-
ferences were lu no way I'm the least
whatever induced hy the motive or al
legged unlawful result so indefinitely
alleged and set forth in the plaintiffs
.IIntsrHHTra