Show ORT TO Bs gf GON say they were forced to raise pr ces to meet increase in wages and that pol pot t cs played import ant part philadelphia ahe reading corn com pany the philadelphia reading rail way say company and the philadelphia reading coal iron company 1 pany on sat arday filed their answers to the suit of the federal government to break up the alleged monopoly existing in the anthracite coal region of abil state the answer of the three con cerns corns ot of which george F baer Is president makes a general denial of the government governments s allegations and goes into the first great smi stil e in the hard coal fields and its relation rel aion to the dentral campaign of 1900 when me kinley was elected it Is declared that the agreements to advance the price of coal were brought about in 1 WO by b the violence and intimidation of striking mine workers m by the failure of the united states tates govern merit and the state ot pennsylvania to enforce the law as and protect the coal companies and by the im ties of the late marcus A hanna who it is alleged was anxious to end the strike of the miners on account ot of the impending presidential election |