The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-11-19


mentioned, the proprietors of the mine would
have been indictable. Tor manslaughter. In
fact, the conditions Of things surrounding
and inducing it would never be tolerated
there.
Comparatively speaking. ihe coal-mining
Of this state is in its infancy. New coal
fields are being almost daily discovered 1t
is within the range Of possibility that there
exist, at greater depths than have yet been
attempted here, vast seams of Goa .nYorior
in quality to any now being brought for
the veins at present mined are, Judging from
their characteristics, affiliated with what are
termed " top VEINS" and because, as a rule,
coal qualitatIvely improves as its distance
from the surface increases. There is, there
fore, every probability that Illinois will
eventually rank as one Of the largest coal
yielding sections of the New World. As
manufacturers invariably spring up around
the great coal centers, the future Of Illinois
may be fairly deemed as most brilliant Her
wide and redundantly fertile prairies will
ever tempt the agriculturalist and the bound
less supplies Of the universal motor-producer
and indispensable auxiliary Of the proauc-
tive crafts, Coal, will, upon completer dis
covery and fuller development, equally in
duce the industrial arts also to nestle within
her borders. Of what paramount import
ance, then, it is to teDderly foster coal min
ing, and in no more effectual way can this
be thoroughly accomplished than by wise
and humane legislation protecting alike the
interests, property and lives of employers
and employed.
When once an undertaking BIS settled
down and fixed into certain groove, when
the nreludices of heightened pr ctice have
been allowed to take root ar overshadow
it, and when what has bee becomes the
almost immutable law of mt should be,
legislation, either fol its evil It reform or
its necessary government, is always attended
with extreme difficulty. the twig is
bent, the trees inclined" Nov, in the be-
ginning Of the enterprise in this state, is the
most fitting time to establish by law such
regulations as shall, as far as possible, de-
priye the prosecution Of all, or nearly all, Of
its present attendant dangers.
Summarizing the above remarks, two de-
ductions present themselves first, that
there exists necessity for legislative enact
ments to control mining and, second, that
the present is the most Opportune time for
establishing such enactments. The State
Constitutional Convention recorded the fol
lowing:
1T Shall be the juiy Of the General Assem-
I Div to pass such laws as NAV be necessary for
the protection Of operative miners, by provid-
ing for ventilation, when the same NAV be re-
CURED, and the construction OF escapemeut
shafts or other appliances as may secure safety
\ in all coal mines, and to provide for she enforce
t,nent Of said laws by such penalties and punish
ments as may bs deemed proper Article ~ \,
section %.
Herein lies the germ Of law or laws fol
the regulation of mining in Illinois, which
it is to be hoped will attain full fruition in
I the passage Of measures which shall guard
against the imperilling of property and life
BY the negligence Of the miners on the one
hand and by the avarice of the capitalist On
the other The General Assembly, shortly
to be convened, being the one to carry out
the spirit Of the new constitution, will nee
essarily have to take action upon the sug
gestiOn above quoted, and, amongst its mul
tifarious duties, will have few more import.
ant or less arduous than this Il is to be
trusted that whatever statutes may be enact
ed upon the subject will be characterized by
breadth, impartiality and progression la
S1He Press.