The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-07-19
MINES AND MINERS.

@@A4NAS AMI 0&4N 6660.
In the Ohio Constitutional Convention,
now in Session at Columbus, lively de-
bate ensued upon the introduction Of
clause providing for the better protection
OF Mines and Miners. We give the debate
below, in which it will be seen, that the
Hon. MIR. Thomas Ewing, and NJ. A.
Foran, President Of the Coopers' Interna-
tional Union, took an active part and got
the best Of the argument
MINES AND MINERS.
Convention resolved itself into Commit
tee of the Whole upon the section Of the
Constitution proposed by the standing
Committee on Miscellaneous Subjects IN
relation to mines and mining. The amend
cd section proposed to be substituted by
the committee reads as follows
The General Assembly shall, by suitable
enActments, require all such appliances and
means TO be provided and used as may BE- nee
essary to secure, as far as possible, the lives,
health and safety Of all persons to Be -m-
ployed in any mine OF mines in this State
and shall, moreover, enforce such enactments
by adequate PAINS and penalties
K. j. j
MIR. Root of Erie, said it had been
found by the sad experience Of disaster
that mine owners will not provide suffici-
emily for the protection of their employees
/ The legislation of last winter upon this
subject is insufficient and illusory; the
I ii q.
1 they be. True, the section proposed will
not execute itself; but that is the case with
great many portions of the Constitution
I All We can do in numerous cases is to point
out the PLAIN duty Of the Legislature The
members of the latter body, who are sworn
to support the Constitution, will not disre
I gard their oath.
TRIP.
Mr.. Trpp, of Jackson, hAd not signed
the report Of the committee recommend
my the substitute. The original section
reported by the committee applied To- the
protection Of all workmen the substitute
only refers 70 miners and mines, and this
seem Co make an invidious distiI ction. He
wanted to protect miners bat he wanted
to protect other laborers also. Still he did
Aibl Htts ~ ldi ~ hlllltIS ar NOHtETilCt.
that there is any need Of anything upon
the subject. He thought that the law
upon the statute book (the act 81 1922 Is
all that is really necessary. and affords am
plest protection. Mr. Trip, then read
from the act in question to show that if the
provisions are fully complied with, the
evils attendant upon mining would he re-
lieved or done away with These provi-
sions are, as he believed, satisfactory to the
miners themselves. In the face of such
legislation, why throw INTO the Constitu-
ton a section which can only be a sound
ing brass and tinkling cymbal He
would vote against all such subertuities in
the organic Law, and all attempts 10 put
therein mere sanitary or police regulations.
In the interests If the miners themselves,
he would protest against such things
FORAN
Nj Foran, Of Cuyahoga, said the min
ers of European countries are much better
protected then those of American States.
He contended that the act Of 1872 is not
adequate To the protection OF our miners,
ana Is a mere tissue of ghttering general
ties. Their protection depends upon some
one giving information as to tn violation
Of the law Now, who will give tins infor-
nation : Not the mine owners. certainly,
for they are the offenders. Not the work
men, for they would be discharged.
Mr.. Foran then proceeded TO point out
the terrors and hangers Of mining; t. de
pict tie caIanities that have actually oc-
Cured, and 70 designate what he believed
70 be the defects 81 the present Ohio law.
Mr. Hoadly-Suppose We pat the sec
ton proposed into the Constitution. how
Will i quicken the Legislature to the On.
actnent Of any other law than those al,
ready upon the statute book
Mr.. Fo-9n-tO put the thing in the
Constitution viii forcihly draw the atten.
tion Of the Assembly and of the matter.
and viii give great moral power 20 the
miners themselves when they come to de-
mand better laws.
SEARS. s.
Mr. Sears, Of Wyandot. moved tl amend
BY striking out the words mime or mines,
and inserting occupation attended with
special danger.
Mr.. Serrs SAID railroad men, balloonists
those who put their heads III lions mouths
&c, are in Just as much danger As miners
and 81 far as the latter are concerned. they
are now more protected ~ special laws
than any other Now, If one ncrlpatIon
Is TO he protected. let Others be 1T tected
also
Mr.. Powell suggested to insert and
other dangerous occupations after the
words mine or mines, instead ~ substi-
tuting the former for the latter.
Mr.. Sears accepted the mcdihcatlon
Mr.. Dorsey, u Miami opposed the
whole section. 1t is sort of special leg
slatlon that ought not 90 INTO the Cunsti-
tuition at all To the Assembly NAV safe
ly be left police and sanitary regulations
necessary to the protection Of all classes #
workmen.
EWING.
Mr.. Ewing, Of Fairfield, contended that
there is need Of some special protection to
miners. They are different from other
workmen. They are compelled to work
in the darkness. They can not know if
the mines are well or i'll ventilated. and
are surrounded by dangers they can not
themselves guard against, or have knowl-
edge OF until dread disaster overtakes
them. He looked at the argument of the
gentleman from Wyandot as frivolous, in
saving that the miner is on the same foot
ing as the man who goes up in balloon.
Mining is a great industry in our State.
1t will soon be the greatest q all, and the
obvious duty OF this convention is to step
in and protect wo-kmen engaged In that
occupation from the monstrous abuses re-
vealed in the report of the Ohio Mining
I Commission three years ago.
The Law Of 1872 is not adequate to the
protection Of the workmen 1t is the op-
orators act, and it sedulously ignores all
the recommendations Of the Mining Com
mission in regard TO State supervision over
the mines The Law Of ~ contains some
excellent provisions, but, as has been
shown. provides no adenuate machinery