The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-07
FaVoriDg Rational
Mine Inspection
From the Colliery Engineer.

The prime object in creating the office
of mine inspector was to secure the great
est possible degree of safety for mine
workers and protection for the properly
of the mine owner. To make it possible
to secure these desirable ends rational
mine laws must be enacted, and the ap-
pontment to the office of mine inspector
must be given to conscientious and
thoroughly competent man. There was
time when many mine owners strenuous
ly opposed the passage of laws for the
protection of the health and lives of the
miners. Their opposition was not due TO
lack of sympathy for the miners, but
they feared that inconsiderate laws would
be enacted, and the result would be in
creased cost to the mine owner, and no
appreciable benefit to the miner. Practi-
cal experience with carefully prepared
mine laws in Pennsylvania proved that
the conditions under which the miner
worked could be vastly improved, and at
the same time a greater degree of safety
could be secured for the property of the
operator. Other states followed Pennsyl-
vania's example and enacted mine laws
and provided for the inspection of the
mines by state officials. The National
government did the same for the terri
tories. Naturally Pennsylvania, with her
great coal interests and greater mining
experience provided the most compre-
hensive laws. Some of the other states
have enacted laws that approach very
closely those of Pennsylvania in thor
oughness and efficiency. and followed
Pennsylvania example in providing for
the appointment of mine inspectors by
competitive examinations.
Many Of the states, however, have
placed the appointment of the mine in
spectors in the hands of the governor
The territorial mine inspectors are ap-
Into tl,a
States. When the appointment is made
solely as a reward for partisan political
services, the result is an incompetent
mine inspector and the inevitable results
of incomp =tency follow. 1t is possible
for the governor of state or the presi-
dent of the United States to appoint a
competent man, but when they do so 1t
is generally an accident, Sometimes a
competent man secures the appointment
by being backed by strong local influences
secured by his popularity and reputation
as a miner. Such instances, however
are rare. As a rule, the appointee's fit
ness for the position lies in his ability to
influence few votes for the dominant
party.
No greater outrage can be perpetrated
on the mining interests of a state or
territory than the appointment of a poll
tician as mine inspector. 1t is bad
enough to have politicians, ignorant of
mining, enact our mining laws, without
having a politician to enforce them. A
politician, ignorant of the science of min
ing, in the office of inspector is an injury
| to both the miners and operators. He is
an injury to the miners because he does
not know enough to bring about such
conditions in the mines as will result In
making them healthful and safer
He is an injury to the operator because
he does not know enough to bring about
| such conditions as will reduce the liabil-
| ity to accidents. An accident in coal
| mine generally means injury or death to
the miner, and financial loss to the opera
| tor. Therefore both operators and mi
ners are interested in having competent
mine inspectors and rational mine laws.
%
Rational mining laws can he secured II
the more intelligent miners and the
broad minded operators unite in recon-
| mending them. If the miners delegate
their part of the work to demagogues, or
the operators delegate theirs to narrow
gauge men who cannot appreciate the
value of the healthful and safe condi-
tions in the mine, trouble will be expert
| enced. No rational mine law was ever
enacted in Pennsylvania till the opera
tors and miners met together and sug-
gested such measures as were fair to
both sides. Rational mine laws will pro-
vide for a rational system Of selecting
the mine inspectors. There is only one
way in which mans capacity for the
position can be judged, and that is by ex-
animation. An inspector who wins his
appointment by merit is mo mans man."
He can fearlessly perform his duties, and
can feel assured that ne need not curry
favor from any one to hold his position.