The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-08-11
nlne Insnection.

AAAN AAA1 PN~NANHAs
The prime object in creating the
Office of mine inspector was to secure
the greatest possible degree of safety
for mine workers and protection for
the property of the mine owner.
To make it possible to secure these
desirable ends rational mine laws
must be enacted, and the appoint
ment to the Office of mine inspector
must be given to "A conscientious and
thoroughly competent man.
There was time when many mine
owners strenuously 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 increased cost to the mine
owner, and no appreciable benefit to
the miner. Practical experience with
carefully prepared mine laws in Penn
sylvania 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
Pennsylvania example and enacted
mine laws and provided for the in
spection of the mines by state Off
cials. The National Government did
the same for the territories. Natur-
ally Pennsylvania, with her great coal
interests and greater mining expert
ence, provided the most cOmprednen
sive laws. Some of the ,ot5her states
have enacted laUs5 that approach
very closely those of Pennsylvania il
thoroughness and efficiency, and fol
lowed Pennsylvania examplein pro
viding for the appointment of mine
inspectors by competitive examina
tions.
Many of the states, however, hav,
placed the appointment of the min,
inspectors in the hands Of the Gov
ernor. The territorial mineinspectOr
are appointed by the President of tn,
United States When the appoint
ment is made solely as a reward for
partisan political services, the result
is an incompetent mine inspector, anC
the inevitable results of Incompetence
follow.
1t is possible for the Governor of I
state or the President of the UniteC
States to appoint a competent man
but when they do so it is generally al
accident. Sometimes a cOmpeten
man secures the appointment by be
ing backed by strong local influences
secured by his popularity and reputa
ton as a miner. Such instances, how
ever, are rare. As a rule, the ap
pointee's fitness for the position lie.
in his ability to influence a few votes
for the dominant party.
No greater outrage can be perpe
trated on the mining interests of a
state or territory than the appoint
ment of politician as mine inspector
i is bad enough to have politicians
ignorant of mining, enact Ourmininl
laws, without haYing politician t,
enforce them. A politician, ignoran
of the science of mining, in the Offic,
Of inspector is an injury to both tn,
miners and operators. He is an in
jury to the miners because he doe
not know enough to bring about sucl
conditions in the mines as viii result
in making them more healthy anC
safer He is an injury to the oper
ator because he does not know enough
to bring about such conditions as will
reduce the liability of accidents, Al
accident in a coal mine generally
means injury or death to the miner
and financial loss to the operator
Therefore both operators and miners
are interested in having competent
mine inspectors and rational min,
laws
Rational mining laws can be secured
il the more intelligent miners anC
the broad minded operators unite il
recommending them. II the miners
delegate their part of the work t.
demagogues, or the operators dele
gate theirs to narrow gauge men wh'
cannot appreciate the value of the
healthful and safe conditions in the
mine, trouble will be experienced
No rational mine law was ever en-
acted in Pennsylvania till the oper
ators and miners met together anC
suggested such measures as were fail
to both sides. Rational mine law
will provide for rational system o
selecting the mine inspectors. There
is only one way in which a mans
capacity for tie position can b,