The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-02
The Miners Under This Law
Will Elect
THEIR OWN INSPECTOR
The Bill Finds Considerable
Opposition
But Passes the Senate on Sat-
urday Afternoon.


of the measure creating the state so
ciety of miners and providing for the
miners of Kansas the power to elect a
state inspector. This bill was passed in
the senate Saturday afternoon, but not
until there had been a prolonged and
somewhat acrimonious debate concern
ing it.
When the measure was first called up
in committee Of the whole Senator
Lamb (Rep) criticised the bill and
made Senator Ryan mad. Lamb stated
that the miners organization is secret
and has grips and signs and passwords
known only to the members.
1.-THE bill which is here proposed for
passage" said Mr.. Lamb, lis legislation
in the interests of a secret order. We
| might just well legislate in the spe-
cial interests of the Masons, Odd Fell
| lows, Workmen other secret orders,
but the time has not come in Kansas
when the state can afford to pass such
| laws and give to these secret orders the
advantages of becoming a part of our
state government"
This brought Mr.. Ryan to bis feet and
he was considerably excited. He was
mad all over and exclaimed: 81 chal-
lenge any man who opposes this bill to
stand up and be counted today as offer
to afford relief to this class of our labor
ing men, No man who has the welfare
of the 1abOring people of the state of
Kansas in mind would offer any such
| objections to the BILL
Senator Lamb had moved that the
| following section of the bill be stricken
| out:
1.-The secretary shall have an office in
the state capitol, shall be supplied with
| furniture and stationery as are other
| state officers, and his biennial report
| shall be published as those of other
state officers; and he shall eceive a
salary of 81, 500 per annum, payable as
| other state salaries are paid. He may
| by permission of the executive council,
appoint one or more mine inspectors, to
hold at his pleasure, and to receive each
a salary of SIS month and expenses,
to be audited by said secretary and GER
titled to the state auditor for payment
monthly"
After Mr.. Ryan had arraigned Lamb,
the latter rose and said: Il resent the
imputations which the gentleman from
Crawford has made. know what it is
| to work with these men. 1 have taken
| my pick and gone down into the coal
mines and worked as a day laborer.
know something of the needs of these
| men, yet L insist that the state can not
afford to pass laws in the interests of a
| secret organization. I do not oppose
measures which will in any manner
offer relief to laboring men, but the en-
actment of this section would establish
a dangerous precedent"
Senator Hessin said: you might just
as well insert in that section the name
| of the Topeka Typographical union, of
| the BARRIERS union or any other organ
ization you might choose. The purpose
| of the bill to help labOring men is all
right, but the proposition for the state
to recognize and make part of its
functions of government a secret order
is wrong. There is no union or secret
order of any kind recognized in our con-
stitutiOn or laws and this is no time for
the state of Kansas to take such steps,"
The senate then, on motion of Senator
Lewelling, substituted the following for
section 5: 1.-The biennial report of said
secretary shall be published as those of
other state officers, and he shall receive
a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per
annum, payable as other state salaries
are paid. He may, by permission of the
executive council, appoint one deputy
mine inspector to hold at his pleasure,
and to receive a salary of seVenty-five
dollars a month, and necessary ex-
penses, to be audited by said secretary
and certified to the state auditor for
payment monthly"
Senator Stone precipitated a discus
sion by moving to strike out the refer
ence to the Miners union, which was
opposed by Senator Jumper Senator
Lamb moved to make the bill apply
to only miners societies which are not
secret, and also to strike out the words
'tfor wages" but both these PROPOSE
tions We're voted down after speeches
opposing them by Senators Field and
Lewelling, who pointed out that the
words ''for wages" designated mine
laborers from mine operators, and if the
change should be made the full force
of the bill would be destroyed. After
a lengthy discussion the word union
was changed to association wherever it
appears in the bill.
The bill finally passed is as fol-
lows:
Section 1. Whenever five or more
miners actually engaged in mining coal.
zinc or other minerals for wages, shall
now be organized or shall hereafter or
ganiZe as miners union in any county,
city or mining camp in the state and
shall choose a delegate to the State So
ciety of Miners, such delegate SHALL be-
ing duly certified by the presiding Off
GERS of such union, be admitted to and
become a member of the State Society
of Miners until the first Monday in
February next following, and until his
successor shall have been chosen and
admitted. Provided that at any time
any such union may recall its delegate
by choosing and certifying his success
Sor.
Section 2. On the first Monday in
February, 1899. and every year there
after, the delegates elected to said state
society of miners shall assemble at the
state capital at an hour and place to be
fixed by the secretary in his annual call
therefor, to be mailed to each union at
least ten days before such assembling,
provided that the call for the first Mon
day in February, 1892 shall be issued by
the commissioner of labor statistics.
When such delegates shall have assem-
bled on the first Monday in February,
1899, the commissioner of labor statis-
tics shall preside until the State Society
of Miners shall have organized. The
delegates present at the time and place
fixed for the said first assembly or any
subsequent assembly shall be deemed a
quorum, competent to transact all bus
mess to be done. The delegates shall
elect a president. vice president and sec
rotary, and said secretary shall be
known officially as state secretary of
mine industries, and shall be ex-officio,
state mine inspector and shall collect
and publish statistics of mine indus
tries Of the state. Said officials shall