Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-09-05
FREELAND, SEPTEMBER 5, 1900.
Mine Inspectors.
From the Scranton scrantonlan.

From the Scranton Scrantonian.
Pennsylvania on whom so much RESPONSE
bility should rest than falls to the share
of the mining inspector, for if he pre-
forms his duty with conscientious fidelity
and care, he virtually becomes RESPONSE
BILE for the lives of thousands of his
fellow men who go down into the
bowels of the earth to earn their daily
bread. The rigid enforcement of laws,
timely suggestions to the operators,
warnings of impending dangers, and
careful inquiry into accidents form i'm
portant items in the mine inspectors
duties, and if carried out with fearless
honesty, the good that might result from
such faithful performance is simply
incalcuiable.
But how many mine inspectors are
faithful in the performance of their
duties? We regret to say that if there
are such, they are few and far between,
and their existence only serves to prove
the rule to the contrary. AS matter
of fact, the average mine inspector can
best be described as a shield for the
operators in the time of trouble, pro-
vided and paid by the state. The
office held by these men was created to
protect the miner and his co-workers
under ground, but the instances in
which they have done so are so rare
that one never hears of them, while the
records of their glaring unfaithfuness,
treachery to the men and absolute sub
lection to the will of the companies is so
voluminous as to be almost appalling.
And yet, why should it be otherwise?
These men in most cases hold their
offices by virtue of their faithfulness to
the interests of the capitalists. Nomi-
nally, they are appointed to enforce the
laws passed for the mine workers bene-
fit, but actually in most cases they are
indebted to the mine owners for their
appointment and for the holding of
their positions, for as has already been
proved in the anthracite regions, the
mine inspector who is Jealous in the
faithful performance of his duties be-
comes iirst-class nuisance to the law
less operators and sufficient pressure
can easily be brought to bear on the
proper authorities to cause his removal.
No man can serve two masters, and so
the mine inspector endowed with fair
share Of worldly wisdom, naturally con-
cludes that it is to his interest to stay
by the power that can keep him in
Office.
But have the mine workers no power
to act in their own defense in this
matter? They have, and doubtless they
will prove their ability to do so ere long
There are mines in this valley today,
the conditions of which are known to be
dangerous, because the reckless manner
in which they are being worked
Thoughtful men recognize this fact and
predict disaster as inevitable, unless
immediate precautions are taken to
prevent it. The mine inspectors have
the power to compel operators to com
ply with the laws, and If this was done,
dangers would be reduced to minimum
But as was made evident in the Twin
Shaft catastrophe, and other fatalities
that can easily be called to mind, the
state officials wink at "threatening'
dangers and lawlessness in the work
inn ,,F
ators are willing to take chances on the
wrecking of their properties the in
spectors seem to be perfectly willing
that the mine workers should take
chances on their lives.
The day is at hand, however, when all
this may be changed and the inspectors
made to realize the fact that they are
public servants, paid from the public
fund to perform specific duties, and as
the United Mine Workers are now
abundanty able to plead their own
cause, and compel attention from the
quarters, the day is not far distant
when the toadying politicians who now
hold Office by grace of the corporations
and party bosses, will be either driven
from Office or compelled to live up to
the letter of the laws they are paid to
enforce.
Such day cannot come too soon.
The safety of many lives depends on its
speedy arrival, and the United Mine
Workers should leave no stone unturned
to expedite its coming.