The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-23
CONDITIONS AMONG MINERS
The Industrial Commission Pub
fishes the Evidence Taken.
4 system of Agreements Between
Operators and Employees works
satisfactorily in the West - I'm
proycmcnts in Mining Machinery.

A review of the evidence of the report
of the Industrial Commission regarding
mining Industries. made public yesterday,
covers the testimony taken before the
Commission this subject from its or
ganization The review is a summary.
merely of the testimony of WITNESSES,
without recommendation or conclusions.
which VIII be contained in the final report
to Congress. Those parts of the review
which have to do with the conditions of
the coal-mining industry, especially the
system of joint conferences by which the
conditions of labor in the btuminous coal
fields are fixed. are of special interest a
synopsis of the testimony regarding the
Occur d Alene riot and subsequent events
is also given. So
The first part of the review is devoted
to the consideration of capital employed
in mining in the western States The
statement is made that the general con-
ditions of the precious metal mining in
dustry in Colorado. Utah. and Idaho in
1893 were decidedly prosperous, and de-
spite the decrease in the price of their
product the silver mines of Utah were
making more money with silver selling at
60 cents than when at 90 cents. This is
largely due to improvements in machin-
cry.
a considerable proportion of the miners
in the precious metal mines of these
States are connected with labor organiza-
tions. i'he Western Federation OF Labor
included in 1893 about 5000 members.
Strikes among miners in Utah are re-
ferred to as being few and unimportant.
1t Is the common opinion that miners are
more ready to strike than any other class
of employees.
Company stores are found ir connection
with most If not all of the Colorado coal
mines, but are rare in connection with
precious metal mines. 1t was asserted
by many witnesses before the Commits
sion that miners were virtually compelled
to trade at stores owned or designed by
the companies. The charge at these stores
was excessive.
Sunday labor is almost universal in
smelters in the Western States. This is
rendered necessary by the need of work.
ing shelters continuously. AS many men.
however, as possible are given day of
rest on Sunday.
In regard to the Occur d'Alene strike
and the riot of 1899 the review goes into
the cause of the trouble at considerable
length and gives a complete history OF Dotn
sides of the case.
Regarding the relations between coal
miners and their employers. 1t is noted
that in Illinois and Indiana the operators
have a State organization. each of which
employees a paid executive officer called
a commissioner. whose chief duty is to
deal with the miners organization. When
any dispute arises the pit committee of
the men and the pit boss try first to set
tie it. If they cannot agree. the matter
is appealed successfully to higher authori-
ties on either side. until the State officials
OF the United Mine Works and the COM
missioner of the operators association
are called in. Very rarely the national
officials of the United Mine Workers are
asked to help.
The President of the United Mine Work
ers asserts that since the adoption OF
the system of joint agreements, wages
have Increased fully 40 per cent in the
States covered by the agreement. The
eight-hour day has been secured In near
ly all of these places. and the semi-month-
" payment of wages has been established
1t seems to be agreed that the operators
as we'll as the miners benefit by the agree
ment system. The number of disputes
and strikes is greatly diminished, and
the several districts and the several OPP
orators within each district are put upon
a fairer basis of competition with each
other The uniformity of conditions which
the agreements introduce is a matter OF
congratuati0n to these who are brought
under them.