The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-11-08
The Statement of the Miners Side
of the Case as Presented to
the Commission.
COPIES FURNISHED The OPERATORS.
The Miners Want II Chance TO Live
and Educate Their Children as
Belts American Citizens, ana
Don't Want to Mine II Bigger ron
Than 2,2i0 Pounds.

which was nIeQ WIN lue StTlhV WIN
mission on Sunday night, was made
public Tuesday. Copies of the state
ment have been furnished to the OPP
orators, who will reply in three or
four days. The miners statement in
full is as follows:
To the Anthracite Coal Strike Com
mission:
The mine workers make of the OPP
orators the following. demands, which
were formulated by the Shamokln
convention, held March Is to ~, ana
for the enforcement of which the
strike was inaugurated:
First-An increase Of 20 per cent.
upon the price paid during the year
1901 to employees performing contract
or piece work. This demand is made
on account of the following reasons;
|. The present rate of wages Is
much lower than the rate of wages
paid in the bitunnous coal fields for
substantially similar work.
2. The present rate of wages is low
err than is paid in other occupations
requiring equal skill and training,
3. The average annual earnings in
the anthracite coal fields are much
less than the average annual earn
ings in the btuminous coal fields for
substantially similar work.
4 The average animal earnings in
the anthracite coal fields are much
less than the average annual earnings
for occupations requiring equal skill
and training.
S. The rate of wages in the anthra'
cite coal fields is insufficient to'com.
pensate the mine workers IN view OF
the dangerous character or the occu-
patton in relation to accidents, liza
bihty to serious ana permanent as
ease the h'gh dea'h rate ana the
snort grade me incident TO TINS EN-
pIoyment'
D. Inc annual earnings OF the hllne
workers are lhsu'n''ent TO MAINTAIN
the american STANDARD OF hV'ng'
T. Inc increased cost OF hIIhg mas
maze u Impossible TO MAINTAIN a iair
standard OF me upon the OASIS OF
present wages ana mas not only pre-
vented the NINE workers from secur-
ing any dement, from increased pros
peri'y' but has made their condition
poorer on account OF H.
- Inc wages OF the anthracite mine
workers are so lew that their chill
ure'' are prena'ilrely t"rced INTO the
pSeakers ana mlIls' instead or belng
supported ana educated upon the
earnings OF 'he'r parents
., me wages are oeioW ,he ia'r ana
;',' w. ''"e' VI '''"e "o' N''S III 'h'S
60, ,,. ,....
.. a.'G -, ~ ''ou'''on VI twenty per
'cll'' u, hours OF lapor' without any
,,,o 49," r, w. ''"sH 'o' "'' e'"
p'o ~, p"'' ~ "o"'' ""S VI "e'N'
me seVo"u ueihnhu u s'n'llar TO
Wv ~ y, ;" ''"V II ~ eS's'eo 10 IN
''e"Se '"e no"rN ro'e OF wages OF
'''"e "o'NerS employed by 'he hour'
"'y OF Week' ana All reasons appllca'
o'e 10 ,he nrst demand are asked to
DE hppled 10 the second without repe.
n,'oh'
~ ouu'''oh thereto we submit the
iolloW.nR'
" Il" ","'ur ooy ~ detrimental
Wv ","''"' "''' surety ana wen
'','s W. '''o "''''' workers.
~ Inc shorter hours amproye the
p"yS''u'' mental ana moral condl'
''o"S VI tue WorN'rS'
~ shorter hours increase the in.
'ens'ty ana enlclency Of labor,
l5' The tendency of national and
state government Of organized trade
and of production generally IL toward
shorter hours.
II. A working dnv of clpht horre ie
sufficiently long for the hos, in,orosts
OF the worklngmen Of tho oo,m,nin,
Third-Tbe odo,,io, - - ana,.''. y >
which conl shnll ho ,yoiahod o,1 ~
for by weight ,vboro,or n.aa ,I NV
the minimum roto nan ,o Wv, ""
cents for lcgnl tom ~ ooio NDe w
the dIfYcrentinls now oyi.,,nd Po'"o w.
vnIoue nInos a. l,a ,,at',"S w '"e
This demand IL mndo an oooo,,.
OF tho folIo,ylnp ronsnns, ''"'
uoo,,,.,,,,,,, 49,. 80"
,,,',n", v"s' ' 'u''."' ~ we ''gn' Ton
P,''','o'o " Tue only nom
rnings '" nS rn Gn,'' ,o ~, measuring 'he
,n
- ""o' ,',' oPeIu'ors sen or trans
po ,'"' 90 ~ 20 w ,'' ooS'S VI l'goI
w" w. ~, "'"'V Po"''s'
o. ne excessive ION was originally
,n'enueo 10 compensate the operator
IL