The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-05
ARGUMENT AGAINST
CHILD LABOR
The President of the Mine Workers
Asks for Higher Wages and Short
er Hours-A Carefully Prepared
Document Transmitted to Opera
tors Through Medium of the Strike
Commission-operators Will Reply
in Few Days.
By Exclusive Wire from The Associated Press.


Hazleton, Pa, Nov. 4.-The state
nent of the anthracite mine workers
case. which was filed with the strike
commission on Sunday night, was made
public today. Copies of the statement
have been furnished to the operators
who will reply in three or four days.
The miners statement in full is as fol-
lows:
10 the Anthracite Coal Strike Commits
sion:
,rhe coal workers make of the opera
tors the following demands, which were
formulated by the Shanokir convention
held March IS to "a, and for the enforce
ment of which the strike was inaugur-
ated
First. An increase of 20 per cent upon
the prices paid during the year 1901 to
employees performing contract or piece
work.
This demand is made on account of the
following reasons:
n The present rate Of wages Is much
lower than the rate of wages paid in the
bituminous coal fields for substantially
similar work.
(2) The present rate of wages is lower
than is paid in other occupations requir-
ing equal skill and training.
(3l The average annual earnings i'll the
sntnraclte coal Ilplu are IIuCIi iSsS tAhi
the average annual earnings in the bit
luminous coal fields for substantially SIM
liar work.
(4) The average annual earnings in the
anthra acite coal fields are much less than
the average annual earnings for occupa-
tions requiring equal skill and training.
90 The rate of wages in the anthracite
coal fields is insufficient to compensate
the mine workers in view of the danger
Gus character of the occupation in re-
lation to accident the liability to serious
and permanent disease, the high death
rate and the short-grade life incident to
this employment.
(6) The annual earnings of the mine
workers are insufficient to maintain the
American standard of living.
% The increased cost of living has
made it impossible to maintain Il fair
standard of life upon the basis of pres
ent wages. and has not only prevented the
mine workers from securing any benefit
from increased prosperity, but has made
their condition poorer on account OF 1t.
(S) The wages of the anthracite mine
workers are so low that their children
are prematurely forced into the breakers
and mills instead of being supported and
educated upon the earnings of their pa
rents.
t9) Wages are below the fair and just
earnings of mine workers in this industry.
hours of labor without any reduction of
earnings for all employees paid by the
hour, day or week.
The second demand is similar to the
first in that it is designed to increase the
hourly rate of wages of mine workers
employed by the hour. day or week. and
all the reasons applicable to the first de-
mand are asked to be applied to the sec
ond with repetition.
Plea for Shorter Hours.
In addition thereto, we submit the fol-
lowing:
q0) The ten-hour day is detrimental to
the health. life, safety and well-being of
the mine workers.
QD Shorter hours improve the ply
,ical, mental and moral conditions of the
workers.
d2) Shorter hours increase the inten-
sity and efficiency of labor.
Q3) The tendency of national and state
government, of organized trade and of
production generally is toward shorter
hours.
QD A working day of eight hours is
sufficiently long for the best interests of
the workingmen and of the community.
Third-The adoption of n system by
which coal shall be weighed and paid for
by weight wherever practicable. the min
imum rate per ton to be 60 cents for a
tials now existing at the various mines
to be maintained. This demand is made
on account Of the following reasons:
Q) Measurement by the legal ton wher-
ever practicable is the only honest and
just system of measuring the earnings OF
mine workers.
(9) When the operators sell or trans
port coal 1t is on the basis of a legal ton
of 2,240 pounds.
(s) The excessive ton was originally in
tended to compensate the operator for tho
weight of the small sizes of coal which
We're then discarded, but which are now
utilized and sold, and therefore there is
no present necessity for the use Of any
other than the legal ton.
GD The adoption of this system would
remove an incentive, both to the opera
tor and the worker, to cheating and dis