The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-03
Text Of the Report.


Commissioner W-ight's report con
tain5 about 1900 words and IS summed
rp in the following general considera-
tons
Much evidence has been offered TO
show the general condition of miners,
their complaints and grievances. aad
the complaints and grievances Of the
operators. IN critical sense these
have all beeC referred TO above ani the
various appendices give them more
fully.
Il IS very clearly shown BY the svi-
denee that the miners have done some-
thing in the way C. securing diseiplIre,
,, although they have disappointed the
operators in such attempts
Claims Of the EIiners.
The miners claim that they have
forced their mem IS TO accept dis
charge whenever t..ey we're wrong. an
have ordered men lack when the strike
was not authorized by the labor union:
that when the officers OF the union
have been able TO see the manager OF
a company concerning any case and
have been allowed 10 confer, they have
aImoss invariably been able to arrive
at an adjustment % the difficulty, but
that where the manager refused TO
deal with the representatives OF the
ipion there vas no choice but to pass
upon the matter according to the evil
dence Of one side only. such evidence
being taken as conclusive and the on
Gers being obliged 10 decide in favor
OF the men who have preferred wish
not to work under existing conditions.
Union Wishes Recognition
This it is claimed. Injuries the corpor-
ations. because the results have not
been based upon full evidence The
miners feel that the corporations. when
they refuse to recognize the right Of
The unions 10 represent the men in ad-
justing any dimcuIty, cannot deny that
the officers have the power to decide
whether or not the employees shall
Strike.
They also state that If the operators
will make an agreement with them, they
viii cary it out as far as it lies in their
power to do so. but that without an
agreement they are ali the time quib-
bling as to conditions under which min
ers shall work They feel that an agree
ment in writing will protect the eorpor-
/ ations from unjust strikes, II they really
desire such protection The way it
appears 10 the average workman is that
the operators do not want al agreement
that VIII bind them and prevent them
/ from following their usual course.
Agreement of No Effect.
/ On the other hand the operators con-
/ tend that no such agreement would have
any binding effect upon the miners, and
that it is ridiculous and foolish to IN
/ dertake to make one; that they are IN
terfered with constantly IN their efforts
to preserve order and good discipline.
All this shows, and proves clearly.
that there is no confidence existing be-
tween the employees and their employers.
and that suspicion turks in the minds OF
everyone and distrust in every action
on either side
1t is represented to me by reputable
parties who have no interest IN the
mining business one way or the other,
that the chief difficulty lies in the lack
Of organization This is shown By the
existence of many practices in the man
agement OF coal mines which appear to
be unwise. unfair, and calculated tc
work hardship
There are many prosperous miners in
/ the coal region and OF course there is
also as in every industry, great desti-
/ tuition The whole problem is an ex-
+ trcmely complex one, ard involves many
practices that have been built up
/ through long years.
Both Sides Suspicious.
The mine owners too often have re-
garded the average miner as unreason-
able and likely - be unruly when oO-