The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-11-20
ARBITERS In SESSION
HEARING OF EVIDENCE BEGUN
AT SCRANTON.
Trouble of Coal Miners and Operators
Gets an AirinG-Prcsident Mitchell
cMakes an Exhaustive Statement of
Conditions ia the Anthracite Reg ions.

| The commission appointed by Prcsl-
| dent Roosevelt 10 arbitrate the differ
ences existing between the anthracite
mine workers and their employers Friday
began the hearing of the miners side of
the case at Scranton. Pa.
When the commission opened its ses-
sion the only evidence before it was the
| preliminary statement of Mr.. Mitchell
and the replies thereto of the operators.
Mr.. Mitchell i'll an exhaustive state
| ment before the arbiters made it clear
| that he would insist on full recognition
| of the United Mine Workers organiza-
tion. lie gave powerful description of
the life of miner. picturing the hazard-
GUS risks he was subject TO and the fatal
| inroads on his health from damp aud
| foul gases. The injustice of the mine
owners never has been more strongly
painted. Downright dishonesty is charg-
ed in their method Of increasing tonnage,
| while paying for the standard ton. The
responsibility of organized labor is point
ed out and most of the trouble is traced
to the refusal of the railroads and min
Ing corporations TO recognize these organ
izations. while dealing unfairly with the
individual. Hypocrisy is the charge lev
eled against the claim that the bitemia-
Gus owners and the anthracite men are
in competition. Child work in the break
ers and the failure of education TO reach
the miners children is deplored. The
standard of living is the test of civiliZa-
ton. according TO the union leader. That
standard must be raised at the mines.
Mr.. Mitchell prefaced his statement
with the hope that the commission
would succeed in establishing relation
ship between the operators and the min
ers that will insure peace and stability
In the industry for an indefinite period
He recited the causes which led up TO the
strike, and then took up the question of
wages.
Tells of Conditions.
.'Of the 14I 900 men and boys employ
ed" he said. "6I.0i2, or about 43 FER
cent. are employed on contract or piece
work. the remaining $1,000 being employ
ed by the hour. day, week or month. Of
that 64,Oi2 contract men, 81 ,SO4 are min
ers and 26.26S are mine iaborers.'
Bearin. on the wage question, he spoke
of the miners life. He is engaged in
more dangerous work than employment
in any other important industry in the
world. More men>are killed, each day On
mn average two persons giving up their
lives To produce coal. If the miner es
capes death or injury he cannot escape
the deadly miners asthma. Scarcely
mineworker exists who has not contract
ed it. Compelled to work i'll powder
smoke, foul air, many of them il water.
the result is such that reputable insur-
ance companies will not issue policies on
their lives.
Yet these men receive less wages an
hually than are received by men perform
Ing precisely similar work i'll other fields,
under more favorable and less hazardous
conditions
The workers in the bituminous coal
fields and in the silver. gold, copper and
iron ore miners We're instanced-
The increase of 20 per cent asked, Mr..
Mitchell declared, would not be sufti-
cient to carry an insurance policy of
81 900 for the widows md children.
The speaker showed that the eight
hour day demanded was the standard in
the mines of Great Britain and in all the
mines of Arkansas. Kansas, Missouri,
Iowa. Illinois. Indiana, Ohio. Michigan,
kentucky. Tennessee, western Pennsyl-
tstliid tnt ~
culiar fact is that more coal is mined
under this system than formerly produc-
ed with ten hours work day.
Coming to the method of paying the
workmen according to tonnage, Mr..
Mitchell declared that until an honest sys-
TEN was adopted there could be no con-
tentment. Paying for coal by the ear.
or by ton weighing from 2.I40 10 $3.50
pounds. while ton really consists of
2,240 pounds he said. lis a fragrant
wrong. The cars have been made larger,
more topping is required. and yet there
has been no corresponding increase paid
per ear or per ton.
The plan of the mine owners in docking
500 to 1000 pounds car. on the pretense
that the miners loaded impurities was
bitterly commented on. 1T is Furnishing
the miner twice for the same offense,"
said the speaker.
Coming to the recognition of the min
ers' union, the president grew eloquent.
We demand recognition" he said, .be-
cause we know that permanent peace
and friendly relations can be best main
taned through trade agreement with
the organization which our people have
elected to join. Fully 80 per cent of the
employees of the anthracite coal mines
are members of it from choice. they de-
sire TO retain their membership in it. 1t
was the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea that conferred with the President of
the United States in relation TO the sub
mission of the issues involved in the coal
strike to this commission; it was the
United Mine Workers of America that
was requested by the President TO end
the strike: it was the United Mine Work
ers of America that declared the strike
at an end; it was the United Mine Work
ers that sent the men back to work. and
It is the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea that pledged to accept the award of
this commission"