The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-14

9
which our people have elected to join.
s Fully 80 per cent of the employees OF the
anthracite coal miners are members Of It
from choice; they desire to retain their
membership in it. It was the United
Mine Workers Of America that conferred
E with the president of the United States
y In relation to the submission OF the issues
3 involved in the coal strike to this COM
mission; it was the United Mine Workers
& of America that was requested by the
president to end the strike; 1T was the
! United Mine Workers of America that
4 declared the strike at an end; 1t was the
United Mine Workers that sent the men
& back to work, and 1t IS the United Mine
Workers Of America that pledged 10 ac-
cept the award Of this COMMISSION
4 Failure to recognize the organtza tion
was the cause Of the many local strikes
against which operators and mine workers
complained. There have been many local
strikes during the past year, the 1aulC OF
which rests upon operators and miners
alike. The miners, falling to secure re-
. dress for their wrongs, the companies hav-
ing refused to treat with their representa-
tives) had no choice but to submit to
injustice or inaugurate strike.
Recognition of the union does not mean
ployed by the companies; it simply means
that officers selected by the mine work.
5ers shall exercise supervision over the or
ganization or shall counsel with the mine
workers as to how their trade affairs shall
be conducted. The miners have as much
right to select spOkesmen to act for them
to present their grievances. to manage
y their affairs, have the stockholders OF
any one of the anthracite coal companies
$ to elect their officers to perform like
functions.
A Proposed Plan.
& For the informal tion Of the commission
we herewith outline more specifically a
plan Of procedure which, If adopted, would
prevent local strikes and preserve peace
and harmony during the time covered by
the award which you are empowered to
s make.
I "First-The rate of wages, the hours
Z of labor, the method of weighing and pay
ing for the product of the miners work
should be Incorporated in an agreement
between the representatives of the various
coal companies and the representa- tives
Of the organization of which the COM
plainants In this case are members.
- 'Second-There should be commit
tee Of conservative representative mine
workers selected by the employees at each
I'D colliery; it should be the duty of this COM
; hittee to Cooperate with the mine fore
men and the mine workers or mine work.
ers involved
, "Third-Should the mine foreman and
mine company fail to adjust the griev-
hnces complained Of, the matter In dis
pute should be referred to the company s
superintendent and a general grievance
committee, which should be constituted
of representative mine workers from each
* colliery operated by any one company.
Should they fail to adjust it, it should be
referred to the general manager OF the
coal company and the district president
of the miners organization, and should
they fail to adjust it, they could call upon
the services Of some disinterested person
whose decision should be final Pending
an adjustment in the manner set forth. the
mines and the miners should continue at
work"
A Plea for Children.
Mr.. Mitchell concluded with plea for
the children. He said:
"Our little boys should not be forced
into the mines and breakers so early In
. life; our little girls should not be COM
PEELED to work in the mills and factories
at an age when they should be In school
These children are the future citizens OF
. our nation; their parents should be en-
abled to earn wages sufficiently high tc
give them at least a common school edu'
cation, SO as to equip them to bear the
!. grave responsibilities that will ultimately
s devolve upon them. The wealth and the
future of the nation are not to be meas
ured by it's palaces and millionaires, bu
rather by the enlightened contentmen
and prosperity of its millions of citizen:
who constitute the bone and sinew of ou1
land"
, During the reading Of his address, Mr.
II Mitchell was followed with the closes
= attention. This was particularly so will
y the score or more Of representatives o.
the operators, who bent forward to catcl
+ every word and who made numerous notes
of hi Y>lyS
= The reading of the address occupied fort.
/ minutes.
$ Mr.. Mitchell on the Stand.
4 Responding to a question by Judge Gray
: Mr. Darrow said the miners would at tn
{. outset put on some witnesses and that h
+ would call Mr.. Mitchell first Judge Ora
interrupted to say that, as there was
general feeling that testimony so import
ant as this should have the sanction Of a
oath, it would be administered to the wit
nesses. This was acceptable to both side
and the clerk of the court of sessions {
Lackawanna county performed this duty
Mr.. Mitchell then took the stand In re
sponse to the questions by Mr.. Darrow
said that he began doing mining wor
as door boy when he was - years oil
and had occupied all positions in the b]
luminous fields except that of foreman
He had not worked in the anthracite re
gion. He then explained his connectio
with the Knights of Labor and gave fie
0res showing the membership Of til
q United Mine Workers.
Mr.. Wolverton. for the operators inte,
rupted to say that he regarded this lir
OF questioning as Irrelevant and wou
reserve the right to object.
Mr. Mitchell said that 81 per cent Of g
coal mined In the United States was mine
. In Pennsylvania and that 80 per cent
. the anthracite mine workers are membe
Of the union.
Has the president or executive boal
ever ordered a strike since they have bee
at the head Of this organization or SIM
=: IL has been In existence?" asked Mr., Da
row.
NO" was the reply, Except upon tn
&: affirmative vote Of the miners themselve
Ihe officers carry out the instructions {
the miners
+ What the Union Has Done.
4 Responding to further questions, NJ
: Mitchell explained the relations betwee
= the union and the bituminous operator
and said that by reason Of the contrac
~ entered into by them there had been r
strikes. Where no contracts were mao
he said there had been strikes Of cor
siderable magnitude. Through tt
amicable relations with the bitun1ino,
s. COST $1,000.
= Advice That Was Worth It,