Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-15

III supporting the demand Tor the re-
duction Of hours of the day labOrers
Mr.. Mitchell showed that it amounted
practically to demand for 20 per cent
increase of compensation for $1,000
ployees. Continuing. he said:
The eight hour day is the standard
working day in the mining industry.
Eight hours constitute a days work in
the coal mines of Great Britain. in all
the silver. gold and copper mines and in
the bitumnous coal mines in the states
of Arkansas. Kansas. Missouri, Iowa,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio. Michigan, Ken.
lucky, Tennessee, in western Pennsylva-
mia and the Indian Territory
Defending the third demand that
coal shall be weighed and paid for by
weight and that 2,240 pounds shall
constitute ton, Mr.. Mitchell declared
that the present method of measuring
the coal produced by the miners in the
Lackawanna, Wyoming and Lehigb
regions has been the source OF more
discomfort than any other of the many
injustices imposed upon the miners,
and there can be no contentment
among these workmen until another
system has been adopted. Paying for
coal by the car or by the ton weighing
from 2,740 to $3.50 pounds Is. he de
clared. fragrant injustice. The cars
have been made larger. more topping
lie required and there has been no cor
responding increase in the amount
paid per car or per ton. The miners
have been forced to produce con.
stantly increasing amount Of coal fol
which they receive no additional com
pensa ton.
For Trade Agreement.
Mr.. Mitchell then took up the fourth
demand of the miners for trade
agreement. with the necessary machin
cry for the adjustment of local griev
ances. He outlined the history and
policy of the American Mine Workers
Of America and cXrlai"ed tint by its
constitutions .he anthrar;te ard btu
for the lncnl government Of local af
fairs. He sa ID: ~,
Ths on. INA anef IN which the national
organi2a inM Is permitted to interfere il
thai te.ore a s,rlhe IS inaugurated by
the Gis.r!ct organization the approval Ct
the sid TT Of the national union must
be Obtained! hut the president of the ma.
tionai organization has no authority to
inaugurate a strike Thus The coal mine
operators are afforded a greater measure
of protection against strike than they
would nave under a separate and indie
pendent organization.
AS to the responsibility of the mine
workers orga nization Mr.. Mitchell said
At the present time the United Mine
Workers of America has contracts with
the operators OF fourteen states and dis
tricts, fixing the amount the miners shall
receive per ton, the amount the various
classes of labor shall receive per day, the
number of hours which shall constitute a
days work and the methods and machin.
cry for the adjustment Of local griev-
ances by joint conference with the mine
owners These are mutual contracts
which are advantageous to both miner
and operator and protect the public
against the effects of strikes or lockouts
The reports Of the United States govern
ment on strikes in the mining industry
show that the number and duration OF
strikes have been materially reduced each
year since the system Of joint conference
and mutual agreement has been intro.
duced.
Recognition of the union does not meaDl
dictation or interference by men not en-
ployed by the companies. II simply meal t
that officers selected by the mine workers
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 spokesman to act for them, |
to present their grievances, to manage
their affairs. AS have the stockholders of |