The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-24
THE HOURS OF LABOR ARE SHORTENED
Report of Anthracite Strike Commission Grants Sub
stantal Increase in Wages.

an increase of / per cent in compen-
sation, which shall continue until a
change in the average OF said coal
works reduction or an increase In
compensation; but the rate of COM
pensation shall in no case be less
than fixed in the award. That is to
say, when the price Of coal shall
reach $4.55 per ton the compensation I
i will be increased l per cent, to con-
tinue until the price falls below $3.50
per ton, when the l per cent increase
will cease, or until the price reaches
! $46O per ton, when an additional l
per cent will be added, and so on.
These averages shall be computed
monthly by an accountant or clerk |
named by the circuit judge of the |
Third judicial district and paid by
the coal operators such compensation
as the appointing Judge may fix. which
compensation shall be distributed
among the operators in proportion
to the tonnage of each mine.
In order that the basis may be laid
for the successful working of the scale
provided herein, it is also adjudged
and awarded:
Must File Wage Scale.
That all coal operating companies
file at once with the United States
commissioner of labor certified
statement of the rates of compensa-
ton paid in each occupation known
in their companies as they existed
April 1, 1902.
Ninth-No person shall be refused
employment or in any way discriminat-
ed against on account of membership
or non-membership in any labor or
ganization and there shall be no dis
elimination against, or interference
> with any employe who is not mem
ber of any labor organization by mem
:, bers of such organization. "
Tenth-All contract miners shall be
required to furnish, within reason
able time before each pay day state
Il ment Ut the amount of money due
r from them to their laborers, and such
n sums shall be deducted from the
a amount due the contract miners and
e paid directly to each laborer by the
r company. All employees when paid
II shall be furnished with an itemized
= statement of account.
t. Eleventh-The awards herein made
e shall continue in force until March
g 81, 1906, and any employe, or group
n of employees, violating any of the pro
visions thereof, shall be subject to
a reasonable discipline by the employ
If ers and, further, the violation Of any
* provision of these awards, either by
A. employer or employees shall not invali
* date any of the provisions thereof
IS The commission also makes mum
" Der of recommendations, which may
id be summarized as follows:
t, The discontinuance of the system Of
IF employing the Goal and Irion police
" because this force is believed to have
N al Irritating effect and a resort to the
e. regularly constituted peace authori
m ties in case of necessity.
is A strict enforcement of laws in re
Ill lation to the employment of children
AS to Investigations.
" That the state anu federal govern
H. ments should provide machinery TO
le the making of compulsory investiga
IL ton of difficulties similar to the in
le yestigation which this commission ha
90 made.
" The commission expresses the opln
NJ ion that with few notifications th'
oe federal act of October, 1898, authoriz
I'll ing commission to settle contrc
~ versies between railroad corporation
io and other common carriers could b
made the basis of law for arbitration
in the anthracite coal mining bus
rs ness. The commission, however, talk
3D. decided opposition against compu
Ip, sorry arbitration. On this point the
ir- add quite a lengthy commentary whic
ch closes in the following language:
''The chief benefit to be derive
ar from the suggestion herein made lie
M in placing the real facts and the re
in sponsibility for such condition autho
i, itatively before the people, that tn
of pubic opinion may crystalize an
!, make it's power felt. Could such
nd commission as that suggested hav
ds been brought into existence in Jun
ed last. we believe that the coal famin
of might have been averted. Certahl
le the suffering. and depriYation migl