The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-27
COAL STRIKE COMMISSIONS RE-
PORT.

AS our readers remember, the report
of the coal miners strike commission
was made public last Saturday. What
must have been a surprise and a graft
fcation to the public was the fact that
there was no minority report; that
the findings were ]concurred in by
every member of that body. That its
conclusions were in the main in favor
of the strikers will, of course, be dis
appointing TO the mine operators and
their friends.
The decision of the commission was
Of the differences between the two
~contending parties than a victory for
either side. On the subject of wages
an increase Of ten per cent is recon-
mended instead of the twenty per
cent demanded on the one side and the
refusal of any advance on the other.
On the question of reduction of the
hours of labor the decision is a COM
promise between that demanded and
that offered. So far both sides should
be willing to acquieSce in the findings
OF the commission. The third import
ant question was that of change of the
mode of payment from measurement
to weight. The commission finds that
the statutes of Pennsylvania provide
ample protection to the miners on this
question and therefore it declines to
make any finding. On the question of
49, -o1o+;a,s hafwaar tho mina
tors and the United Mine Workers of
America Union the commission holds
that this matter was not properly
within its jurisdiction, and therefore
it makes no decision, but nevertheless,
considering the Importance of this
question it outlines a plan for the set
tlement of future differences.
When this commission was appoint
ed both sides to the controversy pledg-
ed themselves to abide by its decision.
If they were sincere in this and will
carry out their pledges, then the ardu-
Gus labors Of the men will not have
been in vain and we may look for good
results from their Investigations and
conclusions. The commissioners were
competent. able and sincere men, who
accepted the charge with a desire and
determination to be fair n just to
both sides. They have giTen months
of study and thought to the subject
under investigation and their o
illusions are worthy of the greatest
consideration from the public as we'll
as from the Individuals directly inter-
ested in the controversy.
On the subject of unions, strikes,
ETC., only the most rabid advocates of
forcible strikes and boycotts can OBJ
ject to the opinion expressed by the
commission. 1t recognizes the right of
Workmen to strike. 1t says hat while
a man has the right to join with an
other man to better their condition,
that those two men should not be
permitted to say to a third that he
snail not work, while predicting that
the third man in such cases would
soon join the other two if he saw they
were by peaceful means lettering their
condition. The commission lays down
the rule that respect for the law and
obedience to it must be observed on
ali occasions.
The report is emphatic in it's disap-
prevail of the employment of what the
operators call coal and iron police. 1t
declares that state and county peace
officers should form the reliance of
these corporations for protection of
their property; that the presence Of
such bodies of men is calculated to
create disorder and the desire for re-
taliation.
On the whole the two sides to the
should be satisfied with the findings
of the commission.