The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22
WAGES OF MINERS.
0CoNCLuDED PROM FTRsT PAGE.l

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE)
Anthracite Coal Statistics, above $3.50 per
ton f. o. b.. the employees shall have an in
crease of j per cent. in this compensation,
which shall continue until change in the
average of said coal works a reduction or
an increase in said additional compensa-
ton hereunder; but the rate of compensa-
ton shall in no case be less than that fixed
in the award That is, when the price or
said coal reaches $4.55 per ton, the COM
pensation will be increased i per cent, to
continue until the price falls below $3.50 per
ton. when the 1 per cent. increase Will
cease. or until the price reaches $46O per
ton, when an additional per cent. Will be
added. and These average prices
shall be computed monthly by an account
ant or commissioner named by one OF the
circuit judges of the Third judicial circuit
of the United States and paid by the coal
operators such compensation as the APP
pointing judge may fix, which compensa-
ton shall be distributed among the oper-
ators in proportion to the tonnage OF each
mine In order that the basis may be laid
for the successful working of the sliding
scale provided herein, Ii is also adjudged
and awarded that all coal operating COM
panies file at once with the United States
commissioner of labor certified statement
Of rates of compensation paid in each &C.
existed April !, 1902.
NO DISCRIMINATION.
Ninth-No person shall be refused en-
ployment or In any way Disseminated
against on account of membership nom
membership in any labor organization, and
there shall be no discrimination against or
interference with any employe who is not
member Of any labor organization by MEM
bers of such organization.
Tenth-An contract miners shall be ne
Quired TO furnish within reasonable time
amount of money due from them to their
laborerS, and such sums shall be deducted
from the amount due the contract miner
and paid directly to each laborer by the
company. All employees when paid shall
be furnished with an itemized statement
of account.
continue in force until March 81, 1906, and
any employee, or group of employees, violat-
ing any OF the provisions thereof shall be
subject to reasonable discipline by the en-
ployer, and, further that the violation of
any provision of these awards, either by
employer or employees, shall not invalidate
any Of the provisions thereof.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The commission also makes a number
of recommendations, which may be sum-
married. as follows:
The discontinuance of the system of en-
ploying the local and iron police" because
this force is believed to have an irritating
effect, and a resort 10 the regularly con-
stituted peace authorities in case of neces-
| sity.
stricter enforcement of the laws in re-
| lation to the employment of children.
That the state and federal governments
should provide machinery for the making
of a compulsory investigating of difficult
| ties similar TO the investigation which this
| commission has made. The commission
| expresses the opinion that with a few
notifications, the federal act of October,
| 1858. authorizing commission TO settle
| controversies between railroad corpora
| tions and other common carriers, could
| be made the basis of a law for arbitration
/ anthracite coal mining business
commission, however, takes a decided po-
| sition against compulsory arbitration. On
this point they add a lengthy commentary.
| which closes in the following language:
THE chief benefit to be derived from the
| suggestion herein made lies in placing the
real facts and the responsibility for such
condition authoritativeiy before the people
| that public opinion may crystalline and
make its power felt. Could such a commits
sion as that suggested have been brought
| into existence in June last we believe the
coal famine might have been averted-cer-
tainly the suffering and deprivation might
have been greatly mitigated."
LOSSES BY THE STRIKE.
These awards and recommendations con-
stitute the closing part of the report The
earlier pages. and by long odds the larger
portion of the report, are devoted to re-
view of the controversy which led to the
Presidents action in appointing the COM
mission, to the appointment itself and to
| the proceedings of the commission during
| its existence. They review in a general
way the production of anthracite coal, refer
to the small area of the country in which
| IL is produced, and dwelt at some length on
the market conditions and prices of coal.
| They also refer to the hazardous nature of
anthracite coal mining and give estimate
1 OF the losses occasioned by the strike.
| Those losses they estimate as follows As
to mine owners, SAC 100000 to the mine en-
1 I'll IN n. H.
portation companies. $2S,000O00.
! The commission says that in making their
investigation they have done whatever it
/ was practicable 10 do TO acquaint them
| selves with the conditions which brought
about the strike and they make the follow
| ing summary of their work: They have
| gone through mines and inspected the con-
| ditions which the production of anthracite
| coal involves; they have visited the break
ers. the engine houses and pumping stations:
| they have examined the machinery by
| and foul air; they have talked with the
miners at their work and in their homes,
and they have given attention to the Geo.
| nomic. domestic, scholastic and religious
phases of their lives; they have listened to
and directed the examination and cross-ex-
| animation of TIE witnesses; they have given
| free scope TO the counsel who represented
| the operators. the nonunion men and the
miners. and they have devoted an entire
week to hearing their arguments.
The commissioners also say that while
| there have been differences of opinion
| among themselves there never has been a
| time during the FIVE months of the exist
! nee of the commission when there was an
] unpleasant word spoken among them. ''or
any indication whatever OF thought or de-
| sire of aught save truth and Justice
CONDITIONS OF LIFE.
| The commission then takes up the de-
mands of the workers and the answers of
the mine operators given in detail in the
reasons for the findings. In a general way
| they say that the conditions of the life of
| the mine workers outside the mines does
not justify the adverse criticisms made by
| their representatives. They also find that
| the social conditions in the mining COM
munities are good and they fail to find
that the wages are so low among the miners
as necessarily to force them to put their
small children 10 work. The commission
/ also finds that the average daily wage
| rate of earnings in the anthracite regions
! does not compare unfavorably with that
| in other Industries. On the subject of the
recognition OF the mine workers union
| the commission says they do not consider
| that this subject is within the scope of the
| jurisdiction conferred them. They do
| say, however. that 'the suggestion of a
working agreement between employers and
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