The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1903-03-28
THE STRIKE COMMISSION.
Digest of the Voluminous Report
of the Presidents Anthracite
Strike Commission.
BETTER CONDITIONS FOR THE MINERS.
The Rights of All workmen, wheth-
err They Belons IN the Union or
Not, Must be Respected, aud All
Discrimination Is Positively For
hidden.


Washington, March 2l.-The report
of the commission appointed by the
president, last October, 10 investigate
the anthracite coal strike was made
public Saturday. The report is dated
March Is, and is signed by all the
members of the commission who are
Judge George Gray, of Delaware; La
Dor Commissioner Carroll ID. Wright,
Edgar L. Clark. of Iowa; Brighten.
John NJ. Wilson, of this city; Bishop
John l.. Spalding, of Illinois; Thomas
IL. Watkins, of Pennsylvania, and Ed
ward ". Parker. of this city The re-
port is TO be illustrated, and IL will
be accompanied by the testimony TAX
en- by the commission, but thus far
only the report proper has been
printed. This alone covers 81 pages
of printed matter.
In brief the commission recon-
mends general increase of wages
amounting in most instances to ten
per cent; some decrease of time; the
settlement of all disputes by arbitra-
tion; fixes a minimum wage and a
sliding scale; provides against dis
elimination of persons by either the
mine owners or the miners on ac-
count of membership 6r non. member
ship in IN labor union, and provides
that the awards made shall continue
in force until March 81, 1906. The
commission discussed to some extent
the matter of recognition or non
recognition of the miners union, but
declined to make any award ON this
matter.
Following is the commissions own
summary of the awards made:
|. That an increase of ten per cent.
over and above the rates paid In the
month of April, 1902 be paid to all con-
tract miners for cutting coal, yardage
and other work for which standard rates
or allowances existed at that time, from
and after November ], 1902. and during
the life of this award. The amount of In
crease under the award due for work done
between November /, lao2 and Aprll l,
1905, TO be paid on or before June |, leOS'
IL. That engineers who are employed IN
boisting water shall have an increase OF
ten per cent. on their earnings between
November /, 1902 and April !, l@3 to be
paid ON or before June |, 1903, and from
and after April |, 1893 and during the life
of the award, they shall have eight-hour
shifts, with the same pay which was eI-
fectiye In April, 1902, and where they are
now working eight-hour shifts the eight
hour shifts shall have an increase of ten
per cent. on the wages which were ef1ec-
live In the several positions in April, 1902.
Hosting engineers and other engineers
and pump men, other than those en-
loyedp in hoisting water who are em-
ployed in positions which are manned
continuously, shall have an increase Of
ten per cent on their earnings between
November /, 1862, and April |, 1903, to be
paid on or before June l. 1903: and from
and after April l, 1908, and during ths
life of the award, they shall have an In
crease of five per cent. on the rates OF
wages which were effective In the sew
tion they shall be relieved from duty on
Sundays, without loss of pay, by man
provided by, the employer TO relieve tnem them
firemen shall have an increase of ten per
cent. on their earnings between Novem-
Der, 1902, and April ]. 1903, to be paid on
or before june /. 1903, and from and after
April !, 1903. and during the life of the
award, they shall have eight-hour shirts,
with the same wages per day, week, or
month, as were paid in each position III
APRIL 1862 all employees or company men,
other than those for whom the commits
sion makes special awards, shall be PAID
an increase of ten per cent on their earn
ings between November |, 1902, and April
J. 1903, TO be paid on or before June !,
1903, and from and after April ], 1903, and
during the life of this award, they shall
be paid on the basis of nine-honr day,
receiving therefor the same wages az
We're paid in April 1902. for a ten-hour
day Overtime In excess of nine hours
in any day to be paid at a proportional
rate per hour.
III. During the life of this award the
present methods of payment for coal
mined shall be adhered to unless changed
by mutual agreement
In all of the above awards IL Is provided
that allowances like those made shall be
paid to the legal representatives Of such
emuioves az may have died since Noyem-
Der !, 1yJs.
" Any difficulty or disagreement aris-
Ing under this award. either as TO Its IN
depreciation or application, or In any way
growing out Of the relations of the en-
ployers and employed which can not be
settled or adjusted by consultation pc
of the mine or the mines. and the miner
or the miners directly interested. or IS
Of a scope too large 70 be setled or aa
justed, shall be referred 70 permanent
joint committee to be called board OF
conciliatfon. to consist Of six persons, ap-
pointed as hereinafter provided Inat y
to say If there shall be a division of the
whole region into three districts, In each
of which there shall exist an orsaniza-
tion representing a ma19rity OF the mine
workers OF such district. one Of said
board of conciliation shall be appointed
BY each Of said organizations and three
other persons shall be appointed by the
operators. the operators IN each OF sald
districts appointing one person.
The board Of cOneiliation thus consu-
tuted shall take up and consider any
question referred to Il as aforesaid, near
ing both parties to the controversy. and
such evidence as may be laid before IL
by either party. and any award made by
a majority OF such board Of conctltat1on
shall be final and binding on all parties.
III however, the said board is unable 20
decide any question submitted Of point
related thereto. that question or point
shall be referred to an umpire, TO be ap-
pointed at the request Of said board, by
one Of the circuit judges of the. third
whose decision shall be hnal ana bfndlng
in The premises. The membership of said
board shall at all times be kept cum
ranizations having the right. at any time
when a controversy Is not pending 10
change their representation thereon At
all hearings befoTe said board the par
ties may be represented Dy sucn person
or persons as they may respectively ss.
Iecf No suspension Of work shall take
place. by lockout or strike. pending the
adjudication Of any matter 50 taken Up
for adjustment
v. whenever requested BY majority Of
the contract miners Of any colliery. check
weighmen or check-docking bosses. or
both, shall be employed The wages OF
said check weighmen and chsck-docking
bosses shall be nxed. collected and paid
said miners shall by a majority vote eject.
and when requested oy majority OF
saId rnfzere the operators shall pay the
wages fixed for check weigmmsn and
made proporalonately from the earnings
Of the Eas1 rnineg@. on sucn basis as the
na5orlty Of said miners shall determine.
VI Mine cars shall be distributed among
miners NFho are at work, as uniformly
and as equitably as possibas q there
ekall be no concerted effort on lne part
of the miners og naine workers Of any