The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-24


commissioner, named by one of the cir
cult judges of the Third judicial circuit
Of the. United States 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 slid
ing scale provided herein. it is also ad-
judged and awarded:
That all coal operating companies file
at once with the United States Com
missioner of Labor, a certificate state
ment of the rates of compensation paid
in each occupation known in their COM
panies as they existed April 1, 1902.
9. No person shall be refused employ
ment or in any way Disseminated
against, on account of membership or
nou-membership in any labor organiza-
ton: and there shall be no discrimina-
tion against, or interference with any
employee who is not a member of any
labor organization by members Of such
organization.
10. All contract miners shall De re-
Quired to furnish within a reasonable
time. before each pay day, statement
of the 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 en-
ployees, when paid shall be furnished
with an itemiZed statement Of account.
IL. The awards herein made shall
continue in force until March 31st. 1906,
and any employee or group of employ
ees. violating any of the provisions
thereof, shall be subject to reasonable
discipline by the employer; and. furth-
er that the violation of any provision
Of these awards, either by the employ
er or employees shall not invalidate
any of the provisions thereof.
The commission also make a number
Of recommendations, which may be
summarized as follows:
The discontinuance of the system of
employing ''the coal and iron police, =
because this force is believed to have
an irritating effect, and a resort to the
regularly constituted peace authorities
in case Of necessity.
A stricter enforcement of the laws in
relation to the employment Of children.
That the state and federal govern
ments should provide machinery for the
making Of a compulsory investigation
of differences, similar to the investiga-
ton which this commission has made.
The commission expresses the opinion
that with a few modifica tionS. the fed
eral act of October, 1888 authorizing a
commission to settle controversies be-
tween railroad corporations and other
common carriers could be made the
basis of a law for arbitration in the
anthracite coal mining business. The
commission, however, take a decided
position against compulsory arbitration.
On the subject of the recognition OF
the mine workers union, the commission
says that they do not consider that this
subject is within the scope of the juris-
diction conferred on them. They say
however, that the "suggestion Of the
working agreement between employers
and employees embodying the doctrine
of collective bargaining is one which
the commission believe contains many
hopeful elements for the adjustment
of relations in the mining region
Further on they say: "The present
constitution Of the United Mine Work
ers of America does not present the
most inviting inducements to the oper-
ators to enter into contractual relations
with it.