The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-28
LABOR VICTORY.
w. P. Robinson So Terms Re-
suit of PittsbHrg Conference.
Says "That Every Miner Must
Be Union Man."
AGREEMENT SIGNED.
AGREEMENT 81.
Operators Bind Themselves to
Follow Its Provisions.
Demand of z Cents a Ton In.
crease Allowed.

terence DelWeeH miners ana operators
at Pittsburg, Which resulted in an ad-
vance of cents a ton in the wages of
coal miners:
1T is the greatest victory for organiz-
ed labor in the history of the state, or
the states interested. 1t means rhat
every miner in Kansas. Indian Terri
tory, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri
must be a union man. 1t means that
there will be no more strikes in the
mines of this district. Unless one side
or the other violates the contract which
has been entered into, every dispute
must be settled by arbitration
In explaining the effect of the contract
on non-union miners. Mr. Robinson
said:
The contract recognizes the pit COM
mittee as authority The pit committee
is appointed by the union. Whenever d
mine agrees to deal with its miners
through the pit committee. it means
that the mine is to be union from top
to bottom. The contract provides that
operators shall check off from the
mems pay such sums as are specified
by the union authorities to pay initia-
tion fees, dues and fines incidental 10
the union. Every two weeks the oper-
ators pay over to the union the sums so
collected The union agrees to furnish
to the operator when desired an order
from the miners for such a .check-off'
system. Now in case a non-union min
er does not, in a reasona BILE time after
the present date join the union, the rep
resentatives of the union will go to him
and present paper for his signature
which authorizes the operator to cheek
off for the benefit of the union, the
specified sums for initiation. etc If the
non-unlon man refuses to sign this pa
per, the union notifies the operator that
said workman refuses to comply with
the orders of the union and demand his
discharge, which under the agreement
must bezaccepted and acted upon by
the operators.
AT the present time, about per cent
of the coal miners of Kansas are nom
union men. In Missouri between 15 and
20 per cent are non-union, and in Ar
kansas, about 80 per cent are non-unioB.
We expect that all of these will be
forced TO join the union.''
The new scale of wages, with all the
voluminous supplemental agreements
between the miners and operators was
signed Monday. 1t was in many ways a
most memorable event in the labor
world, and will be fully reported in the
forthcoming annual report of the state
labor commissioner. The agreement
will be printed in full in that report
1T was not only the first joint inter
state scale ever signed 81 the south
west" says the Pittsburg Headlight,
but it was the first time in many years,
that four of the companies, the Big
Four, signed a union contract. From
this point of view the signing of the
contract was one of the most important
events in the history of the United Mine
Workers of America, and it emphasized
more than ever the Importance of the
truth that more can be gained bypeace-
full methods than by war, for during
many years the miners of the southwest
had been striving by Industrial warfare
to force these four big concerns to recog-
milton of the union, and unsuccessfully.
but at last this has been accomplished
by the greater and more satisfactory,
and less costly methods of peaceful per-
suasiOn and conciliation.
"The new contract had been accepted
bv the miners late Saturday afternoon,
but the joint scale committee met Mon
day to adjust a disagreement regarding
the scale for top men,
1.-The new scale gives the miners an
advance in wages all along the line.
The tonnage price in this district is
advanced seven cents per ton, from 90
to 72 cents for mine run coal The
miners had asked for an advance of
1919 cents but agreed to a compromise
The dav wage scale is also considerably
advanced the advance being virtually
25 per cent for underground DAY men,
and the men receiving an advance of 81
fcanfS daX. Ine ndllOiidl O<1y NoGC
/ scale is to be paid in the three districts
The tonnage price varies, according to
the thickness of the vein, and condI-
tions of coal in the several nelos' pu.
the advance is uniform in percentage
An eight hour work day Is given,
80 tbe rnion is recognized in full
throughout the three districts The price
of powder remains the same as last
year 50 per keg-
The new contract affects about fifty
in mines the
three southwestern districts. including
the states of Kansas, Missouri. Arkan-
sas Texas and the Indian Territory. II
! is expected that every coal operator IN
the three districts will ratify the scale
| and contract All of the large oper-
| ators and nearly all the smaller ones
belong to the operators association,
which has already ratihed the CONTRACT
association are expected to sign the
contract before it takes effect, on Sep
The scale is signed by the following
representatives:
In behalf of the operators:
! r F Bush president: S. w KnifHn.
secretary. Southwestern Interstate Coal
Operators association
/ Kansas-A B. Kirkwood. Charles J.
indian Territory-J. c. Reid. A K.
Craig.
! MfssouriAB. It. Wiley. Peter Mccall
In behalf of the miners:
John Mitchell. president United Mine
Workers of America
Kansas-George Richardson. Ralph
Deacon
Indian Territory-Peter Hanraty, Pete
| Stewart.
Arkansas-Pete Stewart. S. F. Brack-
new
Missouri-George Colville, George
Manuel: Robert Gilmour, secretary of
/ Joint convention.