The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-03-10
VICTORY FOR MINERS
Forecast of Findings of Anthracite
Coal Strike Commission.
VERDICT TO HOLD THREE YEARS


II is Believed Miners viii Receive
Increase in Wages and Indirect Rec
osnition of the Union-The Boycott
Will be Condemned
Washington. March Z. - President
Roosevelt's coal strike commission is
hurryins with its report and the doc
ument will probably be in the hands
Of the president within a week The
commission has all but agreed upon
all the vital points on which IT, was re-
quired To pass. Secrecy rs 10 the report
has been imposed on ali members of the
commission. but il is stated. neverthe-
less, that the forecast presented here
with covers briefly but correctly the
main decisions and recommendation
that will be made in the report to the
president.
This is a half-ohicial prophecy in
regard to the findings:
There will be at least 10 per cent
advance in the pay for mining, to take
effect from the time the miners re-
turned to work last October. The per
diem employees will not have their
wages increased, but viii be recon-
mended for the same pay for day of
nine hours
The system of pay will be regulated.
Wherever practicable the operators
will be required to pay by weight in
stead of by the car. and elsewhere by
the lineal yard. The miners will have
check docking representatives at their
own expense. This will practically
amount to a second increase in wages.
There will be indirect recognition OF
the union. which will come when the
findings are submitted by President
Roosevelt to John Mitchell as presi-
dent of the miners union.
The causes of the strike as found by
the commission will not be comforting
to the coal mining companies
The boycott will be condemned. and
the principle will be laid down that a
miner has right to work without mo-
lestation. even though he does not be-
long TO the union.
The terms of the verdict are TO hold
for three years. and recommendations
are to be made for settlements OF wage
and other questions at the end of that
period.
In local disputes the operators will
De advised to treat with committees of
the miners. and there may be a sugges-
ton for local boards OF arbitration.
The wage-scale question has been
troublesome because of the different
customs in various mines. In some of
the mines they are paid by the car.
Inc car is supposed to hold ton.
Using as an excuse the fact that the
coal almost invariably contained slate.
the operators have from time to time
increased the size OF the car until the
amount OF coal the men mine now for
a carload - the theoretical ton is
sometimes more than a ton and a half
In addition to this, the miners as
sert that by a system OF dockage they
are deprived OF a large per cent of
their earnings. and one of their main
demands has been for miners repre-
sentatives to check and verify the
weights as ascertained by the dock
bosses, and. at the expense of the min
ers, to represent the men.
In other collieries the men are paid
so much per yard of coal, and in Penn
sylvania & Reading mines the are paid
by weight after the coal is taken from
the mine This last mentioned sys-
tenn Is necessary from the fact that the
coal in these collieries is In vertical
veins. and there is no way in which
the miner can avoid loading the slate
with the coal.