The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-03-26
SATISFACTORY TO MINERS
President Mitchell Says He Is
Pleased With COMMISSIONS
Findings.

cision of the anthracite coal strike
commission is on the whole decided
victory for the miners and am pleas
ed with it," said President John
Mitchell, of the United Mine Workers
of America, in an interview tonight
with the Associated Press Represen-
tative.
1.-The anthracite miners of Pennsyl-
vania have reason to be much pleased
with the commissions award, and
am sure they are" he added.
In reply to a question as to whether
the miners were given as much as had
been hoped for, Mr.. Mitchell answered,
after an instant's hesitation: II do
not care to say"
"The most important feature of the
award" he continued, "is, of course,
the miners. This will result in an
annual increase of wages of 100000
anthracite miners of Pennsylvania of
$6,000000. The sliding scale provided
for by the commission is very salts
factory, inasmuch as a minimum Of
$3.50 per ton is fixed. With white
ash coal at $3.50 per ton at tide
water, the increase provided in the
sliding scale will be equivalent to 20
per cent. more in the miners wages"
President Mitchell was asked if he
was disappointed because the commits
sion did not recognize the union for
mally, and he replied that he was not,
because the decision of the commits
sion and it's awards were in them
selves recognition of the power and
influence of the United Mine Work
ers.
After the increase of wages given
the miners" said Mr.. Mitchell, 1.-The
most important awards from the min
ers' standpoint are the ones fixing a
nine-hour day and providing for a
board of Cancellation. The award gives
a nine-hour day with ten hours pay
directly to 10000 men, and practically
all of the other employees of the an
thracite mines will get nine-hour day
by reason of their comrades shorter
hours"
Board of Cancellation.
"The proviso for board of concilia-
ton will result in great good, and l
am much pleased with it. 1t will COM
pei investigation of both sides of con-
troversies between miners and oper-
ators, and bring the employers into
closer relationship with their men.
This cannot help but bring most bene-
fetal results"
Mr.. Mitchell was asked whether the
portion of the commissions report
saying the miners union as at pres
ent organized offered but little induce
ment to the operators to enter into
contractual relations with it referred
to the fact that the Unied Mine Work
ers was not an incorporated body, and
whether it would have any effect on
the possible incorporation of the or
der
1.-THE commission does not refer to-
the organization not being an incor-
porated body" replied Mr.. Mitchell,
'but. to the fact that so many of its
members are among the bituminous
miners"
Laws Against Child Labor.
The commissions recommendation
of the stringent enforcement or the
laws against child labor in the mining
region would, Mr.. Mitchell said, re-
suit in great good
81 think that this will result" said
he. gin securing the passage of law
that is now pending in the Pennsyl-
vania legislature raising the age limit
at which children may go to work TO
IA years for boys in the breakers and
16 for entering the mines"
President Mitchell's attention was
called to the statement in the COM
missions report that conditions In the
mining region do not justify the ad-
verse criticisms made before the COM
mission by the miners representa-
tives.
81 do not care to discuss that" Mr..
Mitchell said. 81 am not an impartial
observer of those conditions, OF course,
and NAV take an extreme view OF
them. Such things are, to great ex-
tent. you know, the result OF ones
moist of view, and mine is perhaps pre-