The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-03-26
REPORT ON STRIKE.
F ldings of the Commission Are
Maze Public.
CONSIDERED VICTORY FOR MINERS.
Favors the worlxmen ON Most of the
Main Points Involved Except
That of Recognition of
the Union.

Washington, March 23.-The report
of the commission appointed by the
president last October to investigate
the anthracite coal strike was made
public Saturday. The report is dated
March IS, and is signed by all themem-
bers of the commission, who are Judge
/ George Gray, of Delaware; Labor Com
missioner Carroll ID. Wright, and Brig.
i Gen. John M. Wilson, both of this city;
Bishop John L. Spalding, of Illinois;
Edgar L. Clark, of Iowa; Thomas ID.
Watkins, of Pennsylvania, and Edward
w. Parker, of this city. The report is
to be illustrated and it will be accom-
panied by the testimony taken by the
commission, but thus far only the re-
port proper has been printed. This
alone covers 81 pages of printed mat
ter. .....
In brief the commission recommends
a general increase of wages, amount
ing in most instances to ten per cent;
some decrease of time; the settlement
of all disputes by arbitration; fixes a
minimum wage and a sliding scale;
provides against discrimination OF
persons by either the mine owners or
the miners on account Of membership
or non-membership 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.
Summary of the Awards.
Following is 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 l, 1902,
and during the life of this award. The
| amount of increase under the award
due for work done between November
/, 1902, and April l, 1908, to be paid on
| or before June !, 1908.
Hosting engineers and other engin-
GERS and firemen receive an increase
of from five to ten per cent.
During the life of the award the pres
ent methods of payment for coal
mined shall be adhered to, unless
changed by mutual agreement.
ANY difficulty or disagreement aris-
| ing under the award, either as to its
interpretation or application, or in
any way growing out of the relations
of the employers and employed which
cannot be settled or adjusted by con-
| sultation between the superintendent
or manager of the mine or mines and
| the miner or miners directly inter-
ested, or is of a scope too large to be
settled or adjusted, shall be referred
to a permanent joint committee to be
called board of Cancellation, to con-
sist of six persons, appointed as here
matter provided. That is to say, if
| there shall be division of the whole
region into three districts, in each of
which there shall exist an organiza-
ton representing a majority of the
mine workers of such district, one of
pointed by each of said organizations,
and three other persons shall be APP
pointed by the operators, the oper-
ators in each Of said districts appoint
ing one person.
The board of Cancellation thus con-
stituted shall take up and consider any
question referred to it as aforesaid,
haa he
versy and such evidence as may be laid
before it by either party; and any
award made by majority Of such
board of Cancellation shall be final and
binding on all parties.
No suspension of work shall take
place, by lockout or strike, pending
the adjudication of any matter so
taken up for adjustment.
Whenever requested by a 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
check docking bosses shall be fixed,
collected and paid by the miners.
Mine cars shall be distributed among
| ulluSIS, VIII dI dI "OIh, as uniformly
and as equitably as possible.
Sliding Scale Adopted.
The following sliding scale of wages
shall become effective April /, 1903,
and shall affect all miners and mine
workers included in the awards of the
commission:
The wages fixed in the awards shall
be the basis of and tse minimum under
the sliding scale:
For each increase Of five cents in the
average price of white ash coal of
sizes above pea coal, sold at or near
New York, between Perthamboy and
Edgewater and reported to the,
bureau of anthracite coal statistics,
above $3.50 per ton, +. o. b., the en-
ployes shall have an increase of one
per cent. in this compensation, which
shall continue until change in the
average of said coal works a reduction
or an increase in said additional COM
pensation hereunder; but the rate of
compensation shall in no case be less
than that fixed in the award. That is,
when the price of said coal reaches