The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-21
WIN A VICTORY

Continued from page Ten.
The commission also makes number
OF recommendations which may be sum-
married. az follows:
The discontinuance OF the system OF en-
ploying '-rhe coal and iron police" be-
cause this force is believed to have an
irritating effect and a resort TO the regu-
larly constituted peace authorities In
case of necessity.
A stricter enforcement OF the laws In
relation to the employment Of children.
COMPULSORY INVESTIGATION
That the state and Federal govern
ments should provide machinery for the
making OF a compulsory investigation or
difficulties similar to the investigation 10
which this commission made. The COM
mission express the opinion that with
few notifications the Federal act OF Oc-
tober, 1855, authorizing a commission TO
settle controversies between railroad cor
porations and other common carriers
could. be made the basis OF law for ar
bitration In the anthracite coal mining
business.
The commission, however, takes de-
cided position against compulsory arpi-
tration. On this point they add quite
lengthy commentary, which closes In the
following language.
THE chief benefit to be derived from
the suggestion herein made lies In plac-
ing the real facts and the responsloihhy ny
for such n condition authoritatively De-
fore the people, that public opinion may
crystallize and make its power felt. Could
such a commission as that suggested
have been brought into existence on June
4 last we believe that the coal FAMINE
might have been averted-certainiy the
suffering and deprivation might nave
been greatly mitigated.'
CONTROVERSY RENEWED.
These awards and recommendations
constitute the closing part of the report
The earlier pages and oy long oaas ,nS tfe
10 a review OF the controversy which leo
to the presidents action In appointing the
commission. 10 the appointment itself ana
TO the proceedings OF the commission dur
ing it's existence. They review In a gem
eral way the production of anthracite
coal, refer 10 the smau area or country
In which II Is produced, and dwell at
some length on the market conditions
and the prices OF coal
They also refer 10 the hazardous nature
OF anthracite coal mining, and give an
estimate OF the loss occasioned by the
strike. These losses they estimate as
follows:
To the mine owners SAC, ooO; TO the
mine employees I'm wages SIS, 1000; TO
the transportation companies SIS. 900.
The commission says that I'm making
their investigation they have done what
ever Il was practicable to do. to acduaint
themselves with the conditions which
brought about the strike and they make
the following summary OF their work:
WORK OF INVESTIGATION.
They have gone through mines and In
spected the various conditions which the
production OF anthracite coal involves:
they have visited the breakers, the en-
gine houses and pumping stations: they
have examined the machinery by which
the mines are protected from water and
foul air; they have talked with the mi-
ners at their work and dn their homes;
and they have given attention 10 tho &C.
/ onomic. scholastic and religious phases
/ OF their lives, they have listened TO and
| directed the examination and cross-ex-
/ animation OF b5S witnesses: they have
/ given free scope 20 the counsel who rep
/ resented the operators. the non-union
men and the miners. and they have de-
voted an entire week 10 hearing their ar
! guments.
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
The commissioners also say that while
there have been differences OF opinion
| among themselves there never has been n
| time during the five months OF the exis-
tence OF the commission when there was
an unpleasant word spoken among them.
| "Or any indication whatever OF thought
or desire or aught save truth and jus
tice."
The commission then takes up the de-
mands OF the mine workers and the an
swers OF the mine operators, giving I'm
/ detail the reasons for the findings. In
"a general way they say that the condi-
tions Of the life Of the mine workers out
side the mines do not Justify IN their full
extent the adverse criticisms made bv
/ their representatives.
They also find that the social conditions
Sin the mining communities are good and
they fail 60 find that the wages are 30
low among the miners as 90 necessarily
10 force them 10 put their small children
10 work The commission also finds that
the average daily rate OF earnings in the