Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-03-26
Decision Of the Coal Strike Commission
Washington Correspondent.

w ASl1iANElON, u. DldICu 20, 1910.
The decision of the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission has just been made pub
lie and will doubtless be regarded as vie
tory for the miners, not only in that it
awards to them the increase in wages for
which they originally struck, but in that it
refutes the economic propositions advanced
by President Baer and other mine opera
tors On this subject the Commission says,
Undoubtedly the proposition that men
who own the property and carry on the
business must control it is generally true
and its maintenance is necessary to the
political and economical welfare of society
but it is also true that where a business is
of such magnitude and its physical condi-
tions are such as to constitute a natural
monopoly, it is affected with a public
interest which cannot be ignored by those
who control it, While submitting that
they do not feel authorized, und,r existing
conditions, to advocate compulsory arbitri-
ton the Commissioners recommend laW
proposed by Charles F. Adams which ro-
vides for Federal intervention in time Of ex-
tensiye conflicts between employers aud
employees. The specific awards of the
Commission, by which both operators and
miners are bound, give to the latter gea-
eral 10 per cent increase in wages begin
ming with April, 1903 Men emplt yed
nine hours are to be paid on ten hour
basis and provision is made for an increase
in wages of per cent for every cent in
crease in the wholesale price of coal, above
S4 so per ton for pea coal. The average
price of coal is to be determined by COM
missioner appointed by a United States
Circuit Judge and paid by the operators.
The miners are permitted all the check
weighers they may demand but they are to
be paid at the miners expense. Any in
crease in the size of miners cars is to be
met with proportionate incre ase in wages
1t is further provided that all disputes
arising during the period for which the
Commission makes its awards, shall be
adjudicated by ''joint concllatory COM
mittee" to consist of six members three to
be appointed by the operators, and three
by the members In the event that an
agreement cannot be reached by this evenly
divided committee, the committee shall
selec6 a seventh member who shall cast the
d. Gliding vote No discrimination shall be
made against union or n0n-union miners,
and all awards shall stand until March
81, 1906
The special session of the Senate of the
Fifty-eighth Congress has adjourned, after
ratifying the Panama and Cuban treaties.
Attention now turns to the action of Column
bia on the canal treaty and the magnitude
of the undertaking to which the United
States has committed itself 1t is esti-
mated, by those who believe i'll the success
of the agreement, that about the autumn Of
1894, some 10000 negroes armed with
spades and picks, will invade the isthmus
Of Panama, and begin digging
1t is said by the engineers that 10000
will be a minimum force of laboreis ard
that as high as $4,000 may be employed at
times. There are now about 1000 men al
work under the French Company and every
foot Of the ground for the canal has been
broken. There is no contract labor law
which applies to the isthmus and doubtless
negroes from all the West Indian Islands
will be imported and few may 90 from
the United States, although those already
acclimated will be given preference as the
amount OF sickness will thus be materially
diminished. Labor on the isthmus ccm-
mands from 40 to so cents per day There
are now on the route of the canal two thor
oughly equipped hospitals and these will
doubtless be kept full to OVERLOOKING as
none but Americans will be given the
higher grades Of work. All details of the
construction will be determined by the
Isthmian Canal Commission the members
of which the President will appoint as
soon as the treaty is ratified by Columbia.
The provisions of the Cuban treaty, as
ratified, will not go into effect until the
next session of Congress, as it has been so
amended as to necessitate favorable action
by both houses, and Senator McEnery, of
Louisiana, tells your correspondent that he
believes the agreement has been virtually
killed, that the House will inevitably
amend any bill approving it and thus pre-
cipitated extended discussion in the Senate
and that the upshot will be ultimate and
absolute failure of the whole project
Senator Newlands introduced, but subse-
quently withdrew, an amendment inviting
Cuba to become annexed to the United
States. The Senator is confident that when
he re-introduces this amendment next year,
it will meet with considerable support from
Republicans. Senator Elkins is already on
record as favoring annexation, and others
admit that they favor the proposition, but
are not ready to be quoted III favor of it.
Mr.. Newlands says that it will be much
wiser to press immigration before the island
becomes filled up with undesirable imm-
grants, and the leaders of both parties adj
nit that annexation is certain to come
some time. Senator Newlands does not
stand for anything in the character of
forcible annexation, but would merely
extend such an invitation to Cuba in order
that the idea might grow and gain strength
One OF the grayest errors Of President
Roosevelt's administration took place dur
inar fl,n al hfrtr5 ff fbo
and should prove warning to him of how
utterly unsafe be is when .'in the hands Of
his fiiendsu After nominating two
excellent men for the very important posi-
tion Of Assistant Treasurer of the United
States, and receiving destinations from
both, the President listened to the advice
of Senator Platt, Of New York, and at his
earnest request nominated Major William
plimley, By ways that were dark and
tricks that were vain, Mr.. PIatt secured an
immediate favorable report on Piimley's
nomination, and he was confirmed by the
Senate. Then protests began to reach the
Senate and the White House against the
appointment, and the nomination was re-
called. Meanwhile, Senator Depew who,
to his credit be it said, knew nothing Of
Plimley, fastened to assure the press that
filniey nad MS enuorcement. 30 strong
became the protests, however, that an
investigation was made, and it was dis
covered that Plimley was an utterly unfit
nominee, and the President withdrew his
name, and substituted that of Hamilton
Fish, who commands the respect of promi-
nent members of both parties. 1t was
only by accident, however, that the Presi-
dent was saved from an appointment which
must have reflected seriously on his adj
ministration.
We passed through country COM
munity not long since where the barns
and houses were all painted dirty
drab We do not like it bit While