Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-10-13
PLUMMER AGAINST LABOR
Miners Legislative Committee Convicts Him
of Duplicity.
He Deliberately Blocked Legislation Favorable to
Worl<ingmen, Repeatedly Violated His Pledges,
and His Friends Boisterously Applauded the
Epithet, ''The Miners Be Damned

The official report of the legislative
committee of the United Mine Workers
for the Second district of this state
covering the session of the legislature
Of 1865, would make exceedingly inter-
esting as well as peculiarly appropri-
ate campaign literature at this time.
At a convention for the district held in
Altoona in 1904 certain legislation of
interest and advantage to miners was
outlined and endorsed. A committee
consisting of Edward Fisher, James
Hamilton and George B. Parks was
named by the convention to present
the proposed legislat ton and urge its
favorable consideration. The report
in question is the official account of
their labors, experiences and opera
tions in Harrisburg.
The proposed legislation consisted
of three measures, the hope of the pas
sage of which has long been cherished
by the miners not only of that dis
trict but in all parts of the state. They
were respectively an employers La
bility bill, bill providing for the ex-
animation of mine superintendent,
foremen aI>i miners, and a bill for the
appointment of a commission to re-
wise the mining laws generally. The
miners had been promised all these
measures and the committee of the
Second district entered upon their dut-
les serenely confident of success. They
knew exactly what they wanted, pre-
cisely how to convey their thoughts
to others and had the Industry and
persistence necessary to achieve re-
suits.
Failure of Fond Expectations.
But the gentlemen of the committee
soon realized that their fond expecta-
tions were destined to be disappoint.
ed. The machine managers sitting in
the seclusion of the Boas mansion were
serving the corporations rather than
the people and promptly issued orders
for the defeat of all the bills. They
were not to be executed in a brutal
manner, 1t is true. On the contrary,
the greatest delicacy was to be exer.
cised in the operation and the influ-
ential gentlemen of the committee
were to be "jollied" along in the most
soothing manner. The committee
worked dou nd ip-
cessantly while the legislators listen
ed attentively and professed the deep
est interest in the subject. But the in
lerost was not in the passage of the
measures. 1t was in the defeat of
them without betraying the purpose
in advance of the event. In other
words the scheme was to kill the pro-
posed legislation while protesting
sympathy for the policies expressed
| in the measures. 1t was to fool all the
miners all the time.
Two of the bills, that for the ex-
animation of mine superrinten1ents J
and foremen and that for the revision
| of the mining laws carried appropria-
| tions and having been referred to the
committee of which j. Lee Plummer
was chairman, that gentleman receiv-
ed most of their attention. He was
| profuse III assurances of friendiiness
but never reported any progress with
| the work. Finally the reasons of fail.
ure in this respect were revealed in
an accidental way. Representative
| Smith, of Indiana county. had been
urgent for the bills at various times
| and al a meeting of the committe i'm,
| portuned with unusual ferver where
| upon Chairman Plummer rebuked him
sharply and threatened his legislative
| interests. This so incensed Smith
| that he left the room.
| Report of the Committee.
The official report of the miners
committee * signed by Messrs. Fish
er and Hamilton and Is volumincus
| and explicit In part it says.
March 2S.-Up to this date none of
| our bills has been reported from the
several committees, but ever since we
| submitted them to their care we have
used every effort and every possible
means we could think of In urging
| their consideration in order that they
|
THE liability bill had another hear
| ing today. National Secretary Treas
urer Wilson spoke In behalf of the
| bill and showed the necessity for the
| passage of such bill. The house hay
| ing an afternoon session ali further
| hearing on the bill was postponed un-
| til s p. NJ The committee reconvened
| at p. NJ when the opposition to the
| liability bill was again given hear
| ing.
when the hearing was finished the
| committee went into executive ses-
| Gion. Many OF the committee were not
| present when the vote was taken to
| nave the bill sent to the house. The
| motion 10 present was lost by two
votes. This bill was then referred to a
subcommittee for this purpose of con-
sidering it and referring IL to The eom-
mittee again on Thursday.
March 29.-Boulton informed your
| committee that McWhinney had waiv-
| cd hearing on the other three bills,
claiming that The commission bill
| would cover all. The commission bill
| is still in the hands of the appropria-
! tions comuittee.
I PIummer Suggests Corrupt Bargain.
March 30.-Your committee receiv-
ed the Information from Representa-
tives BoulIuh aRd Smith that Plum
mer, the chairman Of the apBropria-
tions committee. WOULD CET THE
8 COMMISSION BILL CUT FOR r'HEM
If THEY AND CERTAIN OTHER
MEMBERS FROM THE COUNTRY
/ DISTRICTS WOULD GET IN LINE
AND VOTE t.OR CERTAJN MEAS