The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-10-12
le onlclal report Of the legislative

committee of the United Mine Workers
for the Second district of this state
covering the session of the legislature
Of 1905, would make exceedingly inter.
esting as well as peculiarly approprl-
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 Il. Parks was
named by the convention to present
the proposed legislation and urge it's
favorable consideration. The report
In question is the offlcial account OF
their labors, experiences and opera
lions 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. - y
we're respectively an employers La.
bility bill, bill providing for the ex.
animation OF mine superintendent.
foremen and miners, and bill for the
appointment of 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
10 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 infiu-
entail gentlemen of the committee
were to be "jollied" along In the most
soothing manner. The committee
worked night and day and argued in
cessantly while the legislators listen.
ed attentively and professed the deep
est interest in the subject. But the in
terest 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 superrlntendents
and foremen and that for the revision
of the mining laws carried appropria-
uons and having been referred to the
committee of which j. Lee Plummer
ed most of their attention. He was
proiuse in assurances OF friendliness
hut 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 az 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 is signed by Messrs. Fish
er and Hamilton and is voluminous
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
lhelr consideration in order that they
might be presented before the house.
nv huplllly Dlll Hdu dHOIner near
ing today. National Secretary Treas
prer Wilson spoke In behalf OF the
olll and showed the necessity for the
passage or such bill. The house hav-
ing an afternoon session all further
nearing on the bill was postponed un-
III z. M. The committee reconvened
A. I, M. when the opposition to the
ing.
When the hearing was finished the
committee went into executive ses-
sion. Many of the committee were not
present when the vote was taken to
nave the bill sent to the house. The
motlon TO present was lost by two
votes. The bill was then referred to a
sub-committee for the purpose of con-
ndering 1t and referring 1t to the COM
mittee again on Thursday.
March 29.-Boulton informed your
committee that McWhinney had waiv-
"a a hearing on the other three bills.
claiming that the commission bill
would cover all. The commission bill
y still In the hands Of the approprla-
lions committee.