The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-11-15

Raal gca Can hare pure air IL Ihs
mine where you aave steam 7ocono-
t3Fes going under the h5ll to haul thz
outs ] want. Mr.. Chairman,
ths honorable members Of thiz
commission. to go sao~ abcu. this
sGtSrs subject. You are capable of
running ali Of those things your
selves without any OF US telling yoG
anything about it You hare thA
nea al you command TO find Ont
everything that is necessary 10 giTt-
Us reasonable protection for thu aires
and limbs and health Of The men WHO
~oTk IN The mines of WeEt Virginia,
and ] want 10 deny in the ruGgt pos
sdFs manner that the mines IL West
virginia. with few exceptions, WIZ.
compare with the condition OF the
mines in tie state That ] came from,
50 far as safety is concerned ! do
not approve of rejecting on =
state, but when ] do thai deny lhe
rigAf OF ADJ gentleman TO TsSeer On
OIhfr states, and set up OFT 8ar5sons
ihai DO Lot eZist, and practical min
cts AL over ahls STATE know that
what ] say is Eue. and in addition
70 that it Is an unfortunate cordi-
taoD when 1e ave lhcuszu as of
men In his State, hundreds OF -neu
at least, who are practical miners,
that dare o come to this meeting,
and explain the conditions that exik1
in the mines in which they WORK.
That is d sad state of affairs. but that
statement cannot be coulra6ic1eG
successfully. because If il was cen
tradicteG, VIC will furnish the proc:
i'm E~1et2jstely-
MR.. JUDY:
] want to make q statement as {
member Of the commission relative
TO The matter of penalties ] under
stood = gentleman to say that H.
I Was informed that ~, I 11 SE1gfay.-
lions OF this body in Section Il OF
ths present mine law as shown in
Inc pamphlet prepared by Mr- Pau.
that 80" was stricken out and III
inserted. for the purpose Of giving
The justice Of the peace jurisdiction
1 want TO say this, that ghar matter
never entered into IL SO far as ]
know. no member of tbs commission
thought hat by striking out 80
and inserting 10" it would plaC.
the matter in the Jurisdiction Of =
justice Of the Leace, il it was not a!
ready there. or that that was the
( object OF doing it The object Of
doing hat was this If you vii
read Section ~ you will find that q
provides a penalty for practically all
of the preceding sections, The vic
aations Of some OF which could MOI
bring any very great hardship OF
anybody. and il WAS done for the
purpose of making it SO that If ii
the discretion OF the court hearing
the matter, a small penalty should
be administered that IL could be SC
done. h commission. and think
| every of ii. c~0ncurred, 4
was OF the opinion that this penalt.
covered sections. Tor the violations
Of which, under certain ci~rcunIstan-
ces. q ten dollar fine would be sui fl
cie1t to meet the ends of justice,
/ md n TI-1 Tor -b1y a,--ar-o ~ a. -lag
"as changed. Now that penalty Is
a fine of not less than fifty dollar
o more than five hundred dollar
and Imprisonment in the county jai!
O exceeding three months, and J
think, II the court. when the evidence
IS heard. is satisfied that the evidence
IL that the offences is of sufficient
seriousness TO administer that err
tire penalty, that may be administer.
ed, that in nearly every a s II will
be sufficient. II may be that therG
are cases when it should be NOR.
severe, but the commission were OF
he impression that that was reas-
enable punishment for the violation
,! the sections. After a more com
! Jletc consideration of the matter, il
may be that it will appear to the
commission that in some cases the
penalty shall be different, but ] ris.
particularly 10 disabuse the gentle
mans mind of the impression thai
th" commission, or any member OF
Il, thought that by striking out $50
and inserting 70. it vas for 1he
purpose of giving the justice juris
iiction.
MR.. NrGENT:
Mr. Chairman, ] want to say that
probably ! am responsible for Nr.
Lewis views in regard 20 h mat
aer, that in reducing the fine from
lfty dollars down to five. that the
matter 10 my mind was TO bring it
down to the jurisdiction OF & Justice
Of the peace, SO that speedy action
could be taken in fninS either the
miner or the mine boss, and preven,
he delay of appealing to the circuit
curt. The inspectors from Pennsyl-
fania advised or that point. | am
sure that | am one of the commission
who advocated The reduction OF the
Inc from fifty dollars down to five.
Tor the purpose OF having it brought
under the jurisdiction of the justict
IF the peace rather than to TX il
% the circuit court or criminal
court. That was my opinion OF tn
matter at the time. and that was the
~eason for my opinion. I presume
here was no discussion of the mat
! -er with Mr.. Judy before the com
mission. but I now that my opiuio.
vas that ! believed thai in reducine
! he fine, we would get more speedy
Justice than in putting il at fifty
dollars. and ! now | was iubued
With the idea as h correc; one.