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

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are using the inexperienced man, by
putting the experienced miner with
the other. My friends, and especial
ly Mr.. Jackson. l know he is my
friend, when he attempts to argue
that experience is unnecessary in dig
ging the coal, in the working of the
men; If that is true, the same logic
would indicate that experience is un-
necessary to go to the Bar TO prac-
tice law
MR.. LEWIS:
Inasmuch as l feel l should answer
l want to make the statement that
the anthracite region of Pennsylva-
mia Is the only place where they have
a law requiring men to be practical
men. I have already stated that we
have such a law in the State of Ohio,
and it is no fault of the people that
it Is not enforced. We have not ask
ed for a law similar to he one in the
anthracite. OF course, the men who
secure employment there must pass
an examination, and get a certificate
and that law has been Upheld by the
Courts.
We I've asked this Commission
that the men have one years expert
ence as a mine worker, and nav a
certificate showing that he has work
ed this length Of time. If he has had
INA experience With ne Ii cIlplOSeu,
he can go to work; If not, he should
work with an experienced man in
The mine. How are you going to ar
range that? l will ell you. In pre-
cisely the same manner which we ar
range conditions now or in which we
range conditions in the mines in
West Virginia. When a man comes
10 your mines for employment, he
has got to go to the trouble of desig-
mating the place where he is going to
work. it doesn't matter whether he
is an experienced or inexperienced
man. The mine boss says to the eX-
perienced man who along,
there is only n man down there;
you can go down there and work
with him. You do not say to that man
taht he is going to get more tina fiji
ty per cent of the wages earned by
h two men in thai room and in the
best organized State of this country.
If you have machine runner who
understands how to use a machine to
the very best advantage, and you
have another machine runner who is
fully as competent with two rooms
or six or eight rooms in the territory
of the mines to cut the coal, those
two men. of curse, with their eXper-
fence, can handle the machine and
cut the coal with less expense. If
one of those two experienced machine
men quit INC leave at that time, an
other MAJ m along seeking en-
Dloyment, or there may be another
in that mine that you are going to
change him from Il territory to an
other, he may be less experienced
than the first man, but that doesn't
mako any difference. The mine boss
says to this fellow, there is only
one nan on that machine, l want you
to go in there because one man can
p@t 1a,11o tho r,ar1,ir' INlo,n &c.
no uch thing as getting W men
with absolutely the same ability. If
| thought for a moment that any
thing that the miners have asked to
be Incorporated in the law would re-
tard the progress in this State |
would leave and never come back to
the State of West Virginia. I live SO
close to the State that l feel am a
citizen of it; and the time has come
in the history of the development OF
the State when the gentlemen on the
other side will acknowledge thar
what we are asking of them particu-
larly in securing for HI mine work
ers, will be of even less definite ma
ture, not only to the mar who
swings the pick, but to the man who
owns the mine. l am not going to
discuss the details of many things
thai know. | was closer to Poca-
hontaS when that explosion occurred
than many men had any idea of. II
is my business, and with all the in
genuity of IL friends on the other
side, they cannot watch me always.
We are going to get closer together
IN every proposition. ! hope this
Commission with all the information
that everybody in this State ought to
give 10 them, will be able to arrive
at such a conclusion as will be salts
factory to everybody. In reply to
my friend, Mr.. Jackson, so far as the
penalty feature is concerned, penal
ties are not attached to avs to i'm
pose hardships on any nan who is
law abiding. We want to reach him
whether Il miner or mine owner.
Upon motion of Mr.. Springer, the
meeting adjourned until nine o'clock
tomorrow morning.
Nrp~,~- SI,ccYn