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

good mine boss. a capable s1perin-i
,enGent, q fair coal COMPANY. would
b. DESTROYS Of protecting tbs meu IN
the mines. whatever abe employment
they are engaged in, without any
commission reeOu1rnerd ding q
or any legislature passing q law
IS all useless argument We
thDEe men are doing it. and 1e
o1her men aTs not doing IL,
and ] know conditions do exist in
this State where men may be en-
ployee today. and loEnorTo~ they
may be pat where th+g viii be killed
usea4ssly and unnecessarily Now,
why should something zot BE DONE
SO for as seven hundred families
leaTiug the State IS concerned ] DO
not care why they left the STATE ]
do not Care II they we're refused Sork
by ths mine owaeTs because they be-
goDged 10 Some Union, eau theg
had some peculiar notions OF their
own thai did not agree with the man
ageInent Of the mines, That has
nothing IN the world 10 DO with the
man who is now employed in the
mines. and Is placed IN q place
why're ne ss bound TO be billed unless
somebody looks after him II m9
statements are challenged ] am Will
iag 10 le@ye this afternoon with any
body and viii snow you where 1oen
are working where sheir lives are in
danger
MR. LEWIS.
desire 40 ask the indulgence of
the commission for just a few amin
utes- The miners have presented 20
the honorable members OF the ccE1-
mission propositions embracing their
ideas as to what, in their opinion,
could be dom TO protect the lives
OF miners In presenting these prop
ositions. due consideration was given
the interests of the mine OF
this State and we believe hat upon
a thorough Investigation. or upon
the repor that wou!d be submitted
by the members OF the mining de-
partmeDt, that when FINAL judgment
!s passed, it will be conceded that
the miners have been very CONSERVE
tive in their position We have
found out several things. and I am
not going TO repeat what ] have al
ready said. but with reference TO the
penalty attached TO any law that may
be enacted. l understand that the
members OF the commission have IL
mind, when considering the matters
thai have already been stated. thai
they have not finally agreed TO those
things, when considering the advisa-
billy Of reducing the minimum fine
from fifty dollars TO ten dollars, ar
! hope that the sole puTpo in Liza
change was not TO bring the enforce
ment OF the law under the 5urtsdic-
ton of Justice of the peace courts :
do not know that that is true, but II
IT. Is true. then IS means that VIC viii
have no law to protect the mines IN
Wes, Virginia, Except where We
have the strong arm Of united effort
on the part of the nine employees u
coulpel men who are owners OF mines
to respect the rights of those mine
employees in seeking protection for
themselves by their own efforts that
They cannot through the law of the
State. regret that Governor Elem
ing had to leave, n he may have
the privilege of reading the state
ment. but / would rather hat re
would have heard 1t. that there
is no desire on the part of q mine
worker, or the representatives Of ths
miners to either directly or indirect
Iy max use of any statements oT any
arguments that will cast the ieas;
iota OF a reflection, much less a Sian
der on this great State, bat the best
argument that has been advanced
here in defense of a radical revision
of the mining law. SO as 10 protecl
the lives, the limbs and the health
of the miners is the fact hat has
been acknowledged by III. mine own
ers themselves that the practical min
crs are leaving this State. That fea-
ture of it ] am not going to discuss,
because this IS not the place. but If
there is a condition in the State OF
West Virginia.. which is responsible
for driving out OF this State the prac-
ticai and experienced miner, then
why in the name of sense
is not that the very strongest reason
in the world there should be law
with q penalty attached, with the
power in the mining department To
enforce the law, and compel the
mine owners to throw the necessary
protection around Jhe experienced
man who works in The mines of thi
State. You need no other
than that, aGmittcdly coming from
the mine owners themselves, or At
least some OF them. They made the
point yesterday about the powder. !
very quickly, and as one who had
had nineteen y@aTs' experience ir
working around mines, stated thai
II was dangerous TO open e key Of
powder - sticking q pick point il
il, but the gentlemen do make thc
point that within seycnty-dve miles
OF this city. 4 lot of men were
brought 10 work in the mines. were
inexperienced. the powder was di-
TidCd around among those men by
q representatives Of the company.
the powder was taken by those me:r
~ r. ID To- 49,