, 1907-08-09

VI AiiOliSd IL the oPSioeoio iSPiS
senting every mine in the Wyoming
district, says the Denver Post. 1t is
one of the greatest victories eve
achieved by organized labor in the
west, and puts the Wyoming miners
on the same basis as the well paid
fields of the middle and central west
and the organized fields of the far
east.
Four Weeks Negotiating.
1t is also another tribute to the di-
plomacy of the president of the miners,
John Mitchell, and their district lead
er, Thomas Gibson, who, together with
J.. J.. Hart of the southern Wyoming
fields and James Gridley of the north
ern, composed the final sub-commit,
tee that brought about an agreement
satisfactory to both sides. The nego-
tiations lasted four weeks, and at nc
time has there been danger Of q break.
j. ]. Hart, representing the Union
Pacific mines and employing about
5000 men has done for the miners
Of southern Wyoming what no other
mine manager has done for twenty
years in that field, and he has acquir
ed the reputation of the great com
promizer."
The scale committee on both sides
was pared down several times in order
to expedite the work.
First in Southern Field.
The miners Of the northern fields
have been organized for some time,
but the agreement is the first that
has been entered into in the southern
camps for nearly a quarter of a cen
fury. While the contract only runs a
year it has paved the way for perma-
nent peace, as the demand for Wyo.
ming coal is So great that there is NO
danger of s%hutdowns or the necessity
Of reducing the force or the mems
wages.
The increase applies to every man
who works around the mines, both as
to hours and wages, and the working
conditions are changed SO that the
men will have vastly improved condi
tions.
Thousands Added In Wages.
Wages will be added to the rolls
that will amount to hundreds of thou.
sands Of dollars each year and it means
prosperity for Wyoming miners. II
puts them on the same plane as the
Montana fields, and leaves only Vir
ginia and southern Colorado miners
working under conditions which In
some instances are considered by min
er leaders fit for dark age days.
The 20 per oent is figured as an av.
erage, as the increase varies in the
different fields and in different classes
Of work. In some instances demands
were made that represented an in
creas of % per cent, and these were
granted. Other workers were increas
ed 10 and Is per cent and every EN-
ploye, from the smallest boy to the
hardest miner, comes in for some sort
Of a raise.
Two Of the Features.
The e%ight-hour day and the addition
Of the checkoff man in the company
office are the two features that the
men fought the hardest for. They sue
ceeded in having the eight-hour Law
passed in Wyoming, but it was doctor
ed SO thoroughly that the first time II
was put to q test it was declared -un
constitutional The check-off man will
keep track Of every employe Of the
mine and each month will deduct from
his wages the AMOUNT of his dues OF
initiation in the mine workers Organi
cation whether he takes out a card OF
not. 1t insures union supremacy In
the mines.
Both sides Satisfied.
Both sides were pleased with the re
suit and John Mitchell, emerging from
the convention at the Club building
said: ct is a highly satisfactory set
Element for both sides. and Of course