The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-03-04
CORPORATIONS
DEFY OFFICERS
10 Enforce the Mining Laws of the State
Legislature Fails of Its DUTY to
the People,


union and "guard" controlled
sections of the state seem to be
more powerful than the state
government, since the late lament
eel session of the legislature re-
fused to give the report of the
legislative mine investigation com
mittee or the mining laws any con.
slderation whatever, and as a
consequence the department of
mines may be practically abondon-
ed, as under the present system it
is of no use whatever to the state
and her citizens.
The department is deprived of
Its usefulness by these operators
who through their power invariably
clrcumvent prosecutions for
violations of the mining and other
state laws and utterly ignore the
department of mines.
Every serious accident that has
occurred in the past few years has
been in the non union section and
in every case the mines were being
operated in defiance of the law and
all prosecutions of the violatcrs
have failed of results. Hundreds
of men have been hurled into
eternity in these death traps and
those responsible for their death
still go unpunished.
But Oh the other hand when IL
miner is arraigned before the
courts for any minor infraction of
the law, the punishment is swift
and sure, and in many instances
the operator is more guilty of the
otlenSc than the miner. Miners
can DC jailed for any little
technical violation, but the ~opcr-
atorS can violate the laws to such
an extent that hundreds of miners
lives are sacrificed as a result and
they escape all prosecution.
An instance of how much re-
Spcct the operators in the "scabn
coal fields have for the law and the
officers thereof, was exhibited
during the late session of the
legislature while the question of the
employment of shot-fircIs in
mines was pending, when one OF
these Self-constituteu rulers of the
states destiny served notice that he
be damned if he ever would employ
shot-iirers i'll his mine, and il
served its purpose as the lcgiS-
lature refused to make it a law
The Governor, it is said feels that
so long as the present conditions
exist that the operators could
make good their boasts.
In view of these facts the Cover
nor himself declares that the de,
partment of mines is of but little
use to the state as long rs these
conditions prevail. He has amass.
ed an enormous amount of docu-
mcntary evidence in regard to tho
conditions in these fields which il
given to the public would moro
strongly entrench the blot upon
West Nirginia's name before the
entire civilized world.
Members of the department o.
mines and other officers of the law
have their footsteps dogged by
"guards' in the non-union regions
and the citizens are intimidateG
and coerced until they are ali un
der the utter subjcction of thu
criminal corporations and theil
hired thugs.
All these facts were known tt
the Legislature, and 1T was urged
pleaded with and inplored to Civ
the people Legislative relief. to IL
of which it turned Il deaf ear ant
supported the bosses, and it vii
90 down in the history as re
pudiator of the people And still
last fall many of the members o
the legislature from the publ
platform eulogized III eloquen
oratorical efforts the wage Garner
declaring their allegiance to then
in securing legislation for the pro
lection of their lives and familie
and closed with a dramatic rG
iteration that America is tn
LAND OF THE FREE AM
HOME OF THE BRAVE.