The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-01

FQlf1MOnL&CO.
CONTINUED from Page One.)
gion. Because Of these reports. so it
ia said, he sent a detective Of his own
to investigate. Only the governor
himself Is said to have known Of this
move as he took no one else In his
confidence. The lttestlve spent sew,
eral months on the work, securing
employment at various mines and IN
lumber camps. His findings. written
out, are on file in the governors Office,
so the story goes. and, it Is reported
have not been published, TO quote q
high otflcislf. make "West Vlrginla's
name u blot upon American clviliza'.
ton" This is. the first publication Of
the rumor that such a sensation
breeding document Is In existence and
may result in further disclosures.
It Is further learned that on Thurs,
day night Governor Dawson had a
long and stormy conversation with
several representatives OF the coal op.
orators VINO called on MIN In his Of
fee TO ask his support for the new
mining code which had, been intro.
ducel by Senator Gartlan by request
Of the operators. AZ
Would Veto Bill. '
The governor refused point blank to
do anything for this bill and moreover
told the operators that should the bill
PASS he would vito it the moment 1t
reached him. the governor Is said to
have used emphatic language In tell.
Ing the operators. who were mostly
from the lower end Of the State, that
this bill was one OF the most vicious
pieces Of legislation he had ever seen.
Though this bill has already been
described in the newspapers. brief
reference 10 some Of its provisions Is
necessary In order to make clear the
governors rojStcions. It provides that
a board shall be appointed consisting
Of two operators and two mining en-.
glneers. who shall recommend TO the
governor names Of persons they he
lieve no be qualified for the position OF
chief mine inspector. From among
those so recommended the governor
shall appoint the chief inspector. This
provision. the governor told the ope.
rators. threy the mine department alb.
splutely into the handS OF thsI coal
operators OF the State and stuffed
the dignity OF the office OF governor by
compelling that official to choose, re.
garless Of his own judgment. chief
Inspector wholly Mt the dictates OF
those whom he was to Inspect. The
operators argued that 1.-THE two mining
engineers would Offset the two opera.
tors. but the governor said that as
mining engineers must look TO the ope-
rators and not to the coal diggers for
their employment It vas not difficult
TO figure out which side they w.
on. As the law eliminated the miner
from nil consideration and tied ire
department hand AMI foot to the ope,
rators and also because, he regarded
the principle OF appointment embodied
az IN insult TO the office OF chief eS.
ecutive, the governor resisted all ef-
forts to dissuade him from his posi-
t1on. The law also requires the depu.
~ inspectors to pass examinations be.
fere this board OF coal operators and
to be selected from those so examined.
1! also creates a number Of district
boaNls for the examination Of fire
toss's and mine foremen. On mona
OF these boards were the working
miners given recognition.
Threw Out Suggestion.
The governor suggested to the ope.
rators that they were proposing 10 pile