The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-03-03
MINERS
Continued from Page one)

Total number of gross tons of coal
mined during the above period was 2s3,-
556,o77 tons, or 81, 5s2,so6 net tons.
The average days worked in 1905 was
211.
The average adys worked in 1909 was
1872.
Since July LIST, 1909, to February 1st,
1910, there were 24l killed and 632 in
jured.
During the year there were employed
In and around the mines an average of
62,ls9 persons, an increase of 1892 over
the previous year.
The report of the Fatal and Non-Fatal
accidents in the state, after careful in
Vestlgatlon shows that the greatest num-
Der comes from non-union sections of the
State.
Ii there is anything that this conven-
ton should do, it is to place itself on
record and urge upon the legislative
body of this state that law be passed
creating Mine Examining Board, and
that Mine Managers, Superintendent,
Hosting Engineers, Fire Bosses, Mine
Inspectors, and Deputy Mine Inspectors,
and miners be required to pass an ex-
animation.
When we think of the number of mex
perleneed men that are being placed in
the mines OF West Virginia without hav-
ing any knowledge of the dangers Incl
dent to coal mining, and not under com
petent management, we are led to be-
lieve that We are exceedingly fortunate
III not having more of these fatal and
hon-tatal accidents than the report of
the mine department shows. 1t is being
advocated at the present time by a num-
Der of men who are familiar with the
coal industry of this State, that arrange
ments must be made whereby at least
$4,000 men from foreign countries should
be secured, and need to be secured to
give the number that is required at the
present time to fill the demands of the
men who own the coal mines of this
State.
The fact is that if the coal operators
IN the non-union fields of West Virginia
should withdraw their opposition to our
organization and meet the miners in
JOINT convention and sign a Joint CON
tract which would give the miners better
conditions and shorters hours, they would
not be required to seek men from other
lands. There are thousands of men
who have been raised in this State that
nave been driven to try to better their
condition, and they would be glad to re-
turn if conditions were such that they
would be given the opportunity to assert
| their rights on all questions and be given
humane conditions of employment, and a
| respectable price for their labor
Naturally, men who come from other
countries and know nothing of coal min
ing, and our institutions in this coun-
try, and know less about our laws, will
submit to most any wage that is paid
them, and will comply with the conditions
that are forced upon them
These men should not be permitted to
enter our mines without passing an exami-
nation. All mon who work in and around
the mines should have general knowl-
edge of coal mines and the dangers that
surround our trade The fact that hun
dreds of lives might be snapped out by
ignorance of one man is sufficient reason
why all men who enter the mines should
have Il general knowledge of coal mining
With the cutthroat competition among
the various operators, they naturally,
when bidding to secure contracts for
their coal, especially when they have
keen competition, reduce their bids for
contracts to such an extent that they
are compelled to reduce the wages of
their employees, in order to operate their
mines.
L would recommend, in line with re-
cent action of our International Conven-
ton, that this convention place itself on
record as favoring law requiring the
above named parties to pass an examina-
ton. For your information, will say that
the International Executive Board has
been authorized to draft bill along this
line, and l would recommend that incom-
ing officers be instructed to send COPIES
of this bill to each and every local union,
and that they be further instructed to
use their power and influence to have the
same become a law in this State
GUARDS.
few days ago the Governor of our
State wrote me, enclosing a letter from
one OIL our local unions, relative to the
assault made on one of our representa-
uves on Loup Creek, in the New River
nd