El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-03

remained in force for three years until
1896, when II was renewed for another
period OF three years after the miners
had suspended work for about six
weeks When this agreement expired
on March 81, 1903, a new president OF
the miners union. 7. L Lewis took I'D
the negotiations for the men. This time
the miners did not stop after the com
pact had expired, but agreed to continue
operations pending the negotiations OF
a working arran cement After con-
Ierrlng until 2S days after the agree
ment entered into in 1906 had expired.
tne commission award was again put
INTO erect for another three years
with the addition Of five stipuIations
adjusting matters that had come m
during the life Of the award.
Inc anthracite miners began to pre-
pare Ior the present trouble last fan.
Wnen they held a convention AT Pits
mands:
Anthracite Demands.
IA one year agreement
Eight hours a day for all Glasses
of men.
3.-Reeognition Of the union in ne
goIaUlng wage agreements and the
right to provide a method Of cOIisc+i-,-
revenue for the organization.
"A more convenient and uniform
system OF adjusting grievances within
a reasonable time limit.
"a 20 percent Increase in wages.
"a minimum OF $3.50 a dav for all
miners and S275 for Iaborers for con-
s1deratiOn work
That the system whereby a ron
tract miner has more than one working
place IN the mine or employs more tba6
two laborers shall be abolished
8.-That the right Of check vvefeb1,e-
ana check docking bosses shall be rec
ognized and that they shall not be in
their work u
~ 9.-That all coal be mined and Maid
Ior by the ton Of 2240 pounds wherever
During the winter efforts were made
10 strengthen the union, which met
with considerable success. and +be1
came the negotiations. The opera fo7-si
committee. whose personnel remai77s5
ABOUT the same as in ali the former
negotiations, found another new rDa1
leading the miners, John P. White
Three meetings between the opere-
lOIs ana committee OF the union min
ers were held in New York. Al the
first the miners presented thei, -
mands; at the second conference me
demands were refused and at M
Intrd session the miners made a reTI,-
regrett1ng the action of the coal co.,
pantes. The operators in refusiue- ~,
wage increase declared that the pTofifs
would not admit an advance v-f4bo,,+
an increase in the price Of coal Tbe,,
proposed another renewal Of the zf-flra
commission award for three years 49,
~
rlly and had brought peace and n~ce-
perity 10 the region.
One feature about a suspension +bf,
year Is that il would come for fbe s.-
ond time in a year when preside1tJs7
election is to be held. This NAV bs--s
some influence in a settlement ~ ~
ueup should continue for anv Ie1e+.
Of time. III
Aided BY Law.
The anthracite mine workers in +t.t-
strikes have been aided by a law on ~,
statute books Of Pennsylvania MIA
ing that mine workers before tho - -
become miners, that is, men who -
tually cut or blast coal musf 80,
miners certificates In order to 49,
these they must have, under ne -
at least two years experience H. w. ~
anthracite mine The law was orsC+ej
primarily 10 safeguard life and mo-
erty and in times Of strikes II onerafeg
against the importation of miners fTo71
other fields who have not worked in
the hard coal fields.
With the exception Of g small ouan-
tlty Of Colorado and New Mexico which
yields less than 10000 tons a year the
only deposit Of true anthracite coal in
the United States is confined within
an area Of 4S4 square miles In the
event OF all the anthracite miners 90
Ing on strike fl would be difficult in
the face OF the miners certificate law.