The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-11-26
Some Interesting Facts About the Operations and Ben
efts of the Labor Unions of the United States,
BY F. n New wYorksun


gress. The officers OF the United
Mine Workers are under Indictment
in two States. BY unanimous vote
the House has exempted labor unions.
including these officers of course.
from the operations OF the law under
which they were indicted.
Tracing this highly interesting
labor organization through the TWEEN
ty-first annual report OF the Commits
sioners OF Labor we ind that more
than . per cent OF all strikes in the
last twenty-five years have been in
the coal mining industry and that
more men have been Involved in
these strikes than in strikes In any
other industry.
The special report on coal mining
published annually by the United
states Geological Survey says
722.ss2 persons were employed In the
coal mining industry In 1912. OF
these ESQ .2eS. OF 40 per cent. were
members OF the United Mine Work
crs. according TO the annual report
~ President ]. p White. as publish
ed In the official organ OF the union.
In the ten years from 1908 10 1912.
according to the Geological Surveys
figures. coal miners lost an aggregate
OF s5.fis.47s days work on accaunt of
strikes The report does not deaf
with the question Of wages. but an
nuai reports OF the various state bu-
reaus of mines do.
As Illinois Is so thorougly nnioniz-
ell under agreement between the op-
orators and the United Mine Workers.
made In 1895 and stfli In force. that
no man can work in n mine IN that
State without union card. II Is fair
10 accept the illinois rate as the prop
CT wage for a coal miner. The aver
age daily wage OF miners in Illinois
for ten years. as given by the State
nureau Of Mines. Is SAT- At his rate
the aggregate wage loss Of the coal
miners OF the United States on ac-
count OF strikes In the ten years was
sfso.s-sI72. Since there Is moth
ing 10 show what benefits. " any.
were gained to offset this loss this
inquiry must be confined to Illinois.
where the union is supreme and con
ditions are therefore. infercntially.
ideal.
! The annual report OF the Illinois
State Bureau OF Mines shows that the
average rate paid for mining coal
was SO . cents ton In 1903 aud ss.s
cents IN 1919. an increase OF 20 per
cent. The average daily earnings IN
crease from sst2 In 1908 TO sSss in
1912. a gain OF IS per cent.
A the rate received by the operat-
mr. for his coal at the mine deereas-
ed from si24 In 1908 TO si.i5 In 1917,
a decrease OF IS per cent while the
average price for the decade was
only si.ia. n decrease from 1908 OF
as per cent. fhe power OF the union
10 advance wages in the face OF
falling market seems to he establish
ed.
I'm, ..his n far from being the whole
s,o.r Going back to the 1871. report
- the Geological Survey We find ihat
the nHuoia miners were on s,rike
during the ten years an average OF
fs .7s.7so DAYS, which At the average
aai,v ware- for the period amounts 20
waec loss OF sf5.sio.s2l. II Is
sometimes contendcd that Il Is not
fair 10 count days engaged in strikes
"a 20 many days vases lost. but the
fairness Of this method is established
nv referring TO the impartial report
~ tho United States Geological sur
vex. which shows that the miners IN
The state where the union has but
slight fonthold average more DAYS
wort in the year than In the strong
union States. where there are greater
labor disturbances.
I For example. the union miners oil
u,,nogs had only 100 days work ae-
eordinx to the State Bureau OF Mines.
or ist days according to the Geolosi'
Al Survey. while the non-union min
cru Of west Virginia had an average
az aes DAYS work In 1912. West Viz
sinia coal and Illinois coal compete
for the same markets. so there seems
no reason except the strikes ordered
by the union why Illinois mines should
not have as steady work rs those In
West virginia. The Illinois union
miners were on a strike an average
OF 81 days In 1919. while the nom
union miners of West Virginia had
an average of ~ days more work
than their union breshern In Illinois.
II II IL necessary TO conduct such
extensive strikes at such an enormous
loss in wages while enjoying full rec
+, ognition" OF the union under a con-
tlnuous contract the uninitiated may
he pardoned for wondering what ben-e
fts the union confers on the average
member. Tho mystery deepens upon
discovering that there were no strikes
In the non-union States of Colorado
/ In 1919. n fact deemed worthy OF
comment by tho unconditional Gov
eminent statistician. while IN the
staunch union state OF Illinois ~ per
cent. OF the miners were on strike an
average OF 3s days. or an aggregate
OF 2.o26.he6 days. Al the 1919 aver
age rate Of earnings as given by the
State Bureau of Mines this repre-
sents wage loss OF sc.7ss.s6c.
Fortunately. the report Of the nj
nois Hureag OF Mines contains n