The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-05-08
THE KINNEY BILL.

certainty and we believe the measure Will receive
tremendous majority at the coming election.
The proposition to employ only English speaking
men in the mines of Arizona is a conmendable
one and will not only work for the betterment of
the mining companies but will reduce the loss
of life which is now terrible in such mines as the
Raw and Others in the state OF similar formation
There are dozens of men killed IN such mines an
nually and no report is ever made to the public
We trust that a man will be chosen mining in
spector who will compel these corporations to-
make public every death or accident on their
properties. The hiding of such information is a
DISGRACE to- the state-Dunbar's Weekly.
The editor of Dunbars Weekly is in error
when he makes the statement that there is no law
in Arizona compelling mining companies to make
report of accidents, both minor and fatal which
occur during the course of their operations. I'm
der the provisions of the law creating the office
of Mine Inspector in this state every mining COM
nanv must Immediately send to the Mine Inspector
at Phoenix a report of each accident occurring,
and injuries to workmen received. Ibis duty
imposed upon the mining companies IS comPul-
sory and failure upon the part of the mining COM
panies to do so, is punishable by heavy hne 1t
is not likely that mining companies in this state
are violating the law in this respect.
Regarding the Kinney Bill, 1t has been
claimed that this bill proposed for the pur-
pose of insurng greater safety to employees, EN-
gagged in mining and smelling and other hazard
Gus occupations, by the elimination of the non
English speaking employee but statistics regard
ing accidents in hazardous occupations does not
bear out the presumption
1t is well known fact to the editor of Dun
bars Weekly, and to all concerned, that the
real object of the Kinney Bill is to attempt to drive
every non-English speaking employee, engaged
in a hazardous occupation, from the state. The
safety clause in the bill written in for the pur-
pose of trying to make it constitutional. A ma
of oft wide
ing and dangerous measure are actuated by the
preudice common to most of us, against the for
eiener and the selfish wish on the part of the
business community that increased trade will
result by the expulsion of the non-English speaking
element from mining districts. That is the meat
in the cocoanut regarding the Kinney Bill.
In the event that the Kinney Bill is initiated
and passed serious blow will be dealt the chief
industry of the state and heavy burden upon the
taxpayers as consequence. 1t is one thing to
talk glibly about driving the non-Engllsh
employee from his employment, without taking
into consideration the result of such drastic &C
ton. For the purpose of illustration suppose that
thousand non-English employees, heads of faml-
lies, were thrown out of employment next Novem
Der in the Clifton-Morenci district What will this
county and other mining counties in the state do
with this army of unemployed and their families?
Will the Board of Supervisors furnish them
:. cans ;.,r transport atCn to other states where
they might possibly secure employment?
On the other hand after the non-English
speaking employee has been deprived Of the
right of earning livelihood, suppose he should
elect to remain, wouldn't the burden of the sup
port of himself and family fall upon the county in
the event that he unable to secure other en-
ployment? By what right would the county
state order this army of non-English speaking en-
ployees deported for offense other than they
have been unfortunate in not being born under
the stars and stripes?
We find in every mining camp in Arizona
large foreign element This is true in this dis
trict, in Globe, Jerome, Ray and Bisbee. This
foreign element composes army of thousands
engaged in hazardous occupations, most of
them delving in the underground workings, in
the muck and hot Slopes, taking out the precious
metals which has placed Arizona in the foremost
rank in mineral production There is reason
for this and analysis of the situation discloses
that the labor question in Arizona is simply
of supply and demand. Some good people imagine
that the foreign element, employed in hazardous
occupations in Arizona has crowded out the
American workman and that the foreigner has
been induced to come in by the mining companies
to displace the American miner. Such statements