Denver labor bulletin., 1915-10-30
Observed From the Mine Tipp1e
By J. D. RAMSAY

called coal merger, and big sums of
money have been offered (may be pay
able in bonds, for real dollars are
scarce) to buy off competition. This
merger is a deliberate attempt on the
part of certain coal operators to hold
up the public for sufficient money to
line their own jeans and pay Off or get
from under an unwieldy load of debt
and disgrace.
! 1t will be a disgrace to Colorado il
this concern is allowed to carry out its
black hand scheme. There has already
been far too much rotten company busi-
ness tolerated for the states reputa-
ton for decency. No one will benefit
by this merger, but few people whose
operations in the state have been 81
disastrous to the public welfare. 1t is
no figure of speech to say that had the
state paid these people good round
sum to stay away altogether and never
enter the boundaries of the state, our
taxes would today be very much lower
and our reputation as state in the
east be vastly better than it is today.
There are rumors in the northern field
that there is to be an operators union
formed there Such thing witt those
people is disgusting. 1t hasn't single
redeeming feature and is an impudent
caricature upon Rockefeller's recent at
tempt to really do something to better
conditions.
There are several instances in the
north OF operators grossly violating the
two-week pay days that deserve a lit
tie attention from the Industrial Com
mission and these companies have raised
the price of doctor and hospital fees
TO 81 80 per month instead of 81. 1t
was pretty tough to have to pay some
doctor when you hadn't had ANYTHING
to do with his appointment and didn't
want to attend you, even at 81
month. but it Is going little too far to
have the price raised 80 per cent with
out even asking you if you liked it, OF
course under existing conditions If the
miners had been asked, "if he liked it,
he would have had to say, ''yes, as he
needs work and wouldn't get any if he
didn't say Just what he was told to by
the bosses.
In Bulletin No. lOl, issued 10y the
Bureau OF Mines. on page 1876. is an
abstract OF a decision given in The state
of Missouri, and it is as follow:
The rule whenever one person em- |
ployes another to perform dangerous
work and while performing such work |
the employc is too badly injured TO
incapacitate him for caring for himself, |
the duty OF providing medical treatment
=. ha Ha. .aH
or the unexpressed humane and natural |
understanding existing between parties,
to the effect that whenever an employe |
is injured that he cannot care foH him |
self. then the employer will furnish him !
with medical or surgical treatment, must
be applied in the case of the operation |
OF quarry where an employe was so
grievously hurt that he was in danger |
of bleeding to death and could not as
sist himself or procure the necessary |
medical aid" IIunicke y. Meramec |
Quarry Co.. l72 So. Western -, page 81,
December. 1914.
Isn't it a pity that Colorado coal min
ers are not like Missouri quarryment
The State Industrial Commission is
It'll doing good work and attend prompt
IL and in most cases effectively to com |
plants put before them. They should
be advised of any injustice and the rea-
sons for the complaints plainly and
fairly stated Small abuses when passed
over because its "nobody's business" to
attend to them, grow and encourage
other Irregularities until they together
amount to a very great deal and ths |
result is often disastrous both to en-
ploycs and employers and the commits
sion can. and we believe are honestly |
trying TO, remedy evil and do the square |
thing.
We are hearing good deal about
social welfare, community welfare sur
veys and such like, and many of these
schemes are furthered by perfectly sin
cere people who undoubtedly wish to
better general living conditions. but a
great deal depends upon who uncarths
them and how they are carried out.
Colorado has been surfeited with Gin
quiries" and ample evidence is available
for concerted action. which will tend to
better conditions, and this action to be
really successful must be based on fair
and broad principles. 1t will be worse
than idle waste of time for few tbeo-
rists to imagine that they are going to
build up some scheme in some office
over night that will supersede recognized
organized labor.
Labor has organized and has elected
Officers to attend to the business of
such organization and no movement the
so-called Psychologists" make can ignore
them, but if they will bend their efforts
towards bringing together the represen-
tatives of the employers and employees,
untold good will, we believe. be the re-
suit