Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-01-25

not understand this fully, may get
himself injured or killed, by attempt
ing to do il by az improper method.
They should understand how to get
cross-bars for the same reason. They
knowledge Of the breaking strain Of
timber under given conditions.
1t Is impossible to provide by law,
for mechanical safeguards for the
human being who works in the mines
that would safeguard him OF make II
impossible for him to endanger his
own and the lives of others as well.
In the interest of efficient mining
Of coal, so as 10 properly safeguard
the quality and be able to take out
of the ground, all of the coal ICON
serve the fuel supply of humanity
believe that an appeal could be made
to intelligent men TO require skill
on the part Of the miner from that
angle. However, | am not sure that
it would be wise TO raise that question
now, but | believe that If the number
of miners that are killed in the mines
of this state and the entire country
and those that arc injured, with an
explanation of how an ignorant man
may not only be responsible for his
death and injury. but for the death
and injury Of the men working next
place TO him, or in the matter Of eK-
plosions of every man in the mine,
and the need for raising the standard
of knowledge required on the part OF
the men who will be permitted to mine
coal in a place alone, by himself,
that he controls; rather than an i'm
pairment of it, would make Mr.. Glenn
appear in the light of either a mon
ster, or being devoid of intelligence,
or. as in my own candid opinion, both
Of them.
| agree with you that if legislation
can be enacted to make the mining in
dustry a continually operating one,
that it would be very desirable
thing, as compared with the present
status. That Of course, would involve
reducing the number of mines to just
the amount of production that would
be required to meet the needs. How
ever, you can not act on a question
of that kind in the single state OF
Illinois alone, when we understand
that our own markets in a great part
are outside Of the state and that coal
from almost every other state in the
union is marketed in Illinois.
How we could justify confseating
coal mine, making it valueless, OF
even buying it and closing it down, IN
the interest of economy for the peo-
pie as a whole, when by that same
process, YOU would naturally increase
H. ,-aI4,a pf those that we're left in
operation, which would run a hundred
per cent all the year around, and al
the same time, leave all Of the Othei
industries and businesses which are
Iover-capitalized, in a greater degret
than even the mining industry Is
railroads, stores, factories, insurance
banks, everything Of that character
in which a greater original invest
ment, proportionate to what Is actual
ly needed, obtains, than there is in tbs
coal mining industry Of our state, anC
on which the people have to paw in
terets, and in which they are very
much larger number of unnecessar.
men and women working than wha
there are in the mines Of our state,
cannot figure out. OF course Mr.
Glenn may be able to answer rational
ly, intelhgentlE, and il may be tina
! am dense on the matter, and unreas
enable, but | am rather Of the opinion
that there is either something wronl
with his thinking apparatus, or hi
| conscience,-Or both.
Yours,
J. II. WALKER.