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GOAL TRADE BULLETIN.
Vol. XII. PITTSBURGH, PA., JANUARY 2, 1905. No. 3.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN;
PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH.
Copyrighted by THE COAL TRADE COMPANY, 1904
A. R. HAMILTON, Proprietor and Publisher,
H. J. STRAUB, Managing Editor.
SUBSCRIPTION, - - - - $2.00 A YEAR.
Correspondence and communications upon all matters
relating to coal or coal production are invited.
All communications and remittances to
THK COAL TKADK COMPANY.
926-930 PAKK BUILDING, PITTSKUHSH, PA.
Long Distance Telephone 250 Grant.
I Entered at the Post Office at Pittsburgh, Pa., as
Second Class Mail Matter.J
REVISION OF PENNSYLVANIA
MINING LAWS IS DISCUSSED.
The mine inspectors of the anthracite region
held a conference at Hazleton, Pa., on December
28 with J. E. Roderick, chief of the Pennsylvania
department of mines. It is possible that a commission
will be asked to draw up an entire new
bill repealing all existing acts. Among the latter
is the Garner law providing for the election of the
inspectors by popular vote, passed by the last
assembly.
Some time ago a movement was begun with a
view to causing the removal of the boards of mine
examiners throughout the whole of the anthracite
region. The agitation revealed the fact that
bogus certificates had been given out wholesale
and some members of the boards were arrested.
The question of issuing new certificates is in the
hands of Chief Roderick. Mr. Roderick has announced
no action thus far and it is believed that
he is preparing plans for a thorough revision of
the laws. There are also many other features of
the mining law where changes have been demanded.
There is a diversity of opinion regarding the requirements
of the situation. The belief is gaining
ground that a few fundamental laws would be
better than a comparatively complex system and
that many points, ventilation for example, would
better be left to the judgment of those dealing
with specific needs than be made a matter of specific
figures.
DEFECTS OF TRADES UNIONISM.
During his recent address before the New York
School Masters Association, President Charles W.
Eiiot, of Harvard asserted that the real proof of
education was the possession of will power, such
as was developed in freedom. He was asked how
far he thought trades unions interfered with individual
freedom, and to this he replied:
"One of the chief defects of the trades union system
as it exists to-day is the doctrine of limitations
of output, which is held by so many of the
exponents of the system and rigorously enforced.
I happened to observe recently a very perfect illustration
of the evil to which I refer. A certain
bit of masonry work was being constructed where
bricks and half bricks were being put in to fill up
space; but not with the precision which is required
where a regular wall is being built. The
masons could just as well as not have laid two
bricks at a time, as it was not work which required
the use of the trowel, but they nevertheless
kept trowels in their hands all the time, and they
seemed even to have a special liking for half
bricks. It was simply the result of a systematic.
effort to limit the amount of work which each man
should turn out.
"That appears to be the deliberate policy of the
trades unions to-day. It is the really hideous feature
of trades unionism, the reduction of the efficiency
of the worker, as prescribed by the unions.
It keeps people from working with a good will.
and it is ahsolutely rotting the fibre of a man.
I do not know anything in the present-day conditions
which is more demoralizing.
"I believe in the expediency of trade unions, but
I know of nothing more fatal to their real success
than these schemes to limit the output."