Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 44, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 19, 1913 Page: 1 of 4
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OFFICIAL ORGAN
Oklahoma State
Federation of Labor
OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
OFFICIAL ORGAN
Oklahoma City Trades
and Labor Couneil
DEVOTED TO THE IN'l .. E S T S OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE FARMERS' UNION OF OKLAHOMA
VOL. 5.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1913.
No. 44
SECTION OF MINING BILL TO REFERENDUM
WHIItb bUHHtbPUNUliN 11
STATE WAGES BOARD SYSTEM
AND COMPULSORY ARBITRA-
TION IN AUSTRALIA.
Washington, D. C., April 18. The
following item was published by the
Washington Star from, its correspon-
dent in Sidney, Australia: '"The state
wages board system is in the melting
pot, compulsory arbitration having
been rendered nugatory by a series
of strkies, which has commenced de-
spite the agreements and awards of
fhe wages boards and the penal
clauses of the arbitration act.
During the gas strike Sidney was in
darkness for several days. All coal
miners in the southern district, under
ihe leadership of the notorious Peter
Dowiing, who was prominent in the
disastrous 1908 stoppage, are on
strike, and there is prospect of a pro-
longed struggle. The ferryboats con-
necting the north shore with the city
have stopped, and thousands of work-
ers in the densely populated suburbs
are deprived of the means of com- *
munication to their work. The cause
of tstrike wes the delay of the ♦
wages boards in dealing with their +
claims. *
The labor government's enforce- *
ment of the provisions act prohibit +
ing strike under penalty of lines and +
Proposed state question No. 47,
which has for its purpose the refer-
endum of Section 18 of the mining bill
passed by the regular session of the
legislature, requiring the working
miners of Oklahoma to do undercut-
ting of coal before shots are made,
has been filed with Secretary of State
Hen Harrison. According to the vote
of the last election, 12,418 signatures
are necessary before the proposition
can be voted upon, the proposed elec-
tion being set for August 5.
No objection is made by the miners
to any part of the mining act with the
exception of section 18, which was
written into the measure at the in-
stance of the operators. While the
measure was under consideration by
the governor both miners and mine
owners discussed with him the points
in controversy, the miners holding
that the undercutting of coal in many
of the veins of the state was an im-
possibility and would require at least
double the amount of labor to them,
and under their agreement with the
operators is sure to cause a state-
wide strike and the closing down of
all mines. The operators use as an
argument that the section would re-
uuce the percentage of mine accidents,
while the miners claim that this is not
true.
After considering the question for
over a week, Governor Cruce finally
approved the measure on March 17. In
accordance with the law in initiative
petitions, the miners are required to
tile their petitions with the secretary
of state ninety days from the date of
the approval of the measure.
The measure is house bill No. 228
and is entitled, "An act to promote the
health and safety of employees in coal
mines; providing the qualifications
lor mine inspector; providing for a
system of mine telephones and for the
construction and maintenance of bath
houses for the use of miners; pro-
hibiting any interference or attempt to
interfere with the fire boss in the per-
formance of his duties; prescribing
penalties for the violations of any
of the provisions thereof and repeal-
ing certain statutes in conflict."
The bill as it went to the legislature
originally was framed by the miners
themselves and embodied provisions
for their welfare in the. work. The
operators, however, became active a.*
soon as they heard that the bill had
been introduced and through their ac-
tivity, section 18, the portion of the
act which is distasteful to the miners
was inserted in the bill.
Section 18, which is sought to be re-
pealed, is as follows: "The shooting
of coal off the solid, except as herein
provided, is hereby declared to be un-
lawful. In the preparation of every
shot to be fired in any slope, air
course, cross cut entry or room neck
in any coal mine in this state, the
coal to be shot down shall be cut to
a depth of the hole in which the ex-
plosive is to be placed. No shot shall
be tired by any person in any slope,
plane, cross cut entry or room neck
in any coal mine in this state, un-
less the coal has been first cut to a
depth of at least six inches greater
than the depth of the hole prepared
for the shot.
"In the preparation of shots to be
fired in any room or rooms in any coal
mine in the state, no shot shall be pre-
pared or made where the block of coal
sought to be removed is greater in
width than the perpendicular height
of the coal; and it shall be one-half
mined for the full length of the hole,
and no person shall fire any shot in
any room in any coal mine in this
state until the same has been prepared
as above specified.
The working miners are authority
lor the fact that these provisions de-
mand impossibilities of the men. They
declare that undercutting in many of
the mines can only be done with a
pick or a machine with the hardest
kind of manual labor though gener-
ally the work is practically impossible.
The miners stand as a man in ppos-
ing the proposition and intend, when
they have gotten sufficient signatures
to initiate their propositions, they will
conduct a vigorous campaign of edu-
cation throughout the state, explain-
ing to the laity what the true signifi-
cance of the terms of the measure
mean to those who work under ground.
THE OLD. OLD STORY.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+
+
+
Kingston, Canada, April is. +
—The Kingston branch of the 4*
Journeyman Stone Cutters of +
North America was organized +
1900, and since that time the +
STATE FED RAT ON LEC ON
imprisonment is awaited with interest
Local opinion favors amendment of
the law on the lines of the Canadian
act."
INCREASE GRANTED 10
WILL NET ADDITIONAL EXPEN
DITURE OF $800,000.00 IN
WAGES BY COMPANY.
wage scale has been advanced
from $3 per day of ten hours
to $4 per day of eight hours,
without resort to strike. The
Stone Cutters' Union was two
years ahead of the other local
unions in securing the eight-
hour day. The achievements
of this union are indisputable
evidence of the efficacy of the
collective action of workmen.
Whilp this is but one instance
of the unions of labor making
great gains for their member-
ship, yet it is the old, old
story.
The count for State Federation offi-
cers on the first ballot has just been
completed by Auditors Ferguson, Akin
and Bavoris. No election resulted on
this ballot with the exception of fourth
vice president, there being only two
candidates in this race, L. P. Core re-
ceiving 2140 votes and Mike (Jritw*
1388, Mr. Core thereby being declared
elected by the board.
The opponents on the second ballot 1
FOR FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT.
Sain Atlkins, Ky. ('arinun, Shawnee*lfi:! I
.!•'« Johnson, .\ilniT, Henryetta .. . *■ >"7
Alex Mount, Miner, Henryetta f :i7
Chats. Hull. Miner, Hartshorne 614
Henry WaMeeker, Miner, I'hllllpM •'•.'.2
Robert Williams, Miner, Wilburton 2
FOR SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT.
A. W. Uennett, I'ainter, Chickasha.*1162
lie" K Hrady, Miner, CoulKatc . ..*r.Cl
J, l* Hoy, Mintf', Hartshorne-. ,. 75'7
FOR THIRD VICE PRESIDENT.
.I hn Kirk, Sr. Miner, Coalgate . *|:
M. Hays. Miner. Savanna . .. .
V. I«oiik. Carpenter, Chickasha..
i ,,, , ,,, ,, i.. McKadden, Miner, Henryetta.... R
♦ lor president will Edgar trenton, l c Watson, Carpenter, Shawnee
♦ miner of Lehigh, and Peter Hanraty, Clyde rate., Miner. Hartshorne ... 4
. ,, .. for fourth vice-president
♦ miner, ol McAleiter. Mr. Fenton re- L p Con Mtner Alderton .2l
^1 ceived 1036 and Mr. Hanraty 1430. Mr. Mike Orltus, Miner, Hartshorne i
*! Fenton is a member of Miners No. FOR vice-president.
+ l 1819, Lehigh, and Mr. Hanraty carries |" u'iV.i,
Miner, Dewar
< 'arpeni er, < 'hickasha
ILL BE PROVIDED FOR
COUNTY BECOMES
BOARDING HOUSE FOR STRIK-
ING IRON MOLDERS.
Chicago, April 18.—The award made RATII Apr I M I (111 VCT
by the arbitration board in the dispute m| L H H f| L 111 UfllL. ILI
involving the employes of the surface!
street railway lines gives an increase j
of 2 cents an hour and reduces the
hours.
The former scale was: First sis
months, 23 cents an hour; second six
months, 25 centB; second year, 26
cents; third year, 27 cents; fourth
year, 28 cents; fifth year, 29 cents,
and after five years, 30 cents. The
award of the arbitration board estab
lished the following scale; First three
months, 23 cents; second three
months, 25 cents; second six months,
26 cents; third six months 27 cents;
fourth six months. 28 cents; third
year, 29 cents; fourth year, 30 cents;
fifth year, 31 cents; after five years,
32 cents. The agreement expires
June 1, 1915, and back pay on the
above award is to be computed from
August 1, 1912. All runs are to be
made as nearly as possible within ten
hours, but there shall be no schedule
run of less than nine hours. All motor-
men are to receive 25 cents addi-
tional each day for instructing stu-
dents. The wage increase will net
an additional annual expenditure of
$800,000 in wages.
.'udge Scanlan, representing the
gate. For Secretary-reaBurer, the
present incumbent. Ollie s. Wilson, a fop secretary-treasurer.
member of the Oklahoma City Typo- < lie s. Wilson, Printer, oklahoma. *1
graphical Union, led the field with 1 V Malon« >. Carpenter. Henryetta
1635, but with the number of candi |V|Vj\U\v!m «I|s!MMiner^'iiartHimrn'-
dates in the race he failed to get a i Hnloe. Miner, Savanna
+++++++++++++++++
+ +
+ MUNICIPALLY OWNED +
+ ROAD +
+ +
+ San Francisco, April 18 +
+ The municipal railway is +
+ showing increased profits. In +
+ February it showed a clear +
+ gain of $1,154.35 over January. +
+ The record for the time the +
+ road has been in operation up +
+ to Mar. 1 shows total receipt# +
+ of \vith operating *
4* exp6hsfes of $21,435.11, leaving 4*
I + a balance of $17,950.74. !>• +
■fr ducting from this latter figure +
| + the interest charges and re- +
+ demption payments on the +
+ part of the road now in opera-
+ tion, there remains a net profit +
+ of about $9,000 over all charges +
+ and expenses. This is surely +
+ a good showing for the new +
4* enterprise +
•S- + + + + + + + + + + + + ++ + +
WITH LESS FORTUNATE
INTRODUCTION OF TESTIMONY
BEEN CONCLUDED.
HAS BEEN CONCLUDED.
New York. April 18.—The introduc-
tion of testimony before the arbitra-
tion committee on the demands of the
firemen for increased pay was con-
cluded on April 5. At the conclusion
of an argument by a representative
of the railroads, President Carter, of
the firemen, responded to the refer-
ence made to the lossea suffered by
the roads during the recent flood**.
President Carter asserted that Indi-
vidual firemen had suffered heavily,
too, hundreds having had their small
properties destroyed. "But we are
not trying to trade on such misfor-
tune to secure an increase of wages.
The railroads should learn some of
the altruism of their firemen and
share their money with their less for-
tunate brothers." Briefs are to be
submitted by both sides at once. April
23 is the latest date upon which the
award can be made under the agree-
ment, and it Is quite possible that an
earlier decision will be reached.
EXPRESSMEN STRIKE.
Pittsburg, April 18.—About 300
members of the Brotherhood of Hall-
way Kxpressmen, employed on the
Adams Kxpress cars, within a radius
of 175 miles of this city, are on strike
for n Increase ill wages and better
working conditions.
HIKE BEEN ORGANIZED
NEW UNION MAKING SPLENDID
PROGRESS—WORK TO BE
CONTINUED.
H
upon the second ballot by a miner, Ar-
thur Hillier, member of Miners No. |i
102t>, Coalgate, who received 849.
The two candidates receiving the
period of tkirt>
railroad employes, dissented from the families, or those dependent on them,
for auditor and teller.
X Ferguson. Carpenter, Ardmore
.M. K. Akin. Carpenter, Shawnee..
\lex Bayoris. Miner, Alderson .
(Jeo. Ij. Taylor, Printer, Muskogee.
OFFICIAL' highest vote for president, first, sec ! '' Plains, t'arman. Shawnee
i ,i • i . i lohn A I >enn\, Teamster, oklahoma
ond, third and fifth vice presidents, t \v. ,i i>rake. Miner, i <>«
secretary-treasurer and legislative [, tf"'k'er,\i 1 Tuisa
committee, and the six receiving the • s.'Siuu-SS'.n.' A2n ntw?'T.'ii«;
highest vote for auuitors and tellers,T. i'i. Knayp, carpenter, McAlester
will be submitted to the affiliated o
. unions on the first day of May, the
hrie. Pa.. A-pril 18. Those who are balloting to last for
managing the iron molders' contest in j days.
this city are to be commended fori vo*e as caKt anc* tabulated as
the manner in which the fight is being ,<),l(nV8*
for president.
conducted. Some time ago an injunc- .... . , ... ......
M. Hoydston, Miner, Wilburton. .. 6
tion was issued, with the usual re- l-Mgar Kenton, Miner, lehigh. *iaa;
. . .. . . Pete Hanraty. Miner, MeAleste
strictive provisions. Thirteen of the w. t. Maxwell, carp, Musk..^«
... M .... . , P. Arnold, Carpenter. K.nhl
non molders were arrested for viola-hi c. Myers. Machinist, Shawn*
tion of the injunction. Instead of
paying the lines of $25 each, the iron
molders accepted the jail sentence.
and were accompanied by a large
escort of union molders on their way
to jail.
The men who went to jail will bo
paid $1(1.50 a week, and a committee
from the union will see that their
Leslie, Miner, Savanna.
Ijord. Miner, Wilburton...
.hi" IjorenK, Miner. Itewar 2
Cumillo Massaro. Miner, Krebs
Win MeCntolieon. Miner, Phillips ti
l>ave Miles, Miner, Adamson 1!
It. <!. Smith, MlnffT, Hartshorne..
K. 15. Welsh, Miner. Krebs...
for legislative committee
MAN BEFORE DOLLAR
SAYS GOVERNOR SOLZER
TELLE R. R,
OUTRAGED FEELINGS WILL
NOT EXCITE SYMPATHY.
| Washington, April 18.—The follow
j ing item appeured in tile laal i sk u * * of
| the Akron, Ohio, People, the loral
labor paper of that city. "The rubber
workers who have been organized un-
i Her a charter from the A. K of L. are
making splendid progress with their
PRESIDENT THAT I union. .Members are being added coil
stantly, and the work of organization
will be continued until every rubber
worker in the city is u member. The
great campaign of organization that
has been started l te A. F of L.
"You null WBS oriKinallv intended to include Ak-
. , ron rubber workers, and hence the
the dollar before the man; I put the: Federation will
Albany. X. v , April IS.
M Ik.
Payne. Miner, Phillips,
i. Santino, Miner, Alderson
Brashears, Miner. Henryetta
i « . Davis, Miner. Hartshorne
♦14L'<! Wolf lslietu I. Miner. Coalgate
•jM Patrick O'Shea, Miner, Phillip-
•Names
on<] ballot
JERSEY'S FULL-CREW LAW.
DEFEAT WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.
findings of the board. The situation
of the "L" employes is still unsettled
and Js iUso in the hands of the
aibitrators.
UNION MEN ELECTED.
Springfield, 111., April 18. The elec-
tion recently held here resulted in the
choice of several trade unionists. R.
E. Woodmansee, editor of the Illinois
Tradesman, was re-elected a member
of the board of education by a very;
large vote. William Booth, of the
Bricklayers' Union: Gus Felir, of the
Cigarinakers* Union, and William I
Kessberger, of the Retail Clerks"
I'nion, were elected members of the
board of supervisors.
are taken care of. This is a strategic
position to take, and as this injunction
prohibits the strikers from doing
those things which the contsitutions
of the state and of the United States
give them the lawful right to do, it
might not be a bad idea to let the
county become the official boarding
house for the thousand iron molders
now on strike.
Tcenton. N. J., April 18 The Legis- Hartford. Conn., April is Woman
lature passed, and the governor has suffrage in Connecticut was defeated
signed, the full-crew bill, which will in the lower branch of the legislature
become effective May 1. This law by a vote of 105 to 74. Suffrage lead-
was secured in the face of the fact; era throughout the state are disap-
that practically every railroad in ttie pointed, as they had waged a long
State opposed its passage and worked campaign to secure the enactment of
diligently to defeat it. this measure.
WELCH MINERS TO QUIT. BREWERY WORKERS GET RAISE.
^ Erie- Pa April IS. The Hrewer>
( ardiff, Wales, April 18 More than Workers' and Bottlers' I'nions of this
in South Wa''*K h«v' city have just secured a raise in
handed in a month's notice to quit) wages from $1 to $2 per we.-k Mi«
their employment, as a protest anainst aggregate totaling ov.-r j:ioo ,, „
the engagement in the mines or non-, for the men employed
union miners.
stay In the field in-
man before the dollar," declared Gov .definitely. It is now proposed to place
ernor Sulzer, in answer to the pub ■' business agent In the field from
lished statement of President Trues- l("'al rubber workers' union. The
daje. of the Delaware, Lackawanna business agent will be one of th* local
and Western railroad, that the disas- " wll° thoroughly acquainted
Irons wreck at Corning last July was,"'"1 rubber industry, as well at
with the workers. The strike, on ac-
(ount of its effect being severely felt
by the merchants, was declared a
great calamity, but we venture the
prediction that when thorough organ-
ization has taken place, and the men
are secure in their employment, these
same men bants will be more than re-
paid fur their temporary loss of busi-
ness. in this connection we may also
sa'• that the factory employers will
regret not having permitted organiza
tion in their plants years ago, as the
most productive and contented work-
men in the world are those who are
organized and who know that every
straw boss In the factory does not
hold the whiplash of a job over their
heads."
not attributable to too few men in
the train crew.
"You tell me the full crew bill will
1 cost your company some additional
dollars, but when the public retails
that your stork is paying r,.% per cent
your outraged feelings will not excite
widespread sympathy." To Trues-
<lale's charge that the engineer in the
Corning wreck escaped punishment
beCause of some political bargain,
• lovernor Sulzer replied by ordering
I'istrlct Attorney Smith, of Steuben
county, to investigate at once, and
call upon Truesdale for information.
in this city employ union men.
IS' Newport, It. !., April IS The cer-
" penters and cabinet makers here have
" struck for an increase of their daily
k wage up to $4.40 per da\. The old
All breweries! scale wus and ,h.
carpenters rt
luseil a compromise offer of $4.
TRAINMEN AND CONDUCTORS.
WHAT STRIKES HAVE COST THE MINKRS
GARMENT WORKERS JUBILANT
—FACTORIES ARE SIGNED UP
Tile Literary Digest of February ISifor by no less an authority than Mr.
contains the following summary of the Thomas L Lewis, who recently re-
cost and results of the miners' strikes! tired from the presidency of the Mine
since 1900. in our educational move- Workers, "represents only a small
merit, tending to show the possibilities portion of th• cost of miners striken
New ^ork. April IS. 1 he demands an(j advantages of arbitration, we sut; continues the Ues Moines paper -tin-
of the 100,000 trainmen and conduct- ge8t :l car(lfu| 1)erusa| of tl,e article, loss to industry amounts to vasth
ors on the fifty-four Eastern roads.| the ngures of which are> t0 th„ th.n, aml losB t0
will not be arbitrated, so it is stated : writer's knowledge, Correct and an countr at large is beyond eomput i
Chairman Klisha Lee, of the Confer- thentic: ti..!, It was in advising His ass,,-
ence Committee, of the railroads Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who
190fi.
1 07
l!iOS
190! .
1910.
105,04."., 57
744,897.1 !<
\2
Toronto, April 18.—The Garment
Workers in this city are elated. Out
of twenty-seven establishments all
hut three have now signed up. In
twenty-one shops a satisfactory settle-
ment. was reached without friction,
only six firms opposing the demands
ms' | of the union, whereupon a strike was
;lIn ( called in these shops Three of these
nig them. It would probably be found 1 hnvp nnw m • .! i ♦
, , ' "«i>e now signed up and negotiations
2r.ccfsr* " r:;;r
| prospects ot a settlement are bright.
j sions they have gained cheek
| the cost of tlif* methods used i
Total... ..$8,089,986.16
These sums were contributed from
their dail> wages by miners who were
working to support others who wer
"The first meeting
general adjustment committee of the|Well devote a few of his millions to! that President Lewis reminded then, h.
trainmen and conductors over their j the promotion of industrial peace a: of the large , ost of for trouble-
demands will be held in this city home, suggests the Des Moines Regis These at. l,k litres
April 22."
ention ti
Of the employes 011 the! ter and Leader, calling a
roads in question 70,000 are trainmen: the published figures, showing that in
and 30,000 conductors. It is given the past eleven years the United Mine
America have paid out
out that a settlement with these two
oiganizations will be reached with-
out a recourse to arbitration.
Workers of
more than $8,000,000.00 in benefits.
This "amazing aggregate," vouched!
1900.
1901.
1902.
1903.
1904.
1905.
s on to say a word about
ost and profits of strikes:
he miners have gained ronces-
i sions, consisting in increased wages
$ 1 and improved conditions, during the
-02,-02.71 past ten years, by striking. It is prob-
1>8.' .i.tble that they have gained more than
301,922.44 . any other class of organized labor by
l,nt;5,43r .47 ! 'hat process. Rut it would be inter-
753,626.02 I eating to know just how the conces-
"The outlay in strike benefits does
not include the loss in time and wages,
periods of idleness, frequently in mid-
winter. endured b\ the miners, most
of whom are very poor. Investigation
would perhaps demonstrate the fact
that the United Mine Workers, noted
for their big and lengthy strikes, have
obtained more through negotiations
than through strikes.
"This is true with almost every
bodj of workmen. Th y have found
strikes to* be expensive affairs, and
diplomacy much less expensive and
far more effective."
large
I he rate of wages paid in the
majority of these shops was as low
'
clothing. Time and a half will bf*
sion of work in slack season. The
United Garment \Corkers were never
so effectively organized in this « ity
as they are today.
Xo man ever discovers his true
powers of locomotion until he starts
the moral and financial down grade.
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Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 44, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 19, 1913, newspaper, April 19, 1913; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157144/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.