New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-16
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
DEFRAUDING LABoRERs OF THEIR WAGES.

DEFRAUDlNG LABORERS Ot IHElh W AGEo.
To The Editor Of The N y Tribune
SIR: In your paper Of this morning there is an
tcle upon the wages of labor showing, as believe
truly, that the prosperous day of the needewomen of
this City has passed never to return
But my object in this communication is to refer to
the following expression in your article. You say:
"The worst feature about sesmstresses wages is the
" all too prevalent fashion of those who employ them
" Of never giving them their pay" This is too true,
bot in all tie talking ard writing which have heard
and about the wages Of labor in this City have
not yet met with ore word about the true remedy for
this gross wrong. The only efficient remedy to pre-
vent the growing practice of cheating the ,borers out
of their wages is TO reform the laws. The existing laws
are almost q nuity for the collection of small debts.
This may perhaps be very well in cases where the
creditor voluntarily credits the debtor, but it Is other
wise in reference TO the laborer.
The laborer must from necessity as general rule,
render his labor before demanding his pay. His only
security is the appearance of his employers business.
After the labor has been rendered and payment is re-
fused as daily the case the poor laborer is referred
TO tic justices Courts for a remedy Upon applica-
on there necessary to pay the costs of the Court
which usually amount to from 80 to 81 TO obtain
Judgment II the case presents any difficulty, law
yer must be employed WI oily at the cost of the plain
tiff 1t is true that in such cases the lawyers often
give their services rely upon the success OF the poor
plaintiff, although the defendants usually denounce
them as pettifcggers for their benevolence.
After obtaining judgment il il is for less than s25,
the only remedy is to place execution in the hands
Of Constable who has power TO collect the Judgment
if he can find property not exempt from execution.
And here comes the rub. The officer finds proper
l,.tb 10 mt
II is owned by some other party or that there is a
mortgage upon it, or that it is otherwise encumbered
and rather than subject himself to lawsuit for taxi
ing property Illegally he returns the execution unsat-
isfed. The amount of judgments of this character
uncolected in our justices Courts must be very many
thousand dollars. Is it any wonder, then that the
POOR complain that laws are only made for the rich.
But you will ask if there is no hrtherproceeding that
can be instituted az ainst the defendant who lives n
apparent luxury and refuses pay such debts-debts
10 his washer-woman seamsTess servant and leborer
ansv or, No, there is not when the judgment is for
Ices than s25 When the judgment is foroyer that sum
further expensive remedy is provided by transfer
ring the case to TIE Cour, of Common Pleas, where
the defendant may be examined in reference to his
property Such examinations in small cases, say un-
der 500 are not however favored by the courts,
and the LAWYERS do not like dispease the judges,
ror can they afford to attend to small cases where
their compensation depends on their success slone
Thus in tie end the poor laborer is dismissed with
further loss of time and money.
This statement does not, of course, apply to that
large class of aborers who too poor to institute
legal proceedings. This cess in cruel cases some
times apply to the Police Courts or to the Mayor, but
they are almost invariably referred back to the JUS
tees Courts on the ground that their cases are not OF
criminal character. Mayor Wood, after attempting
TO redress the wrongs of this large class has finally
adopted tire only course e TO him in ordinary cases,
which is to refer them to the justices Courts TOR
want of power in himself.
Having shown that there is no efficient legal
remedy for the collection of the small claims Of Ia
borers, and most of their claims are small will now
suggest a remedy;
Let the next Legislature enact such laws as Will IN
sure the payment of all claims for the wages OF labor
Let the Exemption law be abolished so tar as such
claims are concerned. Let all defendants in udg-
mens founded upon wages of labor be subject 10 eA-
animation as to their property without reference 70
the amount Of the Judgment. Let the fees OF counsel
who may be employ ed in such cases be included IN The
judgment, so that the laborer will not be Obliged TO
pay for such services out of bis wages but place ssch
fees at So low rate as to afford nducement ID unne-
cesss,y litigation.
The foundation of many fortunes has been laid In
this City by wages defrsuded from the isoo'er' not
to the wrong and injury of the laborer only but aso
Of the honest employers who fairly pay their workea'