The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-01-29
FROM NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, Jan. Is. 1870
TO the Editor Of the woRKNcNAus Anvo.'- -o'V.
have just returned from Alhanr
am well pleased with the assurances ~ ~
not only from members of the As.an~,,
and Senators, but from the GoverUO, ~,
the measures presented BY WOrkingD., /"
be acted upon to their entire sat;ss.. -
The privileges Of the floor of the A..or~r
were extended to Mr.. Troup, and m1..,,
which L am informed is the first time / I.
history Of this or any State that sucb ~
tesles have ever been extended to work..
men. It is wholesome sign. On ~
day MIR. Bergen, from this district who !.
bricklayer, presented in the name y \
trades unions, the following bills: r.
gulate the hours of laborers. workman -,
mechanics in the employ Of the State =.
protect the mechanics Of the State NJ
gulating the use Of convict labor in A,
several prisons Of the State, and for 9TH.
purposes to protect life and limbs IN NJ,
ing and engineering operations. To ~
serve the public health by preventing A.
use Of old and secondhand barrels for n,st
ing sugar, flour and meal, and he Nm i
legalize trades unions. As there had h0o.
three bills already presented to effect A.
objects in the last named bill, it was deqmaS
best to offer it as a substitute when a.
matter came up for final considerable
which was done but those who had nrp.
sented bills looking to the repeal Of the 81.
spiracy law were 10th to lose the crad.
and prestige Of having been the author If
such Legislation. The first and third NJ
tons Of Mr.. Frear's bill, and the second ser
ton Of Mr. Husted's bill was 6paTv
adopted, and our bill, which in nv OUiuiOu I
by far the simplest and best, though ablv
advocated by Mr.. Bergen, was lost ii tbs
Assembly. We shall present it in the
Senate, however, and there, think i Win
be adopted. The following is the bill a \
I
AN ACT in relation to employers and persons
employed, and 70 repeal subdivision sir Of
section four, OF title six, chapter one part
four of the Revised Statutes
SECTION !. No provision Of law shall Be con.
strued in any court Of this State to restrict Or
prohibit tt e orderly and peacea5le assembling
or cooperation Of persons employed In AnI
profession, trade or handicraft, for the purpOa
Of securing an advance in the rate Of wages or
compensation, or for the maintenance Of such
rate.
SIC 2. Part four, chspfer one, title eight
section eight, subdivision six Of the Revised
Statutes, is hereby amended so ss to read a
follows
6. To commit any act injurious TO the public
health or 70 public morals or for the per1er.
sion or obstruction Of justice, or the due admin.
istration OF the laws.
SIC 8. This act shall take effect inms
diately
On Tuesday afternoon the merits Of the
eight hour law was argued before the
Judiciary committee to which it was re
ferred. Mr.. Atwood seemed to think there
should be provision in the bill which would
allow the State to employ the men more
than eight hours by mutual agreement
between the employees and the State, but /
objected for the reason that in all cases such
mutual agreement would prevent the Open-
ton of the law. The bill doe not prevent
men working more than eight hours day.
In cases Of emergency they could work
twenty-four hours out Of the twenty-6ur,
bns in paying the men we want that they
shall receive for so many days al he rate
Of eight hours day. We never did and
do not now object to work over time, but
we want that over time TO commence as soon
as we have worked eight hours. The bill
will come up for consideration again some
day next week. l shall 60 before the Com
mittee on Trade and Manufactures next
Thursday to look after the bill to protect
lives and limbs Of workingmen, which pro-
vides that all persons employed in building
mining, or engineering operations, shall
furnish suitable scatfolding, hoists, stay, sah-
grounds, ventilation, means Of escape, and
suitable protection against fire, food, expo
sion, in the construction Of building, and
mining, and engineering. | feel satisfied
that l shall meet with success. Yours truly,
john w. BRowMEG.