The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-12
LABOR REFORM.
NUMBER ".
Editor Press a1aG Banner =:

LABOR REFORM.
NUMBER ".
Editor Press and Banner:
Many inquiries have been made
with regard to the meaning and prac-
! tical operation Of certain clauses of
the Constitution of Labor Reform AS
tociation No. l. Probably these ques-
tons with their answers will form the
best and plainest exposition we can
offer:
AS laborer, who has not certifi-
cate, cannot lie employed by the Re-
formers, how can they avail themselves
of the promiscuous !"day laborers"
floating about the community? An
swer. Ist, if the laborer is to your
knowledge, general loafer, q acontirm-
ed rogue or q reckless criminal, you
are obligated not to hire him; because
the intention of the association is to
drive such characters absolutely out of
the country unless they give satisfac.
tory pledges Of reform. 2d. If the
laborer is under fair character it is his
privilege to require Of the Execu-
tive Committee certificate of charac-
ter, good-say for one year, unless for
feited by bad conduct; and it is the
duty of a member to see that he pro-
vides himself with such certificate
before the bargain is consummated.
Thus endorsed by the community he
would find no difficulty in hiring to
any one.
Query: This appears satisfactory,
but would it not be better to report
the names of the 1st class, enumerated
above, to the Executive Committee,
and let them keep a roll of all such
characters which could be consulted
by any one wishing to hire? Answer.
1t would he inconvenient, indeed,
sometimes quite out Of the question
for many members to consult O roll
possibly several miles distant. 1t
would therefore become O dead letter,
and the association depending on it
would fall through charging the Or
ganization with impracticability. A
hasty conclusion witness the success
of the system in Laurens County un-
der the certificate rule. It may be
we'll to keep roll of prescribed per-
sons, but not as substitute for the
certificate plan, which is really the
corner stone Of the whole movement.
Query Can one hire laborers con-
tracted to negro tenants? Ans. 1t
matters not whether the tenant or
employer is white or black, or wheth-
er the laborer is white or black, or a
member of the Association or not, it is
violation of the constitution to hire
such.
Query. How yili you break up the
harboring of Objectionable persons by
tenants. under the guise of laborers,
and how prevent these tenants from
hiring laborers contracted to you ?.
Ans. This cannot be done now by any
lawful measures, but the contracts for
next year can set forth that the lessee
shall not permit persons of bad char
acter to stay, or be harbored about his
household, and further that he shall
hire no extra labor without the con-
sent Of his landlord. Suppose A and
3 to be Reformers. A wishes to con-
tract, say now, with an employer of
BIS for the next year, how can he do
so and not violate the constitution?
Ans. A should first obtain the COIL
sent of B. for his graft contract. Then
of course, the way would be opened
constitutionally. In case B. objected,
which no one would hardly do, for
other than just cause, the Executive
Committee will determine the case.
Such consent from B. or favorable
action Of the Executive Committee
OH AS appeal would obviate the neces-
|sity for a certificate.
Query. Suppose an employer in an
ger should discharge q laborer of gen.
eral good character, thinking to be
revenged by no one hiring him, how
do you manage? Ans. The Execu-
tive Committee will examine into the
merits of the case and if the laborer
was dismissed for just cause he will
have to stay OIL the road or leave the
neighborhood but, if he was turned
off for spite, merely to crafty feel
ing of revenge, the Executive Com
mittee will give the laborer certifi-
cate, and prosecute the employer be-
fore the association. An employer
cannot withhold a certificate without
just cause, and of this he is not alone
to be judge.
Query. Is not this certificate system
something new? Ans. It isnew here.
But as the editor of the Press and Bdn-
,aer said in the last issue, "The princi-
pie is right, and is in common prac-
tice in all communities except ours"
An outspoken endorsement, after
which the most conservative need not
fear to embrace it fully.
Query. Since it appears to be lawful,
wise and practicable, why has not
something Of the kind been attempted
here before? Ans. The necessity
grew upon us, and has now culminat-
ed in action. The demoralized condi-
ton of labor was engendered partly
through political issues and partly
through the mal-adnlinistration of
law from abuses Of the ends of justice
at the County Courts to lesser, but
more personally annoying abuses at
the Trial Justices shops. The law
Intellectual, vagrancy and crime not
only multiply themselves until vigi-
lance and terrorism are awakened, but
so influence, hinder and overawe
peaceable labor that even the best of it
is uncertain and frequently unremu-
nerative. In this emergency land
owners and employers exercise their
legal personal right to say who, or
whether anybody shall work on their
place, and under what conditions la
Dor shall be performed thereon.
Hence Labor Reform Associations.
BERTRAM.