Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-08

cumulated nothing, now having grow.
ing balances TO their credit. | have
heard no complaint from any Of these
men, but | have heard complaints by
outside parties--by other merchants
who have, of course, lost the custom of
these men, and n few laboring men who
have received these orders second hand /;
| have not heard any complaints from
any of the employees OF any of the other
iron manufacturers. ! presented n pc
tition several weeks ago, signed by
about sixty citizens of two townships re.
mote from these iron works, where the
principal industry is numbering, who
complain of the order system as prac-
ticed in their neighborhood, and pray
for the passage of law, general in its
term, applicable TO all parties. | have
also heard complaints from few Of the
employees in some of our coal mines,
who say they are compelled to take
orders on the company stores where
they are compelled TO pay more for
goods than they can buy them for at
other stores. have no doubt but that
some of these complaints are founded
upon facts, and il legislation would
reach these cases, without doing AN in.
jury to both capital and labor in other
localities. where there Is no complaint
or abuse, would gladly support il.
This law would reach the innocent as
we'll as the guilty. But this legislation,
as proposed in the bill as it reads with.
out my amendment, Is special IN its
character, being only applicable TO three
branches OF industry, leaving all Others
untouched, and, as believe. contrary
to the spirit OF the Constitution.
Section seven, article three, of the
Constitution, provides that the General
Assembly shall not pass any local or
special law changing the
rules of evidence in any judicial pro.
ceeding, or inquiry before court, alder.
man, justices OF the peace,
or regulating labor, trade, mining or
manufacturing" This proposed law
may not be local in its character a. II
applies to three branches of industry
in all Of the counties of the State, in
which they are conducted, aud is there.
fore general ms TO the business 10 which
it refers, but il il not 81 ccial rs il ap.
plies To- three particular branches Of in.
dustry? What did the trainers Of the
Constitution mean by the use OF the
words local or special in the connection
in which they are here uscd' We
must gather their meaning by the same
rules we would apply in the interpreta
ton of statute.
But whether IL be unconstitutiona or
not. is not the policy OF such a law bad ,
All men are equal before the law, and
each man should be left free to make
his own contracts in his own way, 30
long as he does not interfere with the
rights of others. All laws in restraint
Of legitimate trade are obnoxious: all
laws that seek 10 intcrpose barrier
to the making OF legitimate contracts
are in restraint OF trade, and an unwar.
ranted interference with the rights Of
citizenship. This act seeks TO protect a
class of our citizens against their own
contracts, and, after they have made
them, to declare them null and void.
II it be right to protect labor against
capital, il would be equally right TO. by
Law, to protect capital against labor,
and TO say, by law, that II shall be a
misdemeanor for man to refuse TO
work and to compel him to work when
he was unwilling. Neither would be
FiEHN. IL lAtbf hohFl tliTlNfs u ElhNN
do IL by industry, frugality and thrift.
No law cnn do for il what il win not do
for itself.
The ann ndment have proposed does
not interfere with the right Of capital
and labor to contract with each other,
aud it makes the order that may he IL.
sued in payment Of labor, buy as much
as would that much money. II il right
and proper to 90 this far in the inter.
eat Of labor. To 20 further would
prove, in the end, an injury and a
wrong 10 the laboring man instead OF
being n benefit TO him. This ought TO
satisfy labor, and, at the same time, it
ia just to capital.
call the attention OF the Senators 10
the seventh section of the third article
OF the Constitution, in which il says,
the General Assembly shall not pass
any local or special law" referring to
different things. but the point to which
| wish to call attention is that IL shall
not pass any local or special law "regu.
lating labor, trade, mining or manu-.
featuring" Now. it may be said that
this is not local law. That ! admit.
but because in its provisions j, applies to
these three industries, wherever they
may be situated in this State. But il it
not special, What ia the meaning in.
tended to be conveyed by the use OF
these two words local or special. -
That the word Especial" has not the
same sgnifcation as the word local is
evident, or 1t would not have been used
in this connection.
As understand il. a special law is a
law that is not general. that applies TO
certain portions Of a class instead Of 10
all that come within that class that
this law applies TO three industrial pur.
suits instead Of being applicable to all
branches Of industry where labor is en-
ployed, and therefore the law is special.
not local, in its character, but IL Is spe.
cial in its features, and therefore prohib.
tied. Ii says that no local or special
Law shall be passed regulating
labor. trade, mining or manufacturing
Nov, this act, as IL stands, il a PROPOSE
ton TO regulate mining and manufac.