The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-17
A pooR MANS LAW
INA, should be Passed by the Legislature
of West virginia.

Thai should be Passed BY the Legislature
Of West virginia.
SrEvDESvILLR, February II.
Ll!sn Intelligence;
In Wheeling to-day my attention was
c,llel to House Bill No. 8 as being tabled,
tecause Of such opposition TO 1t as indica.
nd its defeat, and learned that substi.
tate will be offered, which is as follows:
A Bill to exempt personal earnings in
certain cases from seizure by legal pro-
cess. ..-..-
Ra 0qotud BY @ LegiIature Of Irsst VIZ
That ali wages OF any laboring man,
Who d 4 husband or parent, or the head
or support OF family, in this State, or
elsewhere, earned within sixty days next
uriOr 10 the issuance OF any execution,
snVpestion or attachment, shall be exempt
ifSn distress or levy. Provided, however,
ihat any such exemption shall not be con.
Hrued 10 increase the exemption OF any
Enrh person beyond the sum OF two hum
lftd dollars Of his personal property.
The foregoing, or something equivalent
10 H. Is 50 manitestly Just and so much de-
mapde,l that am unable TO sec why any
man, save those whose business It Is
tOdstresst the unfortunate laborer who can
not always meet his obligations, 10 wit:
ths Shyster who brings this class OF suits,
and the magistrates and constables who
make large profits out OF them, can for o
moment desire TO defeat such legislation.
10 West Virginia, situated as q portion Of
YOUR State il between the States OF Ohio
and Pennsylvania, both OF which States
exempt the earnings Of the laboring man
from attachment or execution for some
period andin some amount s,.,.
a0hiO earnings for personal service to
The extent Of $3.50 for three months last
before process asked for, is exempt, Tor
alImen who have families for which they
provide, and in Pennsylvania personal
earnings cannot be attached, each OF
these States having made provision by
law 10 protect labor in the interest OF the
Workingnan and his family.
West Virginia having no such exemp-
ton, and being gtraVersed by railroads rum
ming through and into different parts OF
her territory, and particularly the city OF
Wheeling from said States, furnishes the
opportunity to oppress the citizens Of those
States. f
For instance, there have been t,ro hun
drol and tOry.thrte (943) suits brought
against men employed by the P. C. & st.
L. Railway Company since the opening OF
the railroad to Wheeling in February last,
in the city Of Wheeling alone, and more
than half Of the whole number have been
brought by Todd & Smith, and by G. o.
SRi&, successor to Todd & Smith. These
claims are gathered up by advertising
along the line Of the railroad, offering to
collect or purchase claims against men in
the employ Of railroad companies.
These 43 claims are nearly all claims
against men who have families, and whose
wages are exempt in the States where the
debts are contracted, and where the party
who ought 10 be plaintiff as well as the
defendant reside. In many instances
coming within my knowledge, there is no
Justice whatever in the claim, and q de-
tense otherth M provided by an exemption
law could be made by the party sued, II
sued at home, but he cannot afford to 20
toanother State to defend a suit in which
N9ot debt and $40 Of costs only are in
TOlved
In many instances the debt amounts TO
much less than the costs, which looks very
much as though tho costs are the obiec-
dTe point. But however that may be, in
most oi the States OF tho Union some pro-
ts'On is made 10 exempt from execution
or,Process something for the householder
Who has family to provide for. In your
state, as in Ohio, liberal provision il
made by way Of a homestead, II such he or
she has, and il not some sum or value in
such things as are thought most necessary
70 protect the family from want, and in.
Vhlo and Pennsylvania there Is added
AM which in my opinion is most import
AMI Of all to encourage the workingman,
t9'Tit; his personal earnings for q reason.
ao!e length Of time, so that he may know
ta2t al the end OF two or four weeks, the
usual time OF payment by most corpora
uons, whatever he has earned by his labor
cannot be taken IRON him, aud his family
tOoOed ofthe ncccssaries OF life. II there
any one thing more calculated than
aaother to add to the tramp family, now too
numerous, it is the practice OF this infa.
nous business, as now CarriedIon, OF pur
sfu'nB me man who is so unfortunate US 10
ue IN debt month after month, with these
FSSecatiOnsas hereinbelore referred TO,
am glad to know that the States on ei.
u;, Get side Of West Virginia have made pro.
ts,99ns S1sI9ns to exempt earnings for all house.
holders or heahs Of families without re.
EAta 10 place Ot residenCe-and | have ey.
~! y! reason to believe that the same feeling
VI suffering humanity exists with the
PPeso,Ple Of West Virginia rs with those OF
oG'o and Pennsylvania, and that all that
~ = needed to produce some legislation In
Iv ~, interest Of the workingman, which
s MaI protect him and his family from the
INV INV wrong under which such are now sui.
Sag by reason OF the want
Sasas Stssea legislation in your State, Is proper
Ii,Snt'on i.t,l'on called 10 the necessity now OK.
Ss"aS And rs the newspaper Is, as
should hc, the great exponent
ibIi,sI 'kNH duu WEO1E6 oil
.SSi'VauaaIs .,i, ,,s and parties. ! hope Il will
~ S.,;" you TO give so much OF what l have
,NsS r'"gn Y; 10 the reading public as will elicit
.Sso. sS" interest IN this matter as It's impor.
y IaSe % deserves ask this in the interest
W.. S.sne !, ,Sotktngman, and would not ask il
,D,S ~s,s y not that such opposition has been
Soue ~ 81 % House bill 10. 3, and House Bill
S .S,i 0o!h Of which were in the interest
:. IVY I. lGf the protection Of the workingman.
M, ,ssas aus one to believe that this subject has
II,SvelTea IIoSoeHl the attention It deserves,
sion VSSe y OlII No, l9 had In 1t such provi.
sat aia from the great wrong bereinbefore
iDIslM DsIsfM. to, aud It passed the House Of
VsEa!es, wv Yesterday but not until every
oo"s D%S ,. mat was calculated to protect the
man, han a's9 as1 was removed from Il BY amend.
leS".Iaa l"S aaa II was thereby rendered worth.
a'S''as we!lnotl have been passed.