The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-03
Veto Mes sage
STATE OF TEXAS. EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
AUSTIN. February %, 1851.
To the Honorable House of Representa-

sTArE OF TEXAS. EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
AUSTIN. February %, 1851.
To the Honorable House of Representa-
tiyes in the Legislature assembled:
The bill entitled. IAN act to re-
strict the employment of sailors ana
crews OF foreign vessels from roll
Ing cotton, or laboring on the
wharves or levees of the ports III the
State Of Texas beyond the end OF the
ships tackle" is hereby disapproved
and returned 10 the House, in which
1t originated, with the following OBJ
tections TO 1t becoming law:
l. II makes labor crime in Texas
by foreign sailors when done by
them in loading their own vessels,
if done beyond their ships tackle.
=. The tackle Is defined to be the
rigging and apparatus of a ship, and
the distance allowed, by this act, for
sailor 10 work in loading and I'M
loading his vessel would only be so
far as the apparatus Of the ship for
loading and unloading his vessel
would reach, which may not be
more than ten or fifteen feet from
the side Of the vessel. In loading
cotton and other bulky articles from
the wharves on TO the vessel, it may
often be impracticable to place them
within that distance of the side of
the vessel, and. therefore, the effect
of the act would be TO prevent the
sailors from loading and unloading
their own vessels, although they may
have contracted 90 do so in taking
service in them.
B. The act, by preventing one
class oflaborers from working on a
part of the wharves or leyees, that
may be necessary in loading and I'M
loading vessels in the Texas ports,
will give another class of laborers a
monopoly in the business; whereas,
our Constitution declares that mo
nopolies are contrary to the genius
of free government, and shall
never be allowed
l. While il is the duty of the gov
eminent to protect its citizens in
their labor, that does not extend to
furnish them with the opportunity
to labor, which is n matter of con-
tract, when one person is hired to
labor Tor another, and if sailors
have contracted, in signing their
ship-articlcs, to do labor on any
parts of the wharves or levees that
may be necessary in loading and I'M
oading their vessels, it would be an
illiberal discrimination against them,
who are a favored class in all civil
izod countries If they are con-
strained by the power held over
them by their officers to labor in
our ports beyond the limits of their
contract, the evil and injustice of it
should be met directly, by penalties
of fine and imprisonment inflicted
upon their officers, and not upon
them.
8. The enforcement of such q law
will tend TO drive foreign shipping
from our ports, to increase freights
and the expenses of handling the
articles of commerce, which at last
comes back as a loss upon the pro-
Queer and consumer.
6. If this act becomes law, it will
inaugurate in this state class legisla-
ton, the end OF which may not now
be well seen; for. If one sort of la
/ Dor and. Industry is to be pro-
| tected against foreign competition,
all other sorts are equally entitled
| to it.
1t will not stop with foreign COM
petit. on, but it will encourage and
engender q struggle between all
classes, rings and combinations to
obtain extra advantages through
the operations of the state govern
| ,,a,,t fhaiY. connfinnn6 nv
| legislative action, which would
necessarily result in detriment to the
interest Of tie great body of OIL
people. So far as 1 have been able
to ascertain the tncts, relating 1 the
port of Galveston, this is a struggle
between tH o combinations. and an
| appeal To the government by one OF
them to he given by law an exclusive
right to the prejudice of the other
I have no information as to the
other ports of Texas.
| My objection to the act is not
| founded on the fact that heretofore
this competition in labor has saved
any expense in handling the cargoes
ofvessels so much as that when the
competition is removed, as it would
be by this act, it would be in tho
power of the successful combination
of laborers to increase the expense
beyond what 1t has been; and fur
thcr, that the principles should be
preserved in the government which
demands an open field in labor tC
any and every one who will work
| within the limits of Texas
whether he be stranger transiently
here or Il citizen permanently set
tied. Respectfully submitted,
o. NJ. ROBERTS, Governor.