The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-02-01
REAssEssMENr OF LANDS.

for the reassessment Of the lands Of
this State, will be passed. 1t is
claimed that there is great irregular
ity in the real estate assessment Of
the State, and a revolution is neces-
sary to equalize it.
CLASS LEGISLATION.
Probably the most obnoxious Bill
that has been introduced into our
House is the following, which was
presented by Mr.. Settles, Of Fayette:
AN ACT entitled an Act to Protect
Capital and Labor in this State.
Be it enacted by the Legislature Of
West Virginia: That from and after
the passage of this act, if any person
shall, by violence to the person or
property, or by threats or intimida-
ton, or by molestipg or in any way
obstructing another, force or endeav-
or to force any journeyman, manu-.
facturer, workman or other person
hired or employed in any manufac-
ture, trade or business, to depart
from his hiring, employment, or
work, or to return his work before the
same shall be finished, or prevent or
endeavor TO prevent any journey
man, manufacturer, workmen, or
other person not being hired or EN-.
ployed, from hiring himself to or
from accepting work or employment
from any person or persons; or If any
person shall use or employ violence
to the person or property Of another,
or threats of intimidation, or shall
modest or in any way obstruct anolh,
er for the purpose Of forcing or in
ducing such person to belong to any
particular club or association or to
contribute to any common fund, or
to pay any fine or penalty, or on &C.
count'of his not belonging to any
particular club or association, or not
having contributed or having refused
to contribute to any common fund,
or to pay any fine or penalty, or on
account Of his not having complied,
or of his refusing to comply with any
rules, orders, resolutions, or regula.
tons made to obtain an advance or
to reduce the rate Of wages, or to de-
crease or alter the quantity of work,
o. to regulate the mode Of carrying
on any manufacture, trade or bus
mess, or the management thereof; or
if any person shall, by violence to
the person or property Of another, or
by threats or intimidation, or by mo-
testing or in any way obstructing an
other, force or endeavor to force any
manufactures or person carrying on
any trade or business, to make any
alteration in his mode OF regulating,
managing, conducting, or carrying
on such manufacture, trade or bus
mess, or to limit the number of de-
scription of his journeymen, work
men, or employees, every person SO
offending or aiding, abeting or assist
ling therein, being convicted thereof,
shall be guilty Of felony, and pun
ished by confinement in the peniten-
tiary Of this state not less than one,
nor more than FIVE years.
Section 2. 1t shall be the duty Of
the respective circuit judges Of this
state to give this act specially in
charge Of the grand juries of their
county.
Section 8. This act shall take effect
from and after its passage.
We hardly think it will meet with
the appreciation of the Mason county
people, or with the members of this
House. 1t is class legislation of the
worst character, and while its title is
likely to deceive, yet a reading Of
the Bill will show that it is aimed
at labor entirely. Whoever thought
that it would come to this point in
our State, or in this nation, that
workingmen would be by law made
tclons, for presuming to have any
rights that capital was bound to re-
spect. ! don't think that this Bill
will get dozen votes in the House,
but whether it does or not, shall
give it "black eye" SO far as my
vote and influence will go, and am
satisfied that friend Rowley will do
the same thing. The Bill, it is said,
was prepared by Judge Hoke, Re,
publican, Of Lewis county. The
Newsletter, in this city, condemns
the Bill in the severest terms, and
from this paper we make the follow
ing extract:
"a casual reading of the proposed
law would leave the impression that
it is intended Us measure TO protect
capital from violence, but a careful
perusal soon dispels this idea and the
naked truth stands out that it is
nothing less than a scheme TO de-
prive workingmen of their rights
1t in effect gays that all members Of
labor unions who attempt To carry
out the objects for which such organ
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