The Labor enquirer., 1883-01-13

SeCtlOn III oTuSE W SeCuTe Llt
benefits thereof shall commence their
actions within six months next after the
last services shall have been performed"
AS will be seen at a glance this is the
only bill that provides for the collection
of house servants wages. We sim
cerely hope that the legislature in their
wisdom will pass this bill, as it is needed
and just.
Senator Tilford introduced senate bill
No. l.. which is for the exemption of the
personal earnings of debtor, and which
should become law without dissent
ing voice, as there is no exemption law,
in the workings of justice courts of any
kind in the state at present. AS we have
noticed this bill in THE ENQUIRER before,
we will simply give the first section of
the bill:
Section l. The earnings of a judgment
debtor for personal services rendered at
any time within sixty days next preced-
ing tn eissuance of writ of attachment
or execution from anyCourt in this state,
whether in the hands of such debtor or
any other person. 5Ior due to said debtor,
shall be exempt from levy or seizure
under such writ. whenever it shall be
made to appear by the debtors affidavit,
or otherwise, that such earnings are
necessary for the use of family sup,
ported wholly or in part by his labor.
= Mr.. Costello of Lake, in the house,
has introduced much-needed law, regu-
lating the fees TO be charged by county,
precinct and other officials 1t is we'll
known fact to all who have had any,
thing to do with the courts in this state
that exorbitant fees have been the order
of the day, and especially has this been
the case in the justice courts, where there
has been no clearly defined list Of fees,
or at least we have been unable to find
any, and litigants have been numerically
plundered by unscrupulous shysters.
1t is to be hoped this bill, or one covering
the case will become law, and put a
stop to the grabbing that has been here
tofore INDUCED in.
Mr.. Rockafellow has introduced two
bills relating to the state penitentiary
and the letting Of convict labor, which
bills it appears to us conflict. Section
II of house bill No. says: 1T shall be
the duty of the commissioners (of the
penitentiary) to advertise for sealed bids
or proposals for the hire of the labor nt
the convicts in said penitentiary, in such
numbers and for such periods as they
may deem advisable. X "Sec-
ton 10. The commissioners shall not
be required to advertise or hire out the
labor of such cOnvicts as may be en-
ployed for the state. All COnviCtS whose
laboris not contracted or being employed
foE the state in accordance with the pro
visions of this act may be hired or other
wise employed by the commissioners
and warden in such manner as they
shall think most conducive to the best
interests Of the state"
House bill No. reads as follows
SECTION |, That no labor shall be
performed by the convicts of the Colo
RADIO state penitentiary off of the grounds
belonging to said penitentiary, excep
such as may be incident to the business
and management Of the penitentiary
provided, that this act shall not be
construed to affect any existing contract
Now it strikes us that the gentleman
presenting these two bills was not of the
same mind at the difrent times of draw
ing up the two bills. Nc.7 instructs the
commissioners to hire out the labor O
| convicts and No. s says that no conYic
shall leave the penitentiary grounds t(
do other than state work. How mer
can do work for a private contractor anc
remain within the penitentiary limits Il
a mystery to us, for'with the exception o
shoemaking and the like, no tontrac
work is done on the premises. There /;
only one way to settle this question o
convict labor to the satisfaction of the
people, and that is to pass an act prohib
itng the contract system in all shape anc
manner 1t will have to come to this a
, last, as the workingmen all over the
United States are awaking to the injustice
of the system of allowing cheap convict
labor to come into full competition with
honest labor. Bills are being introduced