The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-09-17
In Ohio for the making Of tho laws Of

LABOR LEGIBLATioN.
Let me read from a recent number OF
the Plttaburg Labor Tribune what this
legislature did for the Interest OF the
state.
Several letters have been received OF
late asking what measures IN the inter
cat OF labor were passed by the last leg-
islature. Az this 10 matter OF Import
ance, we would say that 30 far as we
can now TeoOllect, the following com
prlses the llat OF laws passed bearing
directly upon labor: /. TO allow 90 oper-
atiye enterprises 10 incorporate under
the laws OF the state. 2. To increase the
number of mine inspectors from two 10
four. 3 To increase the penalties for
yloalaliOn OF the provisions OF the min
Ing law. The old law provided for a
penalty OF not more than fbOi the new
lew provides for hnes TO br not loss than
$50. 4. TO inyeaI mine inspectors
with powers OF aealera OF welghta aud
measures. B, To create the Office OF
Inspector OF the workshops and factor
ies, with q force OF three assistant In .
spectOrs TO enforce laws Tor the proper
ventilation OF ahopa and factories.
To allow suits TO be brought againet
corporations at any place where they do
business Instead OF at the headquarters
OF the company as designed IN their hr-
tlcle OF incorporation. 7. To provide
methods by which disputes between en-
ployers and employees may DO arbltIa'
ted. 8. 10 provide seats for all females
employed In stores, manufacturing and
mechanical establishments. o, TO pro
vide against the employment OF minors
under the age OF IL years In any work.
shop, factory or other establishment
wherein goods OF any kind are manu-
featured. 10, No minor under the age
OF IS years shall be employed In any
manufacturing establishment more than
ten hours per day. and In no case shall
their hours exceed sixty per week. III,
| To compel companies, firms and c0rp0r'
atlons TO pay the wages OF labor In law.
| fnl money, and 10 prevent the Issue OF
scrip. l2. To abolish convict contract
labor In the penitentiary OF the state.
49, To regulate conditional sales OF
property on the installment plan. ID
| To perfect the labor lien law, giving
laborers lrst claim upon the property
| OF their employers for wages due.
ut will be seen by the above that II
we have not secured oil that we desired
In the past two years, We have at least
secured more than we had done In oil
the previous history OF Legislature In
this state, That we have secured 10
much Ia due 10 the fact that the work
ingmen agitated for and iDsieted upon
euch Legislation In Ohio, and We are
proud OF the fact that the Ohio miners
association was the first 10 set the ball
rolling In the right direction
CIVIL RIGHTS AND ELECTION REFORMS.
II these are the results Of the labora
Of the bad lot" In our General Assem-.
bly,, we suspect that the worklngmen OF
other States would be glad 10 have their
Legislatures yacclnated with Ohio
lymph. Besides this, however, nj its
iirst session II gave civil rlghts TO col
ored men equal 10 those possessed by
the whites. Perhaps this In Mir. Sher.
mans eyes Ia the bad Job OF "bad lot"
The Republican party had allowed thirty
years OF Republican power 10 pass with
out doing II. Moreover, II passed q reg
istratlon law for Cleveland and Cincin-
malta severe registration law. Doubt. |
less this was q bad Job OF o bad lot,"
for In Tennessee the Republican party
broke up the Legislature Itself by alb
sentiDg themselves, breaking q quorum
aud thus preventing the passage OF q |
registration lava law which In Ten
nessee Ia considered In Republican par.
lance an obstruction TO "a free ballot |
aud n fair count" II submitted, the |
"bad lot did, 10 popular vote an amend |
ment 10 the Constitution, changing the |
time OF holding elections In Ohio from |
October 10 November, and the Demo |
cratic platform calls upon the Democrats |
OF Ohio 10 support this amendment. The |
Republican platform IL wholly silent
upon this point. The cause OF this sil-
ence we are not Informed, but are left 10
infer that II was from ono Of three
causes. First, they may have been 30
intent upon waving the bloody flag and
supporting the eternal principles OF
regulation and taxation that they for
got II; or secondly, that they may have
conceived. 10 unwise 10 make q party
plank In favor OF any constitutional
amendment, for fear they might not
have q sufIlclent excuse for refusing 10
tell whether they we're In favor OF or
against prohibition (as II seems 10 be
Republ eau principle that
which Is 10 DO changed In tho conetitu.
tlon ought never 10 be made matter OF
party differenoe-on that which Ia 10
be changed In statute); or thirdly, II
may after oil have been u plan TO keep
Ohio as q pivotal State, 10 that Governor
Fosters pathway to tho Senate might be-
rendered easier by creating the neces'
sity for John Sherman as Presidential
In 1883.
PRISON REFORMS.
The bad lot" also provided by law for
The erection Of q gallows In the Peniten.
tiary 80 as 10 secure privacy Of execu.
lions. They established q forestry bureau
10 as TO preserve the forests OF tho State
from indlscriminate destruction. They
refused 10 give away any
part OF the Ohio canale. d Indeedllt may
be said OF this bad lot" that they were
satisfied with their own badness and In
iulged In no steals or Jobs wha ever. 30
far 40 / am aware, mono were even pro-
posed by them. They also provided for
The inspection OF tho 9oldlers' and Sail.
)rs' Orphans homo by women. But the
good work Of this General Assembly and
the most important, In my opinion, was
,be work OF prison reform, which | hope
has been left upon such q foundation
hat whoever may be elected Governor
II thIs State, the Legislature will never
llsturb II. I refer Senator Sherman 10
iis neigbbor, General Brinkerhof, tho
most distinguished advocate, OF prlson
'eform In The state, and 10 the Re.
publican members Of the Board OF
State Charities, together with the Re.
publican Secretary OF that Board, no
Witnesses Of the good work donea 10
ure and the Board OF Managers appoint.
d by me. The prison was left In the
lands OF che Democratic party, 90 one
u the guards pithily said, with nothing
)ut tho wall, the priaOnora and Tho YER