St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-25
LABORLGUARDED.
The Need of Laws to Protect She
Poor.

The Need of Laws to Protect She
Poor.
To the Editor of the Globe:
Although the time for the next meeting of
our legislature is yet way off, we may never
| theless be justified in touching upon ques-
ton or two in regar to which some near
future will have to bring new developments.
AS far as the labor question hitherto has
been attended to, the heaviest strain has
been brought to bear upon the standard of
wages, shorter hours of toll and abolition of
| contracted prison labor as competitor with
| the production of freemen. 1t goes without
| saying, that all these issues are important
| enough to make them the advance points on
the p ogram But everybody who is little
posted about the progress OF time will know
that every question connected with
the promotion OF the right Of
man, bears in itself the tendency of
perpetual evolution ard that with every point
gained comes new one to hand to be OBJ
| tanned. This fact cannot be applied more
forcibly to any cause than to the labor ques-
ton in our country. Beyond tue three issues
mentioned above, there are numerous points
to be settled in order to suDdue the greed OF
| speculative capitalism and elevate the classes,
| who are the foundation TO all our progress
In order to right wrongs, which no improve
| ment obtainable in wages and work-hours
can mend. at least for half a century to come.
|
legislation establishing more security for lives
and health of laborlng men and women at the
| hands OF their employers. When We read
| about shocking mine accidents, frequently
brought about by neglect or failing on the
| part OF the management to provide sufficient
| means OF safety, when we see laborers car
ried home killed or crippled by cracked scat
| folds and tumbling buildings where the
| cause lies with similar negligence on the part
OF the contractors, superintendent, inspect
ors or owners, we are touched to pity-all OF
! u.s. But going further into those cases and
knowing how difficult-for not to say impos-
| sIble-it is for sufferers to get any sort of
just compensation for themselves il only in
| Jured, or for their surviving families in case
| OF death, this state of things must needs be-
| alton to everybody who looks upon
the life and welfare Of fellow men
with any sort of humane feeling.
| we repeat that with our present Legislation IL
dis practically next to impossible for laoorer
| or his family to obtain justice In cases OF
| Such inj furious Or fatal occurrences. InVesu-
cations IN most instances prove themselves
of little avail, and then there is nothing left
| for the sufferer but private proceedings In
| court And then-even if the complaining
party has got money enough to secure Legal
| assistance, or a lawyer may be found benevo-
lent enough to take the case on his own haz-
| ard, it is ten to one that defendant has got
1
lawyer cares to invest, and thence it goes
wrangliDg with hearings and appeals from
one court to another until finally
the complaining party runs out or
tires out. The injury then becomes
| an outrage, and wholesale outrages like these
ought to be stopped by this time. The COM
munity ought to be relieved from the humili-
ating knowledge that yet it harbors so much
! of barbarism. What at present pertains
more to Eastern states, but is coming here
with our growing manufacturing business is
the less judicious location and ventilation of
| factories and large Shops where male and
| female employees often fall into falling health
and lingering disease from impure air and
overeXertion. In regard to these points we
| think that our next legislature has got just
| cause for action, and a fair opportun-
| ity to make itself renowned and
blessed by the far greatest part of humanity.
| 1t is not-at least at present-Our intention to
| try and outline in detail the measures to be
taken, but the culpability of an employer,
neglecting the safety of the employees, must
| be brought to bear more stringenty upon the
| capitalistc element, and must be put down as
| criminal cases. Added to this, q step should
| be taken providing for the laboring classes
and the poor in general full free legal assist
ance whenever just cause required their
going to law about differences with Oppres-
| sive employers or greedy capital. The ap-
| prOach to justice ought to be made open to
| ALL and even more smooth to those who in all
! times past have had the lesser share of it.
] Minneapolis, July 49, T.