National Republican., 1886-04-03
Tho Jisn Inv Amendment.

EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,: Some forty
or iifty years ago there was a fashion for hold
ing debating clubs In the small towns Of New
England, and favorite question among them
was, "Snoulu a representative De Governed by
the W III of His Constituents"
Had the budding genius who took the neg.
ativc oh these occasions forcseen the fact that
the knights of Labor In Iowa would have In
strucled their representative. here to vote
against an amendment to the Hen law OF this
District, which simply saves people from be-
ing obliged to pay twice for one thing, we
think he would have had strong argument
Can any rational being tell us why the
Knights of Labor in Iowa should object TO the
owner of property in the District Of Columbia
being informed when there is liability to q
the proposed amendment of the lien law seeks.
When people are informed that the dealer In
materials can, ifnot paid by the contractor,
put lien on the building where they ware
used. they will be careful that the dealer is
paid before the contractor, who has agreed to
supply both materials and work. has his pay.
To be kept in ignorance until the contractor y
paid for the whole, and then have lien put
on the buildings and be compelled TO pay
twice for the materials used, Is Just what the
present lien law makes legal. 1t cannot maze
II right.
Now, do the knights of Labor in Iowa eN-
pect TO win public sympathy by advocating n
law which invites Tascality. The present lien
law puts money in the dealers pocket by a
profits win cease. Ignorance of the law Il not
held to be any defense against It's penalties.
The lien law was published In the newspapers,
and owners are told they ought TO know its
provisions. How many people read all the
laws that are published? 1t Is the knowledge
that few do read them that gives contractors
and dealers in material all the chance they
have TO iill their pockets by being paid twice
for one thing,
hope, MIR. Editor, that as guardian OF the
public good, you will publish SO much about
tho proposed amendment to the lien law ol
this District that the subject Will be well un'
derstood, and then ifthe Knights of Labor In
Iowa succeed in preventing the property
owners in this District from being projected
through law by information as TO their llabil
ily to n lien. the owners will still be safe be-
cause they know the law, and will not expose
themselves to loss through trick,
Ifthe knights of Labor In Iowa do not know
| that the proposed amendment to the lien law
has nothing 10 do with mechanics, they should
| te informed OF the fact.
The mechanics receive their wages every
| Saturday night, by the rules of the labol
! unions The builder hands to the owner thu
| receipts for labor very carefully when he pay
| his men and tells him that II they were moi
| paid they could put lien upon the building
| lie does not tell the owner that the firm whC
| supplied the bricks Is not paid, and that they
could and would put a lien upon H. Had thu
| owner this information he could easily pro
| tect himself How many more people in thl
| District are to be tricked through the lien law
| Not many, If the newspapers print enough ol
| the subject. not one, If Congress docs us duty
| MARCH 81, 1886. IL. q. lSGERsOLL,