Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-15
ALAW NOT ENFORCED.
Some Changes Recommended
in the Contract Statute.
LABOR MEN DISCUSS IT.
The Popular Concert Idea Meets With
General Approval
LABOR MEN DISCUSS 1T.
SPICY CHATSOE VARIOUSSUBJECTS

The House committee having in consid-
Grafton the Presidents message reported q
few davs ago tnat some additional legisla-
ton wes necessary to perfect the contract
labor law. An attempt was made yester-
day to ascertain the views of manufacturers
on the subject, but it must be said that so
far as appearances go they seem to be su-
premely Indifferent, probably because the
supply of common labor is already excessive
In this country, where, it is said, boy has
no chance to learn trade except In the
penitentlary.
As much might be inferred from the re-
ply gotten at Painter & Sons, where gen.
tleman stated that they dealt with the
Amalgamated Association witheut reference
to laws on the subject. II the supply of
common labor is to be permanently IN ex-
cess of demand of course it may be expected
TO be cheap, aud to furnish little or no
trouble.
Mr.. Chess, Of Chess, Cook & Co., said be
hadn't given the subject any thought, and
wasn't prepared to give an opinion.
j. W. Friend said he thought il well to
build wall and shut out all foreign labor,
as there were plenty of people in the country
now TO do all the work needed. Mr.. Friend
said he would rather see common laborers
paid g day than less, as when labor is well
paid manufacturers made the most money.
GOOD WAGES PAY.
He said he had found it hard work 10 make
expenses when men were paid 621S cents
day out of the store, and had made money
when they were paid much higher wages in
cash. He said working people spent their
money freely, and when they got good pay
they kept currency circulating.
A. NJ. Byers said he hadn't given the
subject any thought, and wasn't prepared
to give any opinion.
Master Workman 1. n. Ross said: 81
think the present law is good enough if it
were put into operation. A more stringent
law should be passed, or rather a modifcs-
ton or alteration in the existing law should
be made in the direction of putting its
operations more quickly in force"
SLOW IN OPERATION.
William Smith, President Of the Ameri-
can Flint Glass Workers Union-I have no
fault to fnd with the law, excepting that its
operations are too slow. Some alteration
should be made by which more rapid action
in carrying out its spirit would be entailed.
At present more than one of its provisions
are imperative by reason of their ambiguity.
John Ehman, editor of the Budget
think that the present law should be made
to act more quickly. Take Tor example the
case of the Jeannette glass blowers. Al
though the District Attorney gave an opin-
ion, which in SO cases out OF 100 would have
been sufficient to send back the men without
anything more to do in the matter, nothing
more can be done in this case until
May. By that time the men will
have been more than II months
in the country, and the point occurs to me
whether, under The clause which limits the
time in which action should be taken against
imported laborers to one year, the prOsecu-
tion in this case will end in a successful re-
suit or not. 1t is just possible that some
sort of defense on this point may be set up.
I ana certainly in favor of a modification of
the law which would result in quicker
methods for dealing with imported contract
labor than exists under its present form.