Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-06-11
IT is NOW A LAW.
Governor Pattison Signs the Bill to Abol-
ish Company Stores.

Since the passage of the bill relating to
company stores, which was rushed
through on the last day Of the session,
the TRIBUNE has endeavored to obtain
some definite information regarding its
contents. Secretary Caffrey, of the X.
of l.. Legislative Committee, says the
bill was not amended in the House or
Senate, but passed as introduced on Jan
uary q by Representative Farrell 1t
travelled slowly through the Legislature
and it was only by the hardest work of
the committee, assisted by the mining
representatives, that it was passed. Had
there been time on May 27 for its discus
sion it would undoubtedly have been
killed by the Senate, from whose COM
mittee it was brought out that morning
by Senator Hines and others. As it was
the time was short and by little STRAIT
egy it passed intact. Governor Pattlson,
true to the pledges he made to the people
of this State signed the bill Tuesday
afternoon. As introduced in the House
it reads as follows:
SECTION l. On and after the passage of this
act, it shall not be lawful for any mining or
manufacturing corporation of this Common
wealth, or the officers or stockholders of any
such corporation, acting in behalf or in the
interest of any such corporation to engage in
or carry on by direct or indirect means any
store, known as a company store, general
supply store, or store where goods and mer-
chandise, other than such as have been mined
or manufactured by the mining or manufacture
ing corporation of which said officers or stock
holders are members, are kept or offered for
sale.
SECTION 2. That no mining or manufactur-
ing corporation engaged in business under the
laws of this Commonwealth shall lease, grant,
bargain or sell to any officer or stockholder of
any such corporation, nor to any other person
or persons, whatsoever the right to keep or
maintain upon the property of any such cor
poration, any company general supply or other
store in which goods other than those mined or
manufactured by the corporation granting
such right shall be kept, or exposed for sale
whenever such lease, grant bargain or sale us
aforesaid, is intended to defeat the provisions
of the first section of this act. Nor shall any
such mining or manufacturing corporation,
through its officers, stockholders, or by any
rule or regulation of its business, make any
contract with the keepers or owners of any
store, whereby the employees of such corpor-
alton shall be obliged to trade with such keeper
or owner, and that any such contract made in
dence of the fact that such store is under the
control of such mining or manufacturing cor
poration and in violation of this act.
SECTION 8. That for any violation of any of
the provisions of this act by any mining or
manufacturing corporation aforesaid, such
mining or manufacturing corporation so of
Tending shall forfeit all charter rights granted
to it under the laws of this Commonwealth,
and it is hereby declared and made the duty of
the Attorney General of this Commonwealth,
upon proof of such violation of any of the pro-
visions of this act, by petition signed and
sworn to by two or more citizens residents of
the county where the offense is sworn to have
been committed, to Immediately commence
proceedings against the corporation or corpor-
tions complained against by II writ of quo
warranto.
SECTION 4. That all acts or parts of acts in
consistent with this act are hereby repealed.