Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-24
KNIGHTS WILL INSIST
That the Semi Monthly Pay Law
be Enforced.
LOCAL ASSEMBLY NO 1856 CALLS UP
ON THE PEOPLE OF PENNsYLvA-
MA TO HELP THEM IN HAVING
THE LAWS OBEYED.

day of May, 1887, gave his signature to
an act entitled IAN Act to provide for
the semi monthly payment of wage
workers." The law, as then placed up
on the statute books of Pennsylvania, in
default of penalty being provided for
its violation, was nothing but form of
legal buncombe, thrown out as a sop to
the wage-workers to quiet their clamor-
ings against the heinous injustices of the
monthly payment system. They, how
ever, saw through this timsy pretext of
a law, and, through the efforts of the
Knights of Labor of Pennsylvania, gave
their Representatives at Harrisburg to
understand they were not to be trihed
with in this matter. Thus it was that,
in compliance with the expressed wishes
of their constituents, the legislators dur
Ing the last session, made more potent
and effective the semi-monthly pay Law
by an amendment which provides a fine
of not more than 5000 for each and every
violation of that law. The law, as it APP
pears in the statute books, is as follows:
SECTION l. That from and after a period OF
two months subsequent to the date of the
passage of this act. every individual. firm. asso-
citation or corporation empl ying wage
workers. skilled ordinary, laborers engaged
at manual or clerical work. in the business If
mining or manufactu ing, or any other em-
ployes, shall make payment in lawful money
of the United States to the said employees,
laborers and wage-wurkers, or to their author
lied representatives; the first payment to be
made between the first and fifteenth and the
second payment between the fifteenth and
thirteih of each month, the full net amount OF
wages or earnings due said employees Iaborers
and wage-workers upon the first and fifteenth
instant OF each and every month wherein such
payments are made And in case any indivi-
dual, firm, corporation or association or other
employer, shall refuse to make payment when
demanded, upon the dates herein set forth, to
wage-workers, laborers or other employees ELL
ployed by or with the authority of such indivi-
dual, firm, corporation or association or other
employer, the sald individual, the members OF
the firm, the directors, officers and superinten-
dents or managers of said corporation and asso-
Citations, shall be guilty of misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be sentenced to pay IL fine
not to exceed two hundred dollars
SECTION q No assignment of future wages
payable semi-monthly, under the provisions OF
this act, shall be valid. nor shall any agreement
be valid that relieves the said firms, individuals,
corporations or associations from the obliga-
ton to pay semi-monthly, and in the lawfui
money of the United States.
SECTION 1t is hereby made the duty of the
Factory Inspector and his deputies to bring nc
tons in the name of the commonw ea til,
against every individual, firm, corporation and
associate IN violating the provisions of this law.
upon the request of any citizen of this COM
monwealth. Upon his failure to do so, any
citizen of this commonwealth is hereby author
lied to do 50 in the name of the commonwealth.
SECTION 4. All laws or parts of laws inc nsi-
stent with the provisions of this act be and the
same are hereby repealed.
APPRovED-The 10th day of May, A. D. 1891.
ROBT. E. PATTlSON.
Commencing about August last the
operators began to obey this law and
continued to do so until month or ST.
ago, when Hayden & Co. announced
their intention to resume the monthly
system. They were followed by the
Pardee companies, and others are pre-
pairing to do the same.
The following resolutions were unan-
monsly adopted at the last meeting oil
Local Assembly No. 1886, knights OF
Labor, of Upper Lehgh
FREELAND, Pa, March 10, 1892
Whereas, A number of coal operators in the
anthracite region are openly violating the pro-
visions of the semi-monthly pay law, and others
who are at present obeying this law have Zig
system of payment and as such action on the
part of these coal operators is in direct viola
tion of the laws of this commonwealth, there
fore be it
Resolved That the members of Local As
sembly No 1885, X. of L :, enter an emphatic pro-
test through the public press against the policy
pursued and about to be pursued by several of
the mine employers in this region.
Resolved, That the operators, in continuing
this policy, are undoubtedly establishing pre-
cedent which all law abiding citizens deplore,
and for whatever effect such violations may
have upon their employees in obeying other
laws will hold the operators wholly res
ponsible.
Resolved. That the members of this assem-
bly, believe the present attitude of the opera
tors is lessening the respect of all clnsses of
people for the laws of orr state, and we, as
American citizens, condemn and denounce
these things who dare consider themse VS.
above the la W and who by their actions, are
bringing our system of government into dis
repute.
Resolved, That apart from the inconveni-
ence caused by monthly payments and the in
justice of compelling employees to wait an un-
necessary length of time for their earnings, this
assembly calls upon the citizens of Pennsylva-
mia to view the matter impartiully and by their
actions in the near future the mine employees
of the anthracite coal region will know whether
or not the public is satisfied that coal operators
can openly defy and violate the laws of this
State.
Resolved, That the members of this assembly
will as their obligation TO the Knights of Labor
directs them, use every honorable mears in
their power to have the semi-monthly pay law
enforced in the anthracite region, and espe-
cialy in the Lehigh section f the same.
Resolved, That in order to carry ont the
above resolution we appeal to our fellow-work-
ingmen and the business people to give us their
earnest support, their fearless assistance and
as much financial mid MS can be spared to COM
pei the coal kings to obey the laws of Pennsyl-
vania.
Resoly ID, That these resolutions be offered
to the newspapers of this community in order
that our position may he made known to all.
L. A. 1886.
Next to the infamous company store,
there is hardly a grosser form of injustice
inflicted upon the workingmen by capi-
tali,tic greed than the system Of monthly
payment as practiced in the mining
regions. Few moderately well recon-
pensed laborers can afford to wait until
the middle of the next month for their
wages, and it is very certain the poorly
paid miners and laborers, with tEeir
present half-time, cannot wait until the