The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-04-04

Law.
The United states vs. the Riverside oswego mills.
David S. Baker. district attorney. Tor the plain
tiffs.
Such is the simple title of case at law
which involved not only many thousands
OF dollars, but which was to the laborers
of the state the most important case
that has ever appeared in the state of
Rhode Island.
The case is deeply interesting just at
this time, for IL shows bet er than words
can tell the feeling that David 5. Baker,
the Democratic candidate for governor,
has fer the hard working operatives OF
this state and how unimportant he con-
sidered the interests OF those who gain
only a meagre living in the mills.
The case in hand was case for dam
ages for violation OF the contract labor
law. The Riverside Oswego Mills com
pany some years ago hired through its
agents i'm England forty operatives, and
made written contracts with them while
they were still working there. These
operatives came TO TINS country
and were put TO work In the
mills. They had been carefully in
Secret Secret So faithfully dill they obey this
order that IL was many months before 1t
became known to the Central Labor
union that they had been imported un-
der contract. The fact was suspected
from the first, but IT probably would
never have been known unless some of
the operatives had become provoked with
the company because their contracts
were violated. Then at the urgent re-
ouest of the Central Labor union they
produced their contracts, which
Were Ample Proof
that the company had violated the
United States law.
The law by the way reads that for
every such laborer imported the cou-
pany or person importing them shall paw
n fine OF $1,000, aud ut shall he the
dutu Of the district attorney of the
proper district to prosecute eUery such
suit at the expense OF the United States u
.rhe words duty" aud "every" are
italicized because they show how care
less Mr.. Baker. who WAS district attorney
at the time, was as to the fuiihlment of
the law.
It was one OF the plainest violations OF
| the law ever known. The Central Labor
union placed the case IN the hands Of
George j. West aud h applied under the
law to David 5. Baker. Inis was in the
summer of 1886. The union had collect
| ed ali the evidence and had secured the
| nfiidavits Of all the forty cases. and all
| that the district attorney had TO do was
| TO bring the case to court aud secure the
| penalty.
What was done by the district attorneys
| Practically nothing. The case dragged
on from week TO week, from monJn TO
| month aud from year to year, aud still
| no settlement was made.
| The Central Labor union pressed the
| case upon Mr.. West and emphasized its
| Importance to Mr.. Baker. The union
| realized that protection to labor was a
! farce il the great corporations were to
4 N ltara nj In hnf nrc
| from abroad at starvation wages and
bring them here to compete at their very
| doors with American clJizens. This fact
| was presented to Mr.. Baker yet nothing
was done.
The union was aware that other manu-
| facturers in the state were almost daily
| violating the law-notablY some OF thoss
| at Thornton where it was said that one
| mill was almost entirely handled by con
tract laborers from England. This fact
was brought To Mr.. Bakers notice. yet
| nothing was done.
Canadian laborers were being brought
| to the state by boat-loads They worked
| during the summer aud
| Were Sent Back
| ada. This was done yearly and for many
years. This fact too, was pointed out tC
| Mr. Baker, and yet he did nothing.
BY these violations of the law hun
| dreds of operatives were brought into
| this state. Our educated and industrious
operatives were brought directly into
competition with the pauper labor Of
| Europe. III this Continued, it was
| pointed out TO Mr.. Baker that tie self
respecting laborer must descend to th,
| plane of foreign living aud ignorance
| Appeal after appeal was made TO the
district attorney. He was shown thai
unless he cted the whole labor element
OF the state would be placed ut the mercy
of the corporations.
But there was the rub Mr.. Baker was
| directly connected with some OF the great
corporations. lie was hand and glove
with the "better element" OF tue state
| and the interests If the corporations wer,
of greater value ia his mind than tn,
poor workingman.
What was the laborer to him. Th'
workingman's struggles to feed aud edu
cate his children were OF no consequence
as compared with the possibility thai
the Riverside OsNego Mills corporation
might be fined $4,000.
How did IL endi The case dragged
along for two years. lt was nevel
brought to trial. Aud after two years OF
effort on part OF the LABOR union lt was
settlt q out of court in June OF 1883, b,
the payment OF fine OF 81 900 ant costs
Through the dilatory methods oil Mr.
| Baker and his utter disregard OF The
laboring interests the rights oil the ere il
corporation were preserved and It's bn'
for plain violation of the law as re
duced from $4,000 10 Sl.OOO and the cas-
was settled Out Of court.
This is the man whom the Democrat
have nominated for governor and who's
record shows how much ne has cared fo
the great masses of workingmen an
how much he will probably care 70
4 them IL elected.