St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-06

O6SLlneQ TO leave us more pTOHouHctu
influence upon the statute books of the
state. The rise of this movement of Or
ganized labor has in the past ten years
taken up the old subjects of exemption
and lien laws and secured various modi-
fications in the interest of the working
man.
Of other laws passed in recent years
in the direct interest OF the working
classes, or for the protection Of their
lives, limbs or health, the first in the
order of years is the act of 1881 creating
a state board of inspectors of steam
boilers. With it's later amendments,
this is one of the WiSeSt and best laws
for the protection of human life upon
the statute book of any state. Another
good law. and the second of the kind
to be passed by Minnesota, was enacted
in SS3,being an act for the preservation
of life and for the protection of travel
ers. This provides means Of fighting
fire in buildings, as hotels, factories.
etc., and also for the construction Of
external fire escapes on such buildings.
These two acts, although in the interest
of the working classes, were not passed
as the result of any labor agitation.
The first law, apart from some of the
earlier lien and exemption laws,
W UO IldCCu vi buC OldIubO OOOho
Of the state at the request of
organized labor, waslone for the regula-
ton of employment. offices, approved
Feb. 2S, 1855. The same session saw
the enactment Of law for the regula-
ton of the labor of locomotive engineers
and firemen. 1t also enacted the pres
ent penal code of the state with its sec
tons relating to conspiracy and coer-
cion so Objectionable to large number
of organized labor. The session of 1887
marked the first great
Impress of Organized Labor
session passed law increasing the
financial liability of railway companies
for injuries to their employees. 1t passed
a law requiring railway companies to
block the frogs, switches and guard
rails of their tracks to prevent accl-
dents. The same session called the
bureau of labor statistics into existence.
1t made modification i'll pre- existing
lien and exemption laws, both by
changes in statute and by constitutional
amendments.
The legislature of 1889 enacted a con-
yict labor law in harmony with the de-
mands Of organized labor. 1t passed
law protecting the trademarks of the
labor organizations. one requiring en-
ployers to furnish their femal employees
seats when not engaged at active work,
and made important changes i'll the
earlier la VS. regulating the inspection
of steam boilers and the law governing
the bureau of labor statistics.
The legislature Of 1891 passed three
distlnctively labor measures, one Tor
the regulation Of the labor of railway
employees, forbldding the use OF Pink
erton men as peace officers, and a change
in the penal code forbidding a forced
reduction in the claims Of a working
man. This does not include some minor
changes made in the lien laws, as such
changes have not been traced out by
we arS.
OF the sessions before that of 1898 the
legislature of 1887 has the honor of bav-
ing passed about one-half of all the laws
enacted at the request Of organized
labor. The legislature of 1893 enacted
greater humber of bills in the line
sugges ted by the leaders in the labor
movement than all its predecessors, if
the lien and exemption laws are not
taken into account. This Legislature
also enacted a greater volume of law
upon the subject, judged by It's number
of sections and its relative Importance.
1t enacted
Ten DIstInctiveIy labor Measures
and three other laws which had received
great attention from organized men.
The briefest possible review of these
laws will he made.
House File 95, chapter Z OF the Gen
eral Laws OF 1898, is the longest and
most important of these measures i'll
some respects. 1t provides for safe
guards against accidents for long
list of machines and appliances.
1t thus does for wide
field what the boiler inspection
act of an earlier date does for single
invention. If properly enforced it must
be the means of saving many lives and
still larger number of crlppling acct
dents each year in the state. This fac
tory inspection act is one of the most
complete factory acts in force in
the United States. 1t covers in
one statute what is provided III
Massachusetts, in a dozen different
statutes. 1t covers the whole field of
factory inspection acts Of this country
and England with the exception of a
regulation of child labor and that of
women. This defect of the Wyman
factory act above referred to is supplied
in large degree by Senate File IS.
chapter IS of the new laws. This
is an amendment to the penal
code. 1t contains number of
provisions relating to the labor
of children which so changes the Com
stock act OF 1869. already mentioned.
that it prohibits the employment of
children under sixteen at dangerous
machines in factories or in any other
place-where their lives, health or
limbs may be endangered, or their NOR
ais debased. 1t also prohibits the serv
ice of children in stores or Sh ops befOr
z In the morning or after at night
This, with the Wyman act, will practi
cally cover all the items which organ
lied labor has asked for in the way of
factory legislation.
The Wyman Factory Act
calls for the report of accidents from
mines, and the act relating to the bu-
reau of labor authorizes an investigation
of mines with reference to their precau-
lions for avoiding accidents. The burea
of labor will avail itself of these pro-
visions, and present to the public two
years hence the facts which it is hoped
will lead to good and prehensive
mine inspection act to CORES pond to
the Wyman factory act, now a law of
the state.
The legislature of 1898 passed law
for the protection of the employees on
street railways, requiring all cars used
in the winter months to be properly
veStlbuled. House File e. changed the
law relative TO change Of venue so that
in suits for the collection of wages, the
rich employer could not transfer the
case out Of the county and so detraud
the plaintiff by putting him to unnec.
eSsary expense. Heuse File rs changes
in some minor particulars the old laws
relating to liens on logs and lumber.
House File 319 was small bill regu-
lating the payment of wages to minors.
Organized labor was recognized iu the
provisions of House File 263. giving the
trademarks of labor organizations the
same protection as has long been &C
corded tine trademarks of employers and
other business corporations.
Organized labor was further recog
nized in House File 465, making labor
day, the first Mondayin September,a legal
holiday. Labor obtained a further and
more practical recognition in the ell
actment of House File 36, preventing
EMPLOYERS from recurring their en-