The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28
CONTRACTORS ARE LIABLE
Commissioner Fitzgerald Says
That They Defraud the
Laborer.
OVER $4,000 OWING HIM.
Proposed Bill to Be Introduced at
the Next Session of the
Legislature.
OVER $4,000 OWING HIM.

If Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald car
ries out his present intentions, and those
who know him best do not doubt the
tenacity of his purpose, a bombshell will
be exploded IN the camp of a large num-
Der of prominent contractors within the
next few days.
Mr.. Fitzgerald has the names of we'll
known contractors in his possession who
owe over $4,000 to laborers in the various
trades. His acquaintance with the labor
element of the City and State and his
knowledge of certain conditions which
prevail long since convinced him of the
necessity of some legislative action. That
action would take the form of law pre-
venting any contractor who owes money
for labor performed from taking a contract
for public work until his former laborers
have been paid in full.
But it will be some time before the
meeting of the next Legislature, and in
the meantime Commissioner Fitzgerald
has made up his mind to move on the
recreant contractors in the interests of the
laboring men who have been deprived OF
their honest earnings.
II have the names of all these contract
ofs who owe this $4,000 and more, and if
after due warning they refuse to pay the
wages OF their former employees | shall
have them published. Suits will also be
brought against them on behalf of the
men who have been kept out of their
money.
s'As an instance of the manner in which
some of these contractors would treat their
labor creditors / reed mention only a
single case. Bowers, who has the con-
tract for tearing down the old American
Exchange Hotel on Sansome street, when
questioned by me with regard to the pay
ment of certain back wages. calmly and
lmpudently told me to perigrinate to that
region where fur-lined topcoats are not
able superfuity. He further informed me
that if | tried to interfere with him or
his work he would punch my head.
ut was a great bluff on his part, for
when the interference occurred he went to
the City Hall with me and made provi-
sions for paying his men. This is merely
an isolated case quoted for illustration,
and there are many others.
81 am convinced that there should be a
legislative enactment. We can make til e
contractor do what is right with a great
deal of trouble and needless bother but if
there was law on the statute books the
laborer would get his due and without the
need of lot of legal formula. No con-
tractor should be allowed to accept a con-
tract for public works who owes a cent for
prior ldpOT. He lduOIluS IHcH III tut otN-
eral trades are amply protected in their
work on private contracts, and this bill
which l shall have brought up in the next
Legislature will refer only to public works.
II think it will be advisable to incor-
porate clause providing for the appoint
ment of an attorney TO prosecute all cases
under the new statute for moderate COM
pensation. There are many able and
reputable attorneys here who, with their
regular practice, could afford to take such
an office for $500 or 500 year.
"And, again, the majority OF the con-
tractors are with me in the move. They
freely admit that such law would be in
the interest of honest labor. AS long as
men who dodge the payment OF a large
percentage of their labor bills are permit
ted to compete with the contractors whose
conduct is governed by different code of
morals there will be suffering on all hands.
Cheaper work will be done, wages will be
kept down and the worker for wages will
have trouble in getting his earnings, if he
gets them at all.
GA very prominent builder came to me
the other day and waxed enthusiastic in
his Endorsement OF my purpose to have a
bill passed at the next session of the Leg
islature. Yes he said, push it for all it is
worth: we will furnish the money l
told him I did not need any money to
push such bill. Neither do we. All We
ask is protection to the workingmen.
Think of it! Over 900 owing to the
laboring men Of this City, and most OF
them of the skilled class.
s.This bureau has saved thousands of dol
lars for the laboring men so far. and the
figures will multiply before we finish"