The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-05
FROM RACCOON VALLEY.
Letter From Mr.. John G. Shucker
Who Has Organized "Farm
Labor"

Labor"
Raccoon Valley, Kan, Feb. 1. 1897.
To the Editor of The State Journal
I see by your interesting daily paper
that Senator King is after you printers
who are using typesetting machines
that throw hand laborers out of en-
ployrnent. Good for Senator King. He
is on the right track and mistake.
1 tell you privately, Mr.. Editor, this
world is putting on too many frills and
is going altogether too fast. 1t is high
time somebody put on the brakes.
am the president of new organiza-
ton in Kansas that will help Senator
King and other philanthropists in their
great work of ameliorating the condi-
ton of labor. All kinds of labor in our
state is organized. You see, Mr.. Ed
itor, we farm hands read a good deal,
and we saw that the printers and car
penters, boilermakers, cigarmakers,
bakers, BARRIERS. clerks, and even serv-
ant girls, had their protective organiza-
ton, and so I said, why shall we. the
bone and sinew of the farm, not organ
ize?" Well, to make a long story short,
after good deal of quiet agitation and
some correspondence, state OrganiZa-
ton known as the Farm Laborers'
Protective association" was formed and
as its president l was requested to en-
body the principles of constitution
and bylaws in a bill to be presented to
the present reform legislature. I see
that Senator King is in harmony with
our chief object. which is to make the
use OIL laGOr saving machinery unlaW-
full Capital as represented in new Ia
Dor saving inventions has the work
man by the throat, so to speak, and we
appeal to the strong arm of the law to
defend hand labor | have prepared
BILL Mr.. Editor, and as you know
everybody in the legislature. I want you
to go and see Senator King and get
him to introduce it. Before closing
this letter I want to ask you to tell me
through your columns if it is true that
there is a steam elevator in the capitol
building for people to ride upstairs on,
instead of using their legs in the old
fashioned way and walking up? 1 can't
believe that our reform brethren like
Mr.. King would permit such pluto
cratic invention in that building. 1 saw,
too, the other day in the Journal that
there were a lot of typewriters put into
the senate and house for members to
use. I consider this a Republican
campaign lie, and I told our members
so at our last meeting. / refuse to be-
lieve that representatives OF the horny
handed sons of toll would permit such
demoralizing influences 90 be paid for
out of the peoples money. Where was
Senator King when the typewriterS
were voted for? But l must not say
too much in this, my first letter to you.
Please ask Senator King to give our
bill a big send off, and you can inform
him privately that our entire Organiza-
ton, while non-partiSan in character,
may be counted upon to vote the Popu-
list ticket if this bill of mine becomes d
law. Here it is:
Senate bill No By Senator King.
AN ACT
For the protection of the farm 1aboTers
| against the use of labor saving inven-
lions and prescribing penalties TOR VIo-
lationS hereof.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the
state of Kansas:
Section l. Eight hours shall here
after constitute a legal days work for
every farm hand, and he shall be en-
titled to double pay for all work done
on Sunday, Labor day, Washington's
birthday, Fourth Of July, Christmas
Sec 2. All moving shall be done in
this state with scythes, all reaping of
grain with cradles or sickles, and all
threshing with fails, and in all other
work of the farm labor saving inven-
tions shall not be used.
Sec. 8. Any farmer, gardener, horti-
cuIturist or stock grower violating sec
ton ] of this act and demanding more
than eight hours labor for ten hours
pay. shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor and fined not less than 500
nor more than 900 for each and every
offense.
Sec T. Any farmer, gardener, stock
grower horticulturist or lessee of land
found guilty of using a moving ma
chine, reaper, gang-plow, patent seeder,
ST cam threSher- steam pump or patent
| dairy machinery in violation of the
spirit and letter of section 2 of this act
shall, upon proof being made before the
probate Judge OF the county NAcIc Tie
| crime is committed, be adjudged guilty
of a misdemeanor and upon conviction
his farm shall be confiscated by the
| county and sold to the highest bidder
| by the chairman of the county COM
| missioners, and the proceeds thereof
| turned over to the poor commissioners
Sec 5. This act shall take effect and
| be in force from and after its publica-
| ton in the statute book.
There Mr.. Editor, is a bill worthy of
| a statesman. Make that a law, sir,
| and the farm hands of the nation will
rise I'D and come out here and call Kan
| sas the home of true reform. 1 know,
| Mr.. Editor that some farmers may OBJ
| iect to some provisions of this bill, but
| no great reform was ever Inaugural ted
| without opposition. IF farmers do not
| like this law. then let them turn their
| lands over to the farm hands and go to
| Arkansas. Mr. Editor, this law will
| strike at the root of the evil of our
| times. Senator King only touches up
on the great crime of using labor saw
| ing machinery. Let US as true re-
| formers carry this principle to its logi-
cal conclusion. The motto of the great
| organization of which I am president
| is Down with labor saving machln-
| cry
| Yours in the interest of progress and
reform. JOHN c. SHUCKER,
| President F. L. P. a.