The San Francisco call., 1897-02-03
TELLING ORATORY
CARRIES THE DAY
Boyce Wins a Victory for
Labor in the State
Senate.
Withington's Opposition to the
Measure Melts Away Before
the Arguments.
Passage of the Bill to Prevent Collu.
sion Between Employers and
Employment Agents.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Feb 2.-Oratory
of considerable merit was displayed on the
floor of the Senate to-day for the first time
since the present session. 1t was evoked
by the consideration of two measures in
the interes, of labor.
Senator Boyce led the fight for labor
and won decisive victory. He was ably
supported by Senator Gillette. The
measure which started the flow of elo-
quence was Boyces bill to prevent collu-
sion between employers of labor and en-
ploy ment agents, and which makes it a
misdemeanor for any employer to be di-
rectly or indirectly interested in any fee
recslved by an employment agent for Sc
curing employment for an applicant.
Opposition to the measure was inaugu-
rated by Senator Wilmington, who OBJ
iected to the section which makes it the
duty of the Com issoner of Labor to eu-
force the act. He took occasion to say
that so far as his part Of the State was
concerned it had no knowledge of any
work having ever been done by the Labor
Commissioner except what was done in
the newspapers. He claimed that the act
could be enforced by the regular prose
cutting official.
Boyce made an eloquent plea for the
preservation of the section. He stated
that the law was made not for the strong
man, but for the weak man, frequently
ignorant Of his rights. He declared
it was often an impossibility TO get any
one to sign a complaint against rich and
Influential employer, and that prosecuting
officers were often remiss in their duties.
For these reasons he thought it desirable
TO place it in the power of all official
whose special duty it is to look after
labor's interest to enforce this particular
act.
The bill was passed by vote OF "a to 13
The champions of labor also carried off
the honors in the controversy over the
bill providing that only citizens of the
United States should be EN- ployed on pub
lie works Senator Morehouse desired to
have it amended so as 10 permit employ
ment on public Work being given to those
who had declared their intention to be-
come citizens. He argued that every per-
son now in the United States had been in
vited to come to this country, and should
not now be Disseminated against. He
added that the remedy for imported alien
labor lay in the proper restriction of i'm
migration.
Senator Bulla pointed out that the
amendment proposed by the Senator from
Santa Clara virtually nullifed the act, as
il was a notorious fact that many persons,
for interested motives, declare their in
tention to be come citizens, but never take
out their final papers. The amendment
was lost and the bill was passed.
The eight-hour bill also passed the SEN
ate to-day, not, however, until it was
amended by excepting municipal cor
porations from its operation. Senator
Morehouse secured the amendment. He
| represented that San Jose-and, he be-
lieved, other munici palities-wa in the
habit of making contracts for city work
by the month, and that the measure as
'originally submitted would compel such
municipalities TO make such contracts by
the day.