The San Francisco call., 1897-01-21
LABOR RELIEF MEASURES.

IaDl1tleS OF employment agents.
I4BOR RELIEF MEASURES.
Proposed Acts to Be Considered by Cali
fornta LatCmakers.
SACRAMENTO, CAL, Jan. 15.-Judg-
ing from batch of bills already intro
duced in the Assent bly, the interests of the
laborer in California will be well guarded.
Many abuses under which working people
now suffer will be remedied if the bills
become law, and there is every indication
that they will be passed. for this Legisla-
ture is Republican in politics, and the Re-
publican party has ever been the friend of
the laborIng man.
Assembly bill No. Al, by Sanford OF Men
docino. provides as follows:
Section 1. 1t shall be unlawful for any cor
poration, person or firm engaged in manufac-
turing, mining, operating or constructing
railro roads, or in any other business or enter
prise of whatsoever kind in this State, TO is
sue, pay out or circulate Tor payment of wages
any order, check. memorandum, token or evil
dence of debtedness, unless the same is ne
gotiable and redeema BILE at its face value
without discount, in cash on demand, at the
store or other place of business of such firm,
person or corporation where the same was is
sued; and any person, corporation or firm
which may here after issue any such order,
check, memorandum, token or other evidence
of Indebtedness shall, upon the presentation
thereof and demand redeem the same in law
full money of the United States.
Section provides for fine of $500 Or
imprisonment for sixty days, or both, for
a refusal on the part of the employer to
comply with the provisions of section l
or for an attempt to coerce an employe to
purchase or receive goods, ETC., in ex-
change for any order or o thef evidence OF
indebtedness.
According to section 3 whenever the
holder of such check, token or order is
compelled to sue for the recovery of Its
face value the court. in the event that the
plaintiff receives judgment, shall allow
him an attorneys fee of not less than $40
nor more than $25 to be taxed as costs.
Assembly bill No. As, by Mr.. Sanford, re-
quires every corporation TO pay its en-
pioyes at least once month the wages
earned by such employe to within fifteen
days of the date of such payment, pro-
vided that in case OF the absence of the
employe he shall be entitled to said pay
1t is made the duty of the La Dor Com
missioner to notify the District Attor-
news of the severel counties of all viola
tions of the act within their respective
counties, and the District Attorneys are
required to bring an action in the name
of the people against all yiolators OF the
act. On the trial the corporation shall
not be allowed to set up a defense other
than the fact that such wages were not
earned, except valid assignment OF such
wages, a set-off or a counter claim against
the same, or the absence of such employe
from his usual employment at the time OF
the payment of the wages so earned by
him. All assignments OF future wages
payable monthly made to or on behalf of
the corporation for the purpose of evad-
ing the provisions of the act shall be in
valid. No employa as a condition of
employment, shall make an agreement to
accept wages at longer periods than as
provided ir the act. All wages must be
paid in lawful moneys OF the United
States.
Assembly bill No. 46 provides that in
sawmills, shake-mills, shingle-mills and
logging camps ten hours shall constitute
days work, and that any contract for a
greater mum ber of hours per day shall be
void at the option of the employe. Every
person laboring more than ten hours per
day IN such places shall receive extra pay
in proportion to the rate paid him for reg
uar time, not to be less, however, than
25 cents an hour. In actions TO recover
wages the court shall exclude all evidence
of agreement to labor more than, ten
hours per day for less price for the over
time than that fixed by the act. A fine of
$500 or Imprisonment for three months is
the penalty for violation of the act.
Assembly bill 40 provides that the en-
ployers of five or more persons must al
10 not less than forty-fve minutes for.
the raid-d day meal, except in the cases OF
employers who furnish or employees who
take the midday meal in and upon the
works. The penalty is a fine OF $50 or i'm
prisonment for thirty days.
Assembly bills 48 and 80 provide as fol-
lows:
SECTION 1. No person not citizen of the
United States shall be employed upon or in
connection with any public works under the
control of or conducted by this State or any
municipal corporation within this State, and
stipulation TO that effect must be made
part of all contracts to which the State or any
municipal corporation therein is party.
Assembly bill A provides for the imme-
diate appointment by the Governor and
every four years thereafter of a Commis-
sioner for the Department of Labor, who
must execute an official bond in the sum
of $5000.
AS soon as practicable after the passage
of the act the Commissioner must estab-
lish free employment department OF the
State, with an employment office in San
Francisco and another in Los Angeles,
each in charge OF deputy and other
assistants. No fee shall be charged to
either the employer or the empIoye. 1t
shall be the duty of the Commissioner to
make biennial reports to the Legislature
of labor statistics, etc. The Commissioner
shall have power to administer oaths, send
for persons and papers. and shall have
free access TO all places and works of
labor. No use shall be made in the re-
. ,rts of the department. of the names of
persons or firms supplying information,
provided, however, that this section does