The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-17
THE INCOME TAX

The report of the special committee
Of three-Cutter, Dibble and Shana-
han-appointed by the Speaker to con-
slider Shanahan's A. B. 936, providing
for an income tax, was in two parts
the majority's being signed by Cutter
and Dibble and the minOritys by Shan
ahan. Both are given in full in an
other place. The reports, on motion
OF Cutter, were ordered printed in the
journal and will be acted on to-day.
THE UNEMPLOYED.
That the Assembly, in the heat and
hurry Of the last days of long ses-
sion, should devote nearly two of it's
precious hours to the discussion of a
measure looking to the relief of the
strain and stress of the condition of
the unemployed, is an indication of the
strong hold which this question of the
hour has at last taken upon the public
thought.
No debate of the session which was
so general has been so orderly, so gem
tlemanly and so free from acrimonious
and personal strife.
The bill in its present shape provides
that Boards of Supervisors may define
and designate employment districts to
be under charge of a work MASTER
who shall direct the labor on the public
roads under supervision and authority
of the Supervisors. The provision for
the honorable unemployed" is that,
upon any person showing to the salts
faction of the work master or the Su-
pervisors that he is without means Of
support and in immediate need he shall
be employed to labor on the county
farm or on the public highways under
the superintendent of the farm or the
work master of the employment dis
trict. and for such service shall receive
his lodging and three meals per day
and be paid at the end of each week 80
cents per day of eight hours labor
These laborers may terminate their en-
gagement to labor at any time by one
days notice to the work master or
superintendent.
For those convicted of vagrancy the
provision is that they may, on convic-
ton, be removed to the county farm or
employment district and there be re-
quired to labor on farm or highways
for the number of days for which they
are sentenced. The vagrant shall re-
ceive board and lodging and 10 cents
per uty, paul " IilIIl On the expiration
of his term of service. The work mas
tiers are endowed with the legal powers
of policemen. Any able-bodied yagrant
refusing to perform such labor may be
by the Sheriff incarcerated in the iaiI.
and be given but one meal in TWENTY
four hours, while the Sheriff may lad
minister other proper punishment" and
the obstreperous vagrant shall not re-
ceive his 10 cent per diem at the end of
his term.
Toland spoke in support of the bill.
1t was not, he said, perfect, but he
believed 1T step in the direction of the
solution of the difficult questions pre-
scented by existing conditions.
THE BILL OPPOSED.
Leavitt strenuously opposed the bill.
1t was the worst possible thing that
could be done for the UNEMPLOYED. IT
gave him food and lodging for himself
and the miserable pittance of So cents
per day for his wife and children: If
would lower wages and was calculated
to defeat the purpose of a bill lately be-
come a law, which provides that 50
shall be the minimum wages of labor
ers upon public works. Leavitt declar.
ed the bill meant slavery; it was un-
American and outrageous Cross inter-
rupted by asking if the So cents and
the board and lodging were not better
than nothing. Leavitt replied with
vigor, mo, not if it's the price of man
hood A man might better be dead than