Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-02-10
- D4sE are the only pills 10 take
THE ePEUCK me- BILL.

Representative Warren, of Lafay-
cite county, has intodueed a bill,
which, if il passes both branches Of
the General Assembly, will entail
untold hardships, if not seriously
embarrass, every corporation or
person employing labor in this
State The bill is said to be aimed
at the saw mill or pluck me sup
ply stores, and il has therefore be-
come known as the pluck me- bill.
Ne doubt a great wrong is often per
petrated upon saw mill hands and
employees by these supply stores,
but Mr. Warren's bill is so broad in
its scope and so far reaching in its
provisions that It will seriously eff
feet all employers of labor in this
State, except the railroads and agri-
culturists, who are expressly ex-
eepted from the operations of The
bill The bill provides-but let the
bill speaks for itself.
Sections one and two read as fol-
lows
Section L That hereafter all persons, cor
porations and partnerships doing business in
this State and employing labor by the day in
carrying on such business. sha1i make a full
and complete settlement with all persons SO
employed either in legal tender currency OF
a.
least once every ten a0 days And all COM
mlssary checks or tickets time checks mem
oranda Of time or any other character of de-
vice whatsoever issued to it's his or their en-
ployees forlabor by any such person, partner
ship or corporation shall be negotiable and
transferable Notwithstanding any writing or
device thereon attempting or purporting to
render the same non-negotiable or aon-trans-
ferable,
Section2, That all persons, partnerships
and corporations failing or refusing To com
ply with the provisions OF section Of this act
shall be doomed guilty OF a mlsdemeauor and
subject to as many indictments and fines MS
there are persons with whom the settlement
mentioned in section I OF this act is due. but
has not been made as provided In said section
and on conviction thereof shall be fined in
any sum not less than ten nor more than two
hundred dollars for each oifcnse.
1t will be observed from the above
that all employers of labor will be
affected by the passage of this bill.
This means the blacksmith, printer,
merchant, saw mill owner, contrac-
tor, carpenter or mechanc-in fact
every class and description, with the
exception of railroads and agricul-
turists. These are forced to settle
with their employees every ten days
in either legal tender currency of
the United States or negotiable
paper, the latter to fall into the hands
of banks and the public generally so
that the maker thereof can be sued
and closed out at any time should
any untoward events cause him to
fail to meet these demands at any
time What business can stand
this? Is the merchant, the black
smith, the printer, or any other en-
ployer of labor absolutely certain
that he can pay his employees every |
ten days? II not, what then? He
and his plant, shop or store must
either remain idle or be prepared 10
be closed out at the expiration of |
the ten days.
Vas ever bill introduced more
foolish, hazardous and disastrous2
No doubt that frequent injustice
and hardships are worked upon en-
ployes by saw mill commissary |
stores, but then, it can be said in |
justice to the saw mill men that no
industry has suffered more during
the past three years than the lum-
Der industry. Many Of the mills
have been running at loss, while |
others have worked half-time just |
to keep their force organized and |
their men employed.
But why should all employers Of
labor suffer because of saw mill com
missaries? If any of Representative
" Warren constituents are being
'plackedh by the pluck me stores,
why not introduce bin that will
reach that particular class only, and
not all generally?
As the bill now stands it is a very
disastrous measure, and viii ruin
and shut down three-fourths of the
employers of labor in this State.
In the GRApnIo's opinion, the bill
should be defeated.
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inauguration OF President nrcI1Inlev