The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1897-01-15
Labor Legislation.
Columbia Evening News.

III SOrIc puNItt:tS to uTSc Cile lSeSlSltJuTc
to pass scme new laws bearing upon the
2 alAlser question in South Carolina, special
)NSce heiig bad, itsctms, to the en-
AS ~ and Enlargement Of the help
on III 1aetorisa Sucll legislation has
q s,sE ingtsl npon the General
= VI slaits sit ia INV tln,,..l,t that il
! Sl 5ie fre witt, more earnestness
sSvsrsS As tie slxlrticnlar form of
6S desired l&ws has hot yet been made
3t1(pWI& xS S60tsi le unfair 10 criticlse
Y y use of these who are expected
Ne nj, the direction indicated. Ono
g $f0position. however, seems s,rc of;sub,
mission to the legislature that there
should Ike labor comniissio2eySit ith
duties and powers which Il oliicials
have in sons other States vithosit
discussing IN advance thentlstys OF such:
an official mt this time, It Ipay ~ well 70
present some considerations Gfsss ing out.
of present conditions in South Caroline.
We have had labefers -il,cln,iing
mechanics and artisans of varioss. classes
in;tiiis Stte for many years. aI'he rear
Iations between these workers and their.
employers have. always been such that
hejutervention of the States authority
hls not been found neetlfnl, either toi
adjust differences or correct evils. IT.
there have been misunderst;ndings
these have been adjusted bv the parties,
L.. g., 81 t>l...
is informed, u the entire satisfaction OF
I'LL concerit@l. Unless. therefore, there
are new conditions that seem 10 require
legislation which shall operate upon the
rights and relations Of employer ami en-
ployci. such legislation is plainly un-
neceS>S,ry--which means that. without
doing good, its Tendency would be to do
HARM.
1t has lsen suggested that the in
crease in cotton mills has nc.e~sita,e'l
at least Il recognition of the conditions
which affect laborr,S employed in such
establishments. II is not clear that
the increase in the number OF free peo-
we who have chosen the cotton mill for
their sphere of labor calls for laws tn
protect those who haze thus ;rtrl Of
their own free will. If it could l1 shown
that the growth of cotton mills ir,s
resulted III any action or policy OF the
mill owners which might bear harSniy
l,yon the workers, there might ts ss.inc
ground for III appeal to he hwnaking
power. But nn nucll condition is
.h-.cc7y9it,lc. There have been no Signs of
u purpose. on the part of the mill
owners, to Change their methods, which,
so far Us the public is Informed, have
always been fair To the point nf librr.lity.
Indeed. the gratifying incrca" IN the
number Of our mills ought rather Ia siig-
g,-st great caution, lest. hy apparently
hostile leGiSlaliOn, check + put to our
trogress in mill huillirg. Where there
is no actua, prrd of change. it is wise to
let we'll enough stone. This is especially
true where chang" might disturb
business relations. In the i;hSncc Of
any evil to lr corrected, the law ought
hot 10 intervene
The policy of the state. tow ards capital
ans towards OusiinsS interest in general.
should, at this particular time, l." at
once lirr:Il and cautions. The growth
of our MANUFACTURERS. largely aided t.!
outside capi,al Ia- iprn very cncoul1ig-
ing. Nothing shorll br NOlc I" excite
~. ,.l Inn I,l Them
hesitate to- invest in Snuth tard'iua: 1.
is equally iInlortant that IlnthilfNNft.i
be done which might convey the iln-,
preston that there ave differences l"
tween employers ami employed. such
that the power or ,l.' law j. n~n,"d &"
adjust them. There are. indeed. -.
controversies prSSiblc which may not Inc
fairly s,t;lcii ty the parties themselves.
In such sti,ir -! atiairS. legislation Is
unnecessary.
There is an evident pnl l.a4. ,E4lon%
mill owners in South Cdroiin, t1 do
their ,srt for their employees not
only because it is right, but because such
a policy will incr-aS" the efficiency and
,hc p+rmanencc I'll ih" lalr:. The
u,uwth of factories constantly calls for
new workers. II is better for these -
NEIL rs for others. that th" mlitii;.
obligations OF the employer ana the en-
ploycl ttn well understood. Conservatism
in the Laws. duc regard R&d to all IN
sepsts. " i'll psrnotc this result
In every view 81 the subject. II w"lsnJ
ssacm clcar that this tjmr no legislation
is ncrdt1l om the labor question Ill So''li