The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-24
PATERNAL AND RESTRICTIVE
LEGISLATION.

A class of legislation is being advocated
under the guise of protecting the public
health or of keeping unskilled men out of
trades and professions which is liable to
great abuse. Its aim is to regulate callings
and to restrict the number of those en-
ployed in them to whomsoever may be au-
thorized to practice these callings by those
who secure the legislative control. Thus far
bills are announced for the registration Of
druggists, BARRIERS and chiropodists When
these callings are put under the practical
control of boards of registration and exam
ination there is no reason why about every
employment may not be. Whatever neces-
sity there may be for the certifcation of
those VINO put up physicians prescriptions
need not be considered at this time; but
there are two features of a bill which has
been made public which are Objectionable
One is that the Governor is required to Sc
lect board of examiners from list of
names presented TO him by society in ex-
istence in the State. This is practically a
proposition which limits the appointing
power as set forth in the Constitution and
vests it in organization which, if it has
legal existence, is by virtue of the laws of
the State. The other Objectionable feature
creates a trust. 1t is the provision which
authorizes general retailers to sell poisons
used by farmers for the destruction of in
sects in original packages, put up and
stamped by the proprietors of wholesale
drug houses, recognized, presumably, by the
examiners. IL any considerable number Of
people have been poisoned by plumbers in
compromising medicines or in the sale of
preparations by general country grocers TO
kill insects it has not come to the attention
of the public. Those who obtain poisons for
suicidal intent do not purchase them of ig-
norant clerks
In regard to the other measures, let us
suppose a case. An organization of plumb
ers concludes that it is desirable to have a
law requiring all men who work at plumb
ing to register after showing such evidence
of skill as board of registration and ex-
animation may establish. This board is au-
thorized to require each man employed in
plumbing to show evidence of his fitness
and to register. One of the bills providing
for registration and examination makes the
fee for both about four dollars. To be ex-
amined, plumbers must meet the examin-
ers somewhere, which must cost time and
money. If the most experienced plumber in
the State should neglect to pay for regis
tratfon he could be prosecuted Again, sup
pose that the organized plumbers obtain
control of the board, is ii not probable that
it would make regulations which would
make it impossible for nonunion men to fol-
low that calling by refusing them the re-
quired registration? Is not the real purpose
of the BARRIERS registration bill to drive
those wo do not belong to unions out of the
employment and to impose conditions upon
them which would close shops certain days
and hours?
Paternalism in government should be
thing of the past in this country, and GER
tainly there should be no power given a few
men which will enable them to prevent
large class from earning their bread unless
they pay a fee occasionally or belong to
some favored organization.