Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-11-02

Sennt@ Bill Nc. 26.
The Consultation consumes almost q
column in explaining Senator Strangers
bill No. 26. alleged to have been cash
bill.n Now, an ounce of fact is worth more
than column of theory, and the facts are
these -
LIST, Senate bill No g. was supplement,
not bill.
ID, AS soon as it's provisions became
known, Branch No. 2, of Glsssboro. the
members of which we're supposed to bs
benefited by it, denounced it as delusion
and a snare, and it's introducer as not q
friend of labor. These denunciatory reso-
lutions were forwarded to the Consultation
to publish, but were refused space in its
columns.
Sd, The supplement, which passed the
Senate By unanimous vote, was never
considered in the House, but another bill
Senate bill 81, by Mr.. Stokes, which had
received the sanction and approval Of the
Glassworkers Association, was passed.
In advocating the passage of Senate bill
81, as against Senate 26, Speaker D. O.
Watkins left the chair and said -
81 haye been requested to speak for the
bill" be said, although / think the very
title of the measure would be sufficient to
cause every member to vote for it. 1t
seems strange that in the year 1899 there
should be any necessity for such bill, but
the fact is, there is necessity for it.
"The southern part of New Jersey has
long been noted as the home of the glass
blowing industry. In fact, the industry
has been carried on to such an extent in
southern New Jersey that it has made the
stats the greatest glass producing state in
the United States The industry requires
a peculiar style of skill. 4 .few years ago
the men engaged tn the industry ioere pro
tected 6y their aai0a, and ihey made good
s0Goes By some means or other their order
was thrown Gown, the company store began
its existence, in a small way at first, nor
sufficiently alarming to develop any legis
lation or to show the necessity for any
legislation. But it grew, until now it has
amassed such strength that no man t0orking
for these corporations dare ask for anything
excepting a store 0rGer book in payment for
has labor. These manufacturers issue 4
book to their employees at the very out
set. It is issued in amounts from fifty
cent Upward, and is not transferable. As
soon as q man enters the employ OF one
of the companies, he is given one of these
books, and whenever he wants suit OF
clothes to cover his back, his wife wants
IL hot hn~
any food or coal, or even rent, he is re-
quired to take one of these books to his
employer, and instead of having money
turned over 10 him, the employer punches
the book, just as a railway conductor
punches ticket.
"That system is kept up for an entire
blaet, beginning about the first of Septem-
Der and ending the first of June. During
all that time the only semblance of money
that the glass worker sees is the store order
book. at the end of the blast he receives
whatever is due him in cash. The com
pany keeps his account both as to the
amount he is entitled to in pay and the
amount be owes for der books, and have
known of cases where at the end of the
blast men received but go cents as q
balance This system is very common il
my own county of Gloucester and in the
counties of Cumberland and Salem. Ii
also exists in other parts of the state. This
bill will cover all the trouble. 1t will
compel the manufacturer, the corporation,
the employer or any one else employing
mechanics to pay their men at least every
two weeks, and by that means give them
the right they should have as American
citizens to deal wherever they see fit.
Il am not standing here as demagOgue
| believe that SO ont of every 100 corpora
tious in the state pay their men every
week The bill is aimed especially at the
evil that exists in South Jersey. The bill
has been amended in the House for the
purpose of exempting from its provisions
he agricultural classes. Their money il
paid to them usually in September, and it
would be a great hindrance to them TO
have to pay their help in accordance with
the provisions of this bill"
The difference between Senate No. 26
(stanger's hill). and Senate No. 81, Stokes
bili), was that the former was prepared By
the manufacturers, with the usual "nigger''
seclusion, while the one advocated by Mr.
Watkins. and which became a law, was
endorsed by the Glass Workers Associa-
ton.
These are the facts, and comprise the
whole of Solomon a. Stanger's legislative
effort for his constituents, except depriving
the people of Glassboro the privilege of
selecting their Town Marshal.