The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-17
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-WEDNEsDAY SEPTEMBER 1902.
Labor Legislation
In Pennsylvania
Special Correspondence.

the life of the workngman of Pennsyl-
vania. 1t Is marvellous showing. The
present reign of prosperity. shared alike
by every toiler, whether 1t be In mill.
forge. factory or on the farm, can be
traced TO the wise and benefcent working
of national laws enacted alike for the
protection of labor and capital. The Re-
publican party in the nation has ever
been the staunch friend of the working
man. The Republican party In the state
has emphasized this by enacting laws
covering period of thirty-five years. for
the comfort, convenience and protection
of tlte working man and woman. There
has been compiled within the past week
complete list of labor laws passed In
Pennsylvania by Republican legislatures
since the close of the Civil war that is
one of the most remarkable things of Its
kind in existence. Pennsylvania leads
every state in the character of its labor
legislation. Nearly 100 bills directly af-
fecting the men. women and children or
the state who earn their living by the
sweat of their brows have been enacted
in the past thirty-ive years.
At the close of the Civil War. indus
trial and commercial enterprises were In
IA more or less chaotic state. Thousands
of widows. mothers and daughters OF SOL
diers were compelled to eke out living
as seamstresses and dressmakers. One of
the first laws passed by the Legislature of
1869 was an act to exempt sewing ma
chimes belonging to seamstresses from
levy and sale on execution or distress for
rent.
At this time the great anthracite coal
regions of the state were just beginning
their period of development. There were
practically no laws looking to the pro-
lection of human life in the mines, and 1t
was a Republican legislature that took
up this subject at this time and during
all of the succeeding years has passed
laws whose object has been the protec-
tion of life and limb of the toilers In the
darkness of the mine.
On page $50 of the pamphlet laws Of
1869 will be found one of the first mining
laws enacted. entitled, IAN Act for the
Better Regulation and Ventilation of
Mines, and for the Protection of the
Lives of Miners in Schuylkill County,
This was only the beginning. 1t was
followed by general law for the safety
and health of persons employed In coal
mines, passed in 1870 In the same year.
laws We're passed for the protection Of
miners in various counties Of the state.
In 1872. an act for the better protection
Of the wages of mechanics miners. la
borers and others was passed. as well as
a bill providing "For the Establishment
of Bureau of Statistics on the Subject
of Labor and for Other Purposes" P.
l.. 1872. page 59)
In all the years up to the present, there
have been numerous similar enactments.
In 1872, one of the most important meas
ures ever enacted into law. the record
of which can be found In the pamphlet
laws for 1872. on page LIS, was the act
to relieve laborers. workingmen and jour-
neymen from certain prosecutions and In
dctments for conspiracy under the crimi-
nal laws of the commonwealth. This act
has conserved the liberty of thousands Of
wage earners in Pennsylvania in the past
thirty years.
1t was the Republican party In the
legislative session of 1874 that passed
law in relation to suits for wages. pre-
venting stay of execution on Judgment
obtained for 500 or less.
1t was a Republican legislature that
the first money to aid In the
erection and maintenance Of an anthra-
cite hospital in Pennsylvania. This was
in 1874.
England, with all it's boasted civiliza-
ton of centuries. is away behind Penn
sylvana in the protection of women and
children in their employment. South
Carolina today is blot on the map OF
the south because of it's absence of laws
prohibiting the employment of children.
and its lax legislation regarding the em-
plONnenI OF WOIleH III NdIlouS
In 1878. one of the most stringent laws
enacted by any legislature related to the
of females in hotels, taverns,
and eating houses or other places
for the sale of intoxicating and other
drinks. 1t was Il Pennsylvania Republi-
can legislature that passed law pro-
hibiting female labor in and about the
coal mines and manufactures thereof,
and for the preservation of the health Of
l1 tn 70 n
chanical and mercantile establishments.
All through the years in which the
party has been in power In
it has endeavored to see
that full and ample justice has been done
by employers. whether firms. corporations
or individuals, TO the citizens of the state
in their employ 1t was at the session of
1873 that law was passed fixing the
standard weight of bushel of bitumin-
ous coal. 1t was during the session OF
1881 that the law was passed securing to
operatives and laborers engaged in and
about coal mines, manufactures of iron
and steel and all other manufactures. the
payment of their wages at regular inter-
vals and in lawful money of the United
States.
This is one of the most important laws
ever enacted. Middle-aged men today re-
member the conditions that existed prior
to the passage of this act. Employees.
often of large concerns, We're frequently
deprived of their earnings for from thirty
to sixty days; often only paid in part and
frequently with script, store orders or
other alleged equivalents of value. The
passage of this law made compulsory the
payment of every emplOye. every work.
Ing man and woman. the wages due him
or her in lawful money of the country
and at stated intervals.
Every field of labor has been covered
by Republican laws enacted by Republi-
ran legislatures. The law limiting the
hours of labor of conductors, drivers and
employees of horse, cable and electric
railways, was passed by the legislature
Of 1887. The Legislature of that year
struck the final blow at child labor In this
state by prohibiting the employment OF
any child under the age of l2 years by
any individual, firm or company, to do
any work in any mill, manufactory or
mine, or any work pertaining thereto.
Going step beyond the mere enact
ment of laws protecting coal miners, the
assembly of 1889 enacted the law compell-
ing the examination of miners In the an
thracite region, for the purpose of pre-
persons in those mines.
The factory law of the state. which
regulates the employment and provided
for the safety of women and children in
industries and manufacturing
and to provide for the ap-
pointment of inspectors to enforce this
law, became operative through the ac-
tion of the Legislature of 1889,
So the long line of beneficial laws might
be continued. The toiler I'm tho tenement
house, the woman In the store, the me-
chanic at the bcnch, the young woman
at the cigar table, the worker in the
mine, the puddler in the mill, all enjoy
of comfort, convenience and
protection they lave to the wisdom OF
Republican Legislators and the efforts of
Republican statesmen.