The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-09-18
SOME P0PULARLAWS
Passed During the State Legislative
Session of 1901.
SEVERAL IN INTERESTS OF LABOR

Among the laws passed by the last
legislature was the act increasing the
efficiency of the safety appliance law
of 1899.
the Office of the Department Of Inspec-
ton. This department was created by
the Republican legislature Of 1899, and
the act of 1901 afforded the chief of the
department greater facilities for ex-
aiming the safety appliances in fac
tories. and providing fire escapes from
factories and large buildings, and thus
increasing the comfort, safety and con-
venience of workmen and employees in
factories, mills and mines, and also
at the same time protecting the lives
of occupants Of tall buildings through
out the state. The organization of the
department of inspection was a Re-
publican measure, and has resulted
in great saving of life and limb of en-
ployes in the mines, factories and mills
of Indiana. Among other popular laws
enacted by the last legislature were:
The Minimum Wage Law.-This act
fixes the price of unskilled labor upon
all public work of the state, counties,
cities and towns, at not less than 20
cents an hour.
The Act for the Protection Of Labor.
ers and Material Men in Doing Work
on Public Improvements.-Th much
needed law requires that all contract
ors for street, alley, sewer and other
public improvements shall give bond
payable to the state of Indiana. with
two sureties, guaranteeing not only
the performance of the work, but that
the contractor shall pay for all labor
done and material furnished on such
contract, and that any Iaborer or ma
teriaI man having a claim against
contractor can have thirty days after
the completion Of the work to collect
the money due him, with attorneys
fees.
This law will prevent contractors
getting the money on their contracts,
leaving the workmen without remedy.
The Anti-PIuck-Me Store BilI.-This
bill was passed at the special request
of the miners of Indiana. 1t provides
that whenever any merchant or other
person shall take from any employe in
a coal mine an assignment of his
wages, earned or unearned, and shall
issue any check or order, other than
a check on a solvent bank, or shall
give him any token or ticket of any
kind, payable in goods, such check
shall be at once due and payable in
lawful money of the United States, for
the full amount of the wages assigned,
and the holder of the check shall have
the right to collect TIE same with at
torney's fees at once, in any court.
The Mine Commission Act.-At the
request of the miners of Indiana the
legislature created commission to
codify the mining laws, consisting Of
four persons, two of whom shall be
practical, active mine operators, and
two shall be practical miners, working
at the business. They are authorized
to employ a secretary to prepare and
codify the mining laws for presenta-
ton to the coming legislature. This
is now being done in an intelligent
manner. Governor Durbin appointed
the members of the commission &C
cording to the terms of the law, and
has assisted in every way to carry out
the law.
-convIct-Made Goods Aet-This stat
ute makes 1t q misdemeanor to expose
for sale any convict-made goods with
out nrst obtaining . license from the