The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-01-01
LAW REGULATING
|PARM LABOR CONTRACTS.
IMPORTANT BILL PASSED BY Inc
LATE LEGISLATURE.

Els Made misuemc""o'
contract With a Tenant or cr0pper
Who Is Under Contract
an 81 inheritance and one of gen
;rterest to the farmers OF the
uoS nassed by the late legisla-
t. and has been signed by the gov
T. sa measure introduced by
George of Morgan county to pro-
* Farmers in their contracts VIII
.h6.ers tenants or troopers, and its
so ;s to conaect an evil of long
Anding.
,~ account of its wide interest The
Ssrc oives the full text OF the Dill.
..i,l he noted that under the third
..son of the measure an affidavit
y he required of the employee, ten
II cropper, and if a false affidavit
y,ken the party giving it becomes
5,iA 70 prosecution for false swear
The bill is as follows:
kAn act to make it unlawful for any
raSn TO employ, or contract with as
snabt or cropper, any person under
kntsact with another; to provide GER
in henalties, defenses, and for other
hrppses.
STATION l. Be it enacted by the gen
raj assembly of Georgia and 1t is
ereby enacted by authority OF the
krna. That when the relation OF
pmployer and employee, or OF landlord
ia tenant;of agricultural lands, or
land owner and cropper, has been
feated by written contract duly exc
hted before an officer authorized to
hminister oaths it shall be unlawful
r any person during the life OF said
bntract made and entered into in the
Eanner above prescribed to employ or
rent lands to, or to furnish lands to
; ! be cropped by said employee, ten
ntor cropper or to disturb In any way
la relation, without first obtaining
IL written consent of said employee,
pdlord or land owner, as the case
by be.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted by the
Hthority aforesaid, That any one vio-
hing the provisions of the foregoing
bction shall, at the option of the party
heged to have been injured, be pros
huted as for misdemeanor, and upon
bnviction punished as provided in
kction 1899 of the penal code, or he
Hall be liable in damages to said alleg-
Injured party as follows: l. In case
employer and employee the dam
kes shall not be less than double the
Mount of wages or salary for the en-
"a period of said contract. 2. In
kse of landlord and tenant or of land
kner and cropper, the damages shall
BIT be less than double the annual
Entail value of the lands rented Or
topped, said value to be fixed at 1000
middling lint cotton to the pillow.
ESec. 3. Be it further enacted by the
hthority aforesaid, That in addition
other defenses in both civil and
fiminal cases, arising under the pro-
. ssions of this act, it shall oe good and
Efficient when proved in every item
the satisfaction of the jury, to-wit:
II. For the defendant to show that
Fior to the alleged violation of this
Bt said employee, tenant or trooper,
the case may be, had for good
kasons and just cause abandoned his
Hid contract and terminated the re-
ktion created thereby.
II. For the defendant to show as a
bmplete defense all of the following
cts to-wit: That prior to the EN-
Hoying or otherwise contracting with
lid employee, tenant or cropper, he
Eceived from said employee, tenant
4 cropper an affidavit to the effect
lat said employee, tenant or cropper
DIS not at the time under a prior ex-
hing contract, which affidavit defend
kt shall show to the court, and that
Immediately on proof that said en-
koyee, tenant or cropper was under
Rntract defendant discharged him and
fused to permit and did not permit
IN to remain on his (defendant's)
Remises.
whenever in suit for the re-
Every of damages the defendant shall
kge his defense successfully he shall
hve judgment against the plaintiff
b all cost and reasonable attorney's
les, and in case of like result in the
kosecution of criminal case under
Re provisions of this act the defend
t shall have like judgment against
e prosecutor.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted by the
thority aforesaid, That the provis-
9ns OF this act shall not apply where
employment given is of such dura-
pm and OF such nature as to make :.