Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-23
TALK ON TRACY BILL
Advocates of the Measure Heard Yesterday - Some Pointed Questions Asked-An. other Hearing Next
 Week.

afternoon at Hartford gave hearing on the so-called Tracy bill, for the in- corporation of trades unions. N. R. Bronson conducted the appearance ln favor of the bill, and c. j. Dalaner ot Meriden those ln oppositlon. w. il. Mlllans, states attorney for New aa- ven county, suggested that tue argu- mentS Tor anu against the DhA should be liaLerspeIssa. ..Ar DoAanue ot Deroy oDJeeleu, say lug LnaL nlS Slue dAd noL expecL suen an artend9nce oL legal }Ia4snt, and LhaI ne would be willing 70 saypsalr vn anoLner uay. Hue con4nIt- Ice GscIueu Jo hSar d legal argument }in Lavor oL tue Dl11 aT Lne ciOse oI Lne 2Aearmg. ALT bronson openeu, saying { l1ss6 tue suDstirute Dl1 Lad been pre- paaRed alter careful study, put that ad- a4tional changes had Deen made. None, however, were material save in sec 1Alon 1U. Nlr Bro4son then explained the bill, section by secLlon. he said that the bill did not tend 10 make ln- corporation mandatory, aud should thera be doubt as to its wording Ae would accept any amendment which would make the language more e4- pHcit. No franchise tax was imposeu; trades unions were empowered to make contracts with employers, and might bring suit for damages resulting rom 6 breach of contract. A penalty was provided for ahy attempt to prevent all employe from joining union and for threats used to force an employe 10 join one. and providing alike tor notice to be given of intended strikes orflock- outs.
 A penalty for boycotts Is provided AIr Bronson saying that the bill sought to provide that any man who wished to work should have the right to do SO. Section 10 of the bill provides that per sons employed by any municipal or } public service corporation shall be pun ished if they strike without giving notice of thirty days.
 Mob violence is discouraged, and at- &emDts to restrain members of trades unions from becoming members of the Connecticut Guard, the reading of this clause being greeted with laughter by the labor men. A penalty is also pro- vided for conspiracy. Senator Brad street asked Mir Bronson if, in his opin- ! ion. the bill was as favorable to efn- ployes as employers. MT Bronson aIl- ewered in the affirmative. Senator Bradstreet asked what benefit would follow if Incorporation was optional, and was told that the unions could not make corporate bargain.
 Senator Tracy appeared for the bill and in closing his argument spoke as follows: 'As to my political future, l have no ambitions or desires in that direction. I shall try to do my duty in the future as I have in the past, IT, respective of any party or organization. As to being under the direction of ern- ployes or capitalists, would say that no one ever saw the bill before 1t was presented to the senate except the framer and myself, and he Is neither an empioye nor capitalist, but student of sociology who, believe, is as anx- iosis for fhe welfare and betterment of the working classes as anyone in the state. As to myself, if this measure or any part of it shall become law, and 1t should be the means of prevent ing strikes, preventing the wholesale waste of time and money, the destruc. hon of property, bodily injury and all that train of evils that follow. if II / 9ha1l in any measure prevent this, shall be sAtisied to stand all the criti cism this bill has called forth"
 States Attorney Williams, who also appeared for the bill, said that 1t had been asserted that the unions were etrohSer than the government Chair man Miles asked the speaker if he de sired to go on record aB having heard thaf. the question being echoed by Whiting of Ansonia. MT Williams said he had seen 1t in the public press, afe should be glad to see 1t disavowed M Williams then quoted from the repor
 of the anthracite commission defining the light Of the individual to work o1 such terms as he pleaseH, saying Ina there would be no occasion for the bil now before the committee if this r1gh was recognized. At present fTe- American citizens who were strike breakers were not safe upon the pub lie streets. The right to exercise mora
 nuasion to prevent work had devel oped into the right to use violence
 The only remedy was to make th'
 prihcipIes of trades unionism 50 just al to Invite every man. Violence coult not accomplish this; force must be sue
 ceeded by reason. The speaker sait
 he was not opposed o trades union when they were conducted properi:
 and for proper purposes, but all organ
 izati0ns must have due regard for tn
 
 rights of others.
 MT Whiting asked if the unions stoo' for anything less than law and ordea and Mir Williams said. he was embar rasseds He should be glad to believ that they did, but he should like a littl more evidence Mir Whiting then asket if MT Williams charged all overt act upon the unions, Mir Williams repiyin , that he charged them upon the ind 2 rviduaI. Mir German of Danbury aske the speaker if he thought there woul have been no trouble in the anthraeit regions if the unions had been inco1 porated, MT Williams replying that tn incorporation clause was the least in
 portant in the bill.
 MT Sweeney of Derby said he wishe 4o refute the assertion that 1t had bee said that the unions were greater tIla. fhe state and asked MT Williams wh