The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-02-12

order committee in the senate cham.
Der, and, as stated in my last week s
correspondence, there will be perhaps
equally vigorous arguments in favor
of the bill. Speaking on his measure
today, Senator Berkelbach said:
When | introduced a similar bill two
years ago ! was surprised and alto
gether unprepared for the organized
attacks that were made upon it. It
was simply beaten out of existence
by the attacking forces, and | had
neither time nor opportunity to mar
shal the forces that favored the meas
ure. This time | am better prepared,
and am in position to say that the
opponents Of the bill will not have all
the clergymen on their side There
are Christian minister who are liberal
enough to admit that my bill is a good
bill, and who will be here to testify to
that effect"
| Child-Labor Legislation.
| An important bill will be introduced
in the senate by Mr.. Quail, of Schuyl-
Kill. which, while not going to the full
extent of the mine workers and or.
| ganized labor's desires, is, neverthe-
less, regarded by them as a step in
the right direction. The measure
deals with child labor, and Senator
| Quail has been informed that the bill
is based upon an agreement between
employers and employed, whose joint
representatives drafted the bill. or,
rather, the amendments to the exist
| I'M lov
| to be Kellog Durland, of counsel for
| the mine workers, and he consulted
John Mitchell in their preparation.
| The amendments were subsequently
revised by ]. B. Kerr and J. e. Burr,
| of counsel for the New York, Ontario
and Western Railroad, and by Justice
Alfred HaSd and Simon P. Wolver-
ton, representing the coal operators.
| They were then sent to Senator Quail,
| with the request that he would intro
duce them in the legislature, and this
he will do tomorrow.
Briefly stated, this legislation is in
| the shape of amendments to the act
| of May 20 1901, which fixed 13 years
as the age limit below which no child
could be employed. It also permitted
night labor FOR children. The Quail
amendments provide that no minor,
male or female, or adult woman shall
be employed at labor or detained in
any manufacturing establishment
mercantile industry, laundry, work
shop, renovating works or printing Of
flee for longer period than IL hours
in any day, nor for longer period
than GO hours in any week, and no
such minor under the age of 18 years
shall be employed at labor or detain.
ed in any of the places named above
between the hours of p. M. and 6
A. NJ"
The amendments go on to provide
that no child under 16 shall be employ
ed at any time at any place at any
work, and describe how affidavits as
to age shall be made to employers by
parents or guardians, or, in the alb
sence of these, by the child itself. The
following stipulation is also made:
"All persons authorized to administer
oaths must examine all children as to
their ability to read and write the
English language. After a careful ex-
animation, if child Is found unable
to read and write the English Ian
guage, or has not attended school as
required by law. or is under 16 years
of age, it will be unlawful to issue
certificate; and in no case shall the
officer who executes certificats charge
more than 20 cents for administering
the oath and issuing the certificate.
In addition to the above Senator
Quail will offer an amendment to the
existing law raising the age limit OF
breaker boys from IL to ii years. and
of boys who work inside the mines
from IA to 16 years. Women and girls
are also prohibited from working eth
er in or about the outside of collieries.
The amendment applies to both btu.
minous and anthracite mines.
Liquor Bills.
Numerous bills affecting the liquor
traffic were thrown into the legisla.
ture last week and more are yet to
come. Among the latter will be one
allowing licensed dealers to pay their
fees quarterly instead Of yearly, as at
present. The license, however, will
be issued for the full year, and the
licensee will have to enter a bond OBJ
ligating himself for that time. A SINH
lar law to this is in force in the state
of Illinois.
AS ! intimated last week, Represent
ative Snyder. Of Schuylkill, has come
along with his bill to compel street
passenger railway companies to heat
their cars to temperature of 65 de-
grees Fahrenheit during the cold and
wintry months. He had no sooner sent
in the bill than Mr. Keyser, chairman
of the senate street railways commit
tee, notified him in person that the
measure had not ghost of a show,
and that the board of health, of Phil
adelphia, was opposed to 1t on sani-
tary grounds.
There is still lot of good-humored
comment and discussion in relation
to Representative Puseys anti-cartoon
bill, and its author has been compell-