The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05
Several Measures Have Been Prepared
by Representative Leaders i'm
Labor Movements.
THE CONTRACT LABOR SYSTEM
A DEMAND THAT THE PRESENT LAW
BE AMENDED.
Call for n Meeting of the Lincoln
Lengue-Other Legislative Cos
sip of Interest.

labor of the State have much to ask from
the coming General Assembly. Bills that
have been proposed at sessions of the Leg
islature previous to the coming one, are
again being talked of and will be intro
duced to the notice of the legislators. Bills,
new to both the laboring men of the State
and also to the Legislature, have been pre-
pared and their passage will be asked by
a committe from the Indiana Federation
of Labor and the Central Labor Union or
Indianapolis. Edgar A. Perkins, John l..
F'etman, Edwin Gould and others inter-
ested in the organized labor movement In
Indiana have been delegated to act as
lobbyists at the coming session. These men
will introduce through friends of organized
labor all Of the legislation desired by the
laboring men at this time. That much of
the proposed legislation is assured of pas
sage is the indication given Edgar A. Per-
kins in work already done with the MEM
bers of the House and Senate by mail.
The State Federation of Labor when ii
became acquainted with the personnel of
the membership of both houses, sent to
each member, newly elected or hold-over,
suggestions for legislation and described
the bills that were intended for introduc
ton and asked pledges Of support. Queries
were propounded asking for the views of
the men addressed on certain legislation
desired and which will be introduced. To
these letters many favorable replies have
been received and the answers Indicated
that the writer's were in sympathy with
most of the bills suggested. Some pledges
were secured and these with the members
of the Legislature who were at the last
session and participated in the discussions
of some of the proposed laws, are thought
RI he HRi N
bills or at least to make their defeat diff
cult.
CONTRACT LABOR SYSTEM.
The most important of all the legislation
needed, 1t is said by the laboring men. is
that some restriction of the contract labor
system in the penal institutions of the
State be made by law. A representative
from the laboring men of indianapolis, l..
2. Mccormick, state labor commissioner,
and several other persons conversant with
this question and interested in the better
ment of laborers, were called by the Gov
ernor TO several conferences the ques-
ton. The assistance of these men and
the best thought of the manufacturers of
the State, who are also indirectly interest
ed. with prison wardens and men knowing
conditions of work and the necessity of il
i'm prisons. is thought to have enabled Gov
ernor Durbin to arrive at a solution of
the problem. Should the message of the
what is now perpleXing question it is
more than likely that organized labor will
have proposals to make to the committees
which will handle the question in the Leg
| islature.
| Another important measure is the pro-
posed amendments to the factory inspec-
| gested that instead of fifteen being consid-
/ cred the minimum for a child to enter a
factory or other place for employment,
! that there be an educational qualification
ms IN hat he ol,ir -l,.,
/ have completed a prescribed course in a
| reputable educational institution. Another
amendment relative to child labor Is that
one proposing that girls under eighteen be
| prohibited from working in tobacco fac
| tories, which is said 10 be detrimental to
their health and not at all remunerative
| The laws creating the factory inspector
i and also the labor commissioner will be
| carefully gone over for changes. 1t is said
that now: in order to carry out the pro-
/ visions of the factory inspection law and
| to attend to the duties of the office, the staff
| of inspectors is insufficient In order that
the law may be enforced and the penalties
provided in il for violations inflicted more
! inspectors needed and these will be
| asked. For the labor commissioner more
| authority is needed. The laboring men as
| sert that both of these offices have already
demonstrated their efficiency and the need
ed changes should be made in order TO add
to their effectiveness.
STILL ANOTHER QUESTION.
In the use of oil in coal mining. a law
1 stfpulatlng the kind and quality to be used
is needed. it is said, and will bob" up
| again. This question has been before the
Legislature often and although tiresome to
the inexperienced and unknowing, is sale
| to be of vital Importance to coal miners
This class of labor also has other bills that
ii will urge.
The time-honored, but what the laborine
men say Is a meritorious, BARRIERS bill will
| come UP again. Some States of the Union
| license BARRIERS and have boards of ex.
| animation and registration to issue the Ii.
| censes. In this manner competent workme
| are employed and poor ones excluded from
the work. The sanitary condition is bet.
tered and there are said to be many ad.
| vantages In the system. The Indiana bill
is about the same as that adopted in Min
| nesota and will be pushed again. The bar
and il is regarded as certain that this bill
| will either be passed or effectually killed
| The licensing of stationary engineers sim
liar in effect to those laws of maritime
| States restricting the employment of in.
| competent engineers on vessels in harbol
and transit will be essayed again i'm thi:
session. This bill was defeated because OF
some of its clauses in the last session blu
has been remodeled that little objection
will be found to il. IL is said. An effor
has been made to incorporate in the bill
all of the restrictions thought to be neces
sary as well to temporize with engineer.
now i'm service. who might through Hitter
acy or other mental defect be unable to pas:
the required examination.
-H
uEcUSU ALIVE AppnnTUnNMENr