The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-09-02
RIGHTS OF LABOR
Several Important Cases In Which
Judge Parker Stood Consistently
For Labor's Rights.

number OF important laws affect
Ing labor were before the courts OF
New York for adjudication while Judge
Parker was on the bench. and all of
his opinions asserted the right OF the
state to legislate for better conditions
among its wage-earning classes. The
Republican press has criticised some
OF those decisions and has intimated
that they were made for partisan
effect, but the independent legal
thought OF the country has indorsed
them. both on account OF their con.
sistency and their just and equitable
conclusions
One of the first and most important
cases tat came before Judge Parker's
court was in relation To the law which
required that contractors on public
work should pay their employees not
less than the prevailing rate of wages
A street Improvement contractor in
the city OF New York had failed 10
comply with this provision OF his con.
tract and the comptroller refused TO
issue a warrant for the amount due.
holding that he had not complied with
his contract The court OF appeals
held the law. so far as il related 10
such a case. unconstitutional. but
dissenting oplnioI. was written by /
Judge rarker in which he defended
the law as a proper exercise OF Iegis.
lative power.
In 1896 the so-called "convict-made
goods label act" was passed. II re.
quired all goods made by convict labor
In any penal institution To be labeled
convict made" before being sold or
exposed for sale within the state. The
law was undoubtedly aimed at convict.
made goods OF other states. since the
products Of convict labor Of New York
,orld not under the constitutional pro.
Vision be placed uron the market
This law was held by the court OF an.
Deals To be unconstitutional because
was an attempt to regulate inter. 1
itate commerce and thus yiolative of {
he commerce clause OF the federal {
constitution. Judges Bartlett and Par. I
Ter wrote dissenting opinions. insist. {
hg that the sct was proper exercise
u legislative power. The true pur.
'ose OF the law was tersely stated bv (
udge Parker in the following Ian. 4
uage. I
This statute neither prohibits nor I
ttempts 10 prohibit other states or {
itizens OF other states from putting o
rlson-made goods upon our markets. II
or does Il prohibit our own citizens
rom buying or selling them: n II did.
hen, ooncededly. the statute would q
e in violation OF the commerce clause q
the federal constitution and void. c
simply requires that prison-made u
Ierchandise shall be so branded that G
ar citizens shall know where the c.
oods'they are buying were made" 7
Another case before the court grew d
II OF rivalry between two labor or. tc
mutations and has led 10 much com. es
ent Charles McQueed. a member al
the Nat onal Protective Association ~
Steam Fi'ters and Helpers. a cor. d.
'ration organized under the Laws Of III
ew York brourht an action on behalf
himself and his fellow-members TO
strain the board OF delegates and cs
rtain individuals. members OF the &C
'1rd Of delHvstes a1d of the Enter OF
Use issoc'at'ou Of steam Filters and hi
the Prcgress Association OF Steam WI
tiers and Helpers from preventing nc
Q em2lovment ~ tho plaintiffs. and &C
pm coercing their discharge by any isl
lployer through threats. strikes. or Of
herwisc. and 10 recover damages. fol
Judge Parker wrote the prevailing an
inion OF the court and in II he laws de
vn in the most comprehensive terms pl'