The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-12
JOHNSON SPEAKS UP.
Labor Commissioner Gives Facts
About Garnishment Bill.

w. L. A. Johnson, state labor COM
missioner. takes exceptions to state
ments made in a morning paper this
morning in an interview with Frank
Kenney. an Enporia grocer, under an
Emporia date line. in which Mr.. Ken
ney was quoted as saying that the gro
GERS of the state are against Governor
Bailey because of his action with re-
gard to the garnishment bill in the last
legislature. which the governor vetoad.
The interview further stated that not
only were the merchants in favor of the
bill. but the labor unions as well. and
that the governor vetoed the measure
because ''the merchants credited the
men at their own risk, and it was their
own fault if they could not collect their
bills
This bill was introduced and faith
cred by Representative Dolley, who is
now secretary of the boss buster move
meht. In the legislature before that a
similar mea sure was attempted by Rep
resentative Sarbach of Jackson county.
also member of the boss buster
crowd
The truth is that the laboring people
of the state were a unit against the
measure and Governor Bailey was
| flooded with letters and telegrams pro-
testing against it. In speaking of the
matter today Labor Commissioner
Johnson said:
The labor unions not only did not
| endorse the bill, but were very strong
ly opposed to it as was indicated by
hundreds of letters and kilograms for
warded to the governor ASKING him to
veto IT. Mr.. kenney not only miSrep-
resents the attitude of the State Socie-
ty of Labor and the labor unions in
this matter, but also naisrepresents the
facts, when he states that the exemp-
| ton covered all of a mans wages, ex-
| case are that the legislative committee
of the State GrocerA association asked
for a conference with the Legislative
Icommittee of the State Society of
Labor at my office in order that they
might agree upon a bill that would be
satisfactory. The grocerynen's commit
tee offered to accept a ten per cent
garnishment clause and to bear the ex-
pense of suit in case such suit was
necessary, giving as their reason that
1 if this clause was inserted no suits
would be necessary.
| 7 arranged for a meeting with oul
| committee and asked the grocerymeI
to bring a copy of their proposed bill
They failed to attend the conference
or present our committee with copl
of their bill, but proceeded to have i
| introduced in the legislature, and wheI
it was discovered, it was found tina
house bill 6S1 by Mr.. Dolly, provided
| that the present exemption law SHOULD
stand as it is by adding an amend
ment that the provisions of this &C
shall not apply to any claim or deb
contracted for the necessar1eS OF lii
by such debtor for himself or famil.
and that 25 per cent of his wage
should be applied by the court in pay
ment of any garnishment claim. Thi
bill would place a man and his famil.
regardless of his eircums tances at tn
mercy of the groceryman, should the.
desire to take advantage of it.
Now the attitude of the labor union
and the State Society of Labor in thi
matter was not to protect man VII
refuses to ray his honest debts. bu
to prevent the use of an arbitrar.
power against men who are oftentime
victims of circumstances over whicl
they have no control. The desire t
protect mans family under such dir
necessities was the basis of opposition
TO this bill: and it was only natura
that hundreds of organizations whel
appraised of the passage of the bill peti
toned the governor to veto the bill
II consider that our present garnish
nent law IS ample for the protection O