Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-06
Elk E NJ P I ION LAWS
SECRETARY sTRlEF TELLS WHY
LABOR OFFICIALS OPPOSE
GREEN MEASURE
Says II Is In Nowise in Accordance
With Agreement Reached at Council
Bluffs convention--WouId Repeal
all Exemption Laws.

The officers of the Iowa State Fed
GRAFTON of Labor are opposing the ex-
enaption bill introduced in the legisla-
ture by Representative r. A. Green
because it is not in accordance with
the agreement reached at our last an.
nual convention and because 1T in no
wise meets with our approval" said ].
M. Strict, the secretary-treasurer of
the Federation who is in Ottumwa to-
day comforting with the local commit
tees regarding the arrangements for
the next annual meeting to be held in
this city In May.
Mr. Green Is president of the Iowa
Retail Grocers' association and was a
member of the committee that signed
the agreement at Council Bluffs" said
Mr.. Strict. 1--WE think that he pre-.
pared the bill himself without consult
ing with any Of the other officers Of
the association and then notified them
Of his action. Mr.. Buttles of Burling-.
ton, former president OF the associa-
ton and also member Of the COM.
mittee, has written a letter to Mr..
Green which has been published stat
ID iaesa that that ne GOES not thinE that the
bill Is good one, that 1t Is directly op-
posite to the agreement and us liable
to act as boomerang.
"The retail grocers have long been
trying to secure repeal of the exemp-
ton laws and have asked the coop.
GRAFTON Of the State Federation of La
Dor in securing such legislation. At
the convention of the Federation at
Council Bluffs the exemption bill was
one Of the most important subjects
considered. Many of the delegates IA
vored a repeal of the exemption law
and a committee was appointed to con-
fer with a committee from the Retail
Grocers. An agreement was reached
by which the Federation was to assist
In securing a repeal of the exemption
laws and the Grocers' association was
to work for child labor bill and to
favor the carrying Of union made
goods as much as possible by the gro
GERS. The agreement was adopted by
the convention by a close vote after a
prolonged discussion.
Affects Laboring Men.
We favor the repeal of the exemp-
ton laws because than all men would
be equally liable. We did not agree to
support and are strongly opposed to
such {. bill as proposed by Representa-
tive Green which only favors the re.
peal Of that portion of the law which
affects the laboring man and farmer
Under the present law 500 of the
wages of the laboring man is exempt
from seizure for the payment Of debt
homestead is exempt to the amount
of $4,000 and the Libraries and office
fixtures Of the physician and lawye,
are exempt to the amount Of $4,000
1.-THE bill introduced by Representa-
tive Green would repeal the exemption
law rs applied to the homestead, and
make the wages of the laboring mar
over $40 subject to seizure According
to his bill that portion of the com
bined wages of all the members Of any
one family over $40 would be sub
ject to seizure for the payment of the
debt of any member Of the family
Upon the death OF a laboring man the
surviving members of the family woult
be liable for his debts and their wages
subject to seizure for the payment o.
the same.
Says Bill Is Unfair.
1--WE cannot see anything fair abou
the bill proposed by Mr.. Green and ii
view of the fact that he was mem
Der of the committee that formulated
the agreement it is hard to understand
his position"
Regarding the Picket" bill intro
duced in the legislature MIR. STRIFE
said that If it became a Law