The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-10
LABOR MEASURES
 ARE CONSIDERED
Birmingham Trades Council
 Holds Meeting
PRESENT I
New Laws Affecting Interests of Labor Are Desired - Builders Adopt New Card System for
 January 1.

Final consideration of the committed s report in labor measures to be proposed at the coming session of the Alabama legislature was the special order of busi- ness at the semi-monthly meeting of the Birmingham Trades Council at the labor hall on North Twentieth street yester- day afternoon. Members-elect of the leg islature from Jefferson county had been invited to attend this meeting. Senator Nathan L. Miller and Representative Sam Will John were present and made short addresses. Representatives King and Ragsdale wrote letters, expressing inter- est In the effort of the workingmen to secure remedial legislation, and that ab- sence from the city prevented their att tendance. There was large number of delegates present and much interest shown In the questions before the meeting
 Delegate Clint c. Houston, chairman of the legislative committee of the Trades Council, emphasized the fact that as the legislature of this state met only once in every four years, it was important that the laws sought to be enacted should be seriously and thoughtfully considered, and that while proposed by organized work ingmen, they would be beneficial to all classes of labor, and the state in general; that there was nothing new or radical in their character, but such as had proven highly satisfactory in a majority of the southern states. and all the industrial states of the north.
 President Ed Flynn of Alabama Dis triet No. 20, United Mine Workers, said that the present mining laws of this state were enacted in 1896, when the output of the mines was only 5,0OO,000 tons, or about one-third of the tonnage that will be taken from the mines this year; that the deeper chambers gave greater opportunity for accumulation of deadly dust and gases. The law now requires mines to be inspected once every three months, whereas with the increased openings and limited number of inspectors, they were only inspected about twice a year. Mr. Flynn said statistics showed that with the possible exception of West Virginia, the percentage of fatalities in Alabama mines, to tons of coal mined, was greater than in any other state. He urged amend ments to the present law providing for better ventilation, more careful use of explosives and better system of inspec- tion. He also thought negligence on part of mine superintendents and foremen should be made a statutory crime.
 Mechanics Lien Law.
 Jerry Williams of the Carpenters ipt- ed out the defects of the mechanics lien law sought to be corrected. He said the situation was such that in many instances if the mechanic did not file notice of lien with owner of building on which he was employed he failed to receive his wages, and if he did give such notice he offended the employing contractor, and was discharged. Therefore. a simple law making labor a first lien on the build ing, such as exists in most states of the union, was very essential for proper protection of workmen engaged in struc- tural work given out to contractors.
 Delegate Lafayette of the Brclklayers' union, insisted that lawmakers should consider their moral obligation to pro- tect citizens of the state, especially the producers, above the enactment of legis- lation which seeks to protect property and vested interests.
 The proposition to amend the child labor law by providing penalty for it's viola tion and creating a factory inspector to see that the law is observed, and re- port on sanitary conditions was given general approval, as was the proposition to establish bureau of labor and immi- grafton.
 Senator elect Miller when introduced, said that he was present more in the na- ture of an auditor than as a speaker, and was glad to hear the workingmen express themselves upon the laws they wanted. He said, however, that he believed wage earners should be given adequate and proper protection; that life and health weighed heavier in the scales of justice than dollars and cents, and he would do all he could to advance the interests of those who delve in the mines or work in the shops and factories. MT. Miller $ remarks made a most favorable impress sion upon the delegates present
 Child Labor Law.
 Representative-elect Johns stated that some of the proposed legislation being considered was not new to him; that he was a member of the legislature that enacted the first child labor law in Ala bama, and voted against it's repeal when it was erased from the statute books at the instance of the mill owners. He agreed 
 was practically a dead letter and eX- pressed the belief that with the present state of aroused public sentiment on this question there would be little trouble in placing an effective child labor law upon the statutes at the coming session of the legislature. He said he was acquainted with the defects in the mechanics lien and mining laws and was heartily in favor of amending them. Mir. John called attention that until a comparative recent date Alabama was purely an agricultural state and if she seemed to lag behind in labor laws it was because the necessity for them had not appeared until within the past few years of phenomenal industrial activity. He said he favored all the recommendations of the committee.
 A rising vote of thanks was extended Messrs Miller and John for their words of encouragement.
 Delegates from the Building Trades ai- liance reported that beginning January their new card system would become effective and members of the building trades would refuse to work on buildings employing non-union men in any part of the structural work.
 m THY QEAUTJEIJT W0uEN