Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-10

feet was discovered and notice given
to the employer, such employer must
assume responsibility for injury to
employees when repairs are not made
in reasonable time The measure
was opposed by the State Manufacture
ers association, and the several indus
trial associations of the state and also
by the railway corporations, whose lob
byists and attorneys appeared before
the Judiciary committee and worked
with all representatives during several
weeks The Judiciary committee re-
ported for indefinite postponement a
minority filing report for passage.
After a preliminary tangle during
which time the effort was made by the
opponents of the measure to smother
debate, the bill was finally defeated by
vote of % for to SO against, 13 not
voting. In the opinion of your COM
mittee determined effort should be
made to secure the enactment of the
principle of this measure into law.
The State Federation of Labor, and
the labor movement generally. has
long endorsed the Initiative and Ref
erendum," and your committee in con-
formity with instructions, was en-
gagged in perfecting a resolution pro-
vldlng for change in the Iowa consti-
tuition, when resolution having this
purpose in view was Unexpectedly in
troduced by Representative Lundt, of
Tama county. Your committee not
having any knowledge that any such
resolution was coming was ill pre-
pared to give any material assistance.
A few days later the committee on con-
stitutional amendment reported the
same for indefinite postponement
which report was adopted without roll
CALL
Assignment Of Wages.
Another bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Wright provided that no as
Segment of wages not earned at the
time OF assignment should be valid,
and was aimed to protect the wage
Garner against the loan shark and also
to limit the extension of the credit
system by the pledging of future
wages. The house Judiciary commit
tee reported a substitute which struck
out the original intent of the measure,
but provided that where the wage
Garner was the head of the family, no
assignment of wages should be valid
without the signature of both husband
and wife. This measure so amended
passed the house, and later, with a
slight further amendment, also passed
the senate and becam law. Your
committee is Of the opinion that an eff
fort should be made in future sessions
of the legislature to have the intent
of the original bill enacted into law.
Resolution No. 81 of the thirteenth
annual convention pledged the fedora
ton to render assistance to all fedora
tions and associations having for their
object the prevention and spread of tu-
berculosis. When, therefore, the state
society for the prevention of this dis
ease, advocated an appropriation for
the establishment of a state sanitarium
we, your committee, felt ourselves in
duty bound to cooperate as far as pos
sible. We are glad to report that a
good start was made by the securing
of an appropriation of $4,000 to build
such sanitarium, the conduct and
supervision thereof to be vested in the
state board of control
| Two other bills of general concern
were those for the report of all seri.
GUS accidents to the labor commission.
er, and a substitute Tor the present
law in reference to fire escapes The
first, having for its object a general
resume of accidents so that in the flu,
ture, intelligent means could be used
| to minimize and in many cases pre-.
vent serious accidents. The latter pro-
vided for greater safety because of
fires and the better enforcement OF
such law The present law has been
| found defective in many particulars
especially in the enforcement thereof
Both of these measures were advocat
ed and directed by Commissioner Brig
ham, who in the later bill had the
support and cooperation of fire de
partments and travelling men. Both oil
these measures passed the house rath
er late in the session and afterwards
died in the senate committees.
Shot Firer's Bill.
OF the bills introduced having fol
their purpose the promotion of the wei
| fare of particular craft, that Of the
first Importance was the shot firers
bill by Teter, and known as house file
No. SO. This bill had for it's objec
the greater safety to life and limb O.
miners by providing a shot firer in ad
dition to the presen, law compelling
operators to hire shot examiners. Tht
provisions of the law were that opera
tors hire shot firers, and that no shots
should be fired in any mine until al
employees had left the mine, thus max
ing effective provision against thu
frequent accidents and sometimes dis
asters. incident to shot fringe For in
stance the Lost Creek disaster of sew
eral years ago.. The bill had the &C
tive opposition of the Mine Operators
4 association and after passing tn,
house by vote of So for to % against
met with a more determined opposi
ton in the senate and finally died il
the sitting committee, notwithstanding
Senator Warren's efforts to have tn
senate withdraw the measure from
said committee.
Another bill of considerable import
ance to the miners was the amend
ment reducing the time given examin
ers in the examination of mine fore
men, pit bosses and hosting engineers
1t will be recalled that during the ses
sion of 1900, your legislative commit
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