The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-03-18
THE HIRED MAN" uPLifT!


this country has devoted itself most
energetically TO regulating railroad
and such like employers and en-
ployees, and now a prominent railroad
official proposes that workingmen IN
other industries and farm help in par
ticular be included in this great moral
regeneration Legislation 70 this end
is proposed as follows;
"only one price for a given com
modify shall be lawful. A farmer de
string TO change a price shall file
schedule thereof with the commission
hereby created which shall go into
effect thirty days thereafter unless
suspended by the commission at the
instance Of any consumer.
mo prices shall be increased, how
ever, except upon due proof the bur
den whereof shall be upon the farmer,
that existing prices are eonfscatory OF
his goods and gear In this discretion
the commission may refuse to permit
any such increase until valuation by
its engineers and accountants shall
have been taken. In such valuation
the farmer shall have no credit for
past profits invested in new fields or
improved structures, but shall be al
lowed only original cost plus borrowed
money invested.
Commodity, as used herein, includ-
es all grains, vegetables, livestock,
dairy articles, excepting sand, gravel,
and manure.
Every hired man shall work eight
hours only day not including the
Sabbath. and shall not recommence
work unless he has completed per-
iod of not less than Is hours absolute
rest and quiet. He shall not work on
the Lords day nor on legal holidays
nor on Jack Loves birthday.
every farmer shall hire one more
hired man than his work requires.
"The only permissible exceptions to
the two foregoing sections shall be
periods of stress resulting from earth
quake, Halley's comet, or European in
vasion.
"All wagons and all poles and
double trees shall be provided with
couplers, coupling by impact, so that
the hired man need not go between the
wheels of the wagon and the heels of
the horses.
"All wagons shall be supplied with
suitable brakes, grabirons stirrups and
platforms of standard dimensions to
be fixed by the commission.
"All bulls, when moving on the high
way or in unfenced areas, shall be
equipped with bell of not less than
50 pounds weight steam whistle, and
an electric headlight Of at least 1000
candle-power.
"Sheds shall be built over all fields
where hired men have to work IN
summer.
"All field engines and machinery
shall be fenced in, all betting shall be
encased in metal housings and all
grindstones, churns, hay-cutters, bulls
horns, and other moving parts shall be
strongly encased in sheaths for the
protection Of the hired man.
"All barns, sheds, and other out
buildings shall in cold weather be
adequately heated and at all times
shall be well lighted and poIiced.
"If a calf is delayed in arriving or
is born dead the farmer shall instantly
provide another COW whose calf shall
be born that day.
"The commissions inspectors shall
weekly inspect all gasoline automo-
biles. If a cylinder is missing the
farmer must find it before he runs on
the road again,
1.-THE right to mortgage real estate
is a franchise reserved to the State.
No farmer shall make any mortgage
nor incur any indebtedness without the
written approval Of the commission,
obtained upon petition and hearing
and upon paying the State treasurer
ten cents for each 500 Of such in
debtedness. Indebtedness incurred
without such consent shall be void.
"To enforce this act commission
Of five persons shall be selected by the
Governor with a view Of placating as
many shades Of political opinion as
possible. No commissioner shall,
however be deemed disqualified by a
lack Of previous political or other ex-
perience."
As a whole, the above is no more
unreasonable and drastic than many
regulations" which has been saddled
on railroads through the delegated
authority of various commissions, ="
and if certain brand Of food be fore
ed down the throat of the goose, why
not the gand err THE Advance.