Denver labor bulletin., 1916-03-04
STATE COAL MINES
TO BE SUBMITTED
State Federation of Labor to
Father Petition
legislative Committee Also to Join
Farmers Union in Bill to
Relegate Loan Sharks.
By ED ANDERSON,
Secretary-Treasure State Federation Of

Secretary-IreaSurer State Federation OF
Labor.
The Colorado State Federation OF La
Dor, in conjunction with the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Union,
and the Colorado State Grange, viii
initiate bill providing for the state
mining of coal on lands owned by the
state to be voted upon at the Noyem-
Der election. This action was definitely
decided on at a regular meeting OF the
Legislative Committee of the State Fed
Grafton held on Thursday evening, Feb
ruary "a, in the office OF President Nc
Lehman, at which meeting the Denver
Trades Assembly and the Denver Build
ing Trades Council were represented by
delegates. The Farmers Union and
State Grange have indicated their inten-
tion to cooperate with the State Fed
Grafton in this undertaking. The Social
lists have also been invited to cooperate.
and their committee to whom they re-
ferred the matter has decided to oin
with the other organizations in endeav-
oring to place this law on the statute
books OF this state.
Will Initiate One Bill.
The Bill as drawn up, and which has
been referred to some OF the best at
torneys of the state, who have pro-
nounced it constitutional, was submitted
at the meeting of the Legislative Com
mittee and accepted by them. 1t viii
be printed Immediately and petitions Tor
signatures will soon be mailed to the
various locals OF the organizations in
tercsted. and the work OF securing the
necessary number OF signatures viii
soon be under way.
The matter OF initiating adaw for the
repeal of the anti-boycott law was given
due consideration by the Legislative
Committee, but in view of the fact that
the task of securing enough signatures
for the initiating the state mining of
coal bill is no small one, the committee
decided it would be inadvisable at this
time to attempt to initiate more than
one bill. But if it is found impossible
to secure the repeal of the anti-boygott
law at the next session OF the Legisa-
ture, it is probable that bill for its
repeal will be initiated It tho general
election in 1918.
After the loan Sharks"
The Legislative Committee also dc.
cided at this meeting to cooperate with
and assist the Farmers Union and the
State Grange in securing signature to
their petitions for the irritation OF an
interest bill. Ii the rr, r,ptsed interest
Til DecoheS law II VIII mean Iafc-
well to the loan sharks of this state
This bill vii! be drawn with particular
care to its constitutions!ity and w'l
provide penitentiary sentence to any
one accepting interest in excess Of the
legal rate which will be at 10 per cent
per annum. The working people -hould
be as deeply interested in this proposed
law as in the state mining Of coal law,
and should give it their undivided
support.
Letters are continuing to be received
at the office OF the Federation contain
ing the Encouraging information of a
genuine awakening by the labor force.
of the state, and healthy effort by
be entire membership to make this a
banner year for the upbuildng Of the
organized labor movement in Colorado
One reaffiliation has been received at
the headquarters during the past week,
with reports OF several more Intending
to apply in the near future. Tic re-
ports received the last month show that
nearly every local has had an increase
Of membership during that time with
prospects of a greater increase Turing
the spring and summer.