Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-11-05

IMPAIRMENT OE bUHIlANtt
wAsuiEs rOF, 10 cher a, Is72. !
SIN; | have duly considered the question pro
posed by you to this Department 10 your letter
Of the sd instant In regard TO tho proper con-
structiOn Of the act Of May Is, 1871, section 2,
III Statutes at Large, l34) .-..-.
BY the act Of June 70, 1893, us Statutes at
Large, ~ II was enacted That eight hours
shall constitute days work for all laborers,
WUrkmen, and mechanics now employed, or
who may DO hereafter employed by or on behalf
Of the Government Of the United States Un-
der this act II was at flrst question whether Il
was the intention OF Congress that persons who
worked only eight hours a day should receive
the full compensation which had previously
been siyen for days work, and at hrst iqll
payment was not allowed them. Afterwards, ny
PROCLAMATION Of the President, full wages Tor
days work were allowed tOall persons although
under mis- act they only worked eight hours q
day Il was to meet this case that the section,
to which you have called my lttention, was
enacted, aud that provides: That the proper
accounting officers be, and hereby are, aithOr.
lEcI aui required, In tho settlement Of all at-
counts for tho services Of lAbUrtts, WOrkmen,
aud mechanics, employee by or on hehalt OF the
Government Vi the Uuitsi states, between tho
twenty .nlth day OF Juno, eighteen hundred and
slXty-cight the date OF the aC constituting eight
hours a days work tor all such laborers, work.
men, and mechanics aud the nineteenth day OF
NAV, eighteen hundred and slNty.nlne, the date
Of tue proclamation Of the President concerning
such pay, to settle and pay the same, without
reduction on account Of reduction OF hours Of
labor by sail act, when It shall be made to Sp.
pear that such was the sole cause nf he reduc-
lion OF wages, and suifiClent sum Tor said puT.
pose IL hereby appropriated out OF any money In
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated"
am strongly inclined TO the opinion, eoneid-
erinE the history OF congressional Legislation
upon this subject, and particularly In view Of
the recent declSion Of the supreme Court In the
"TWenty Per Cent. Cases. Us Wallace, sos,
that this statute IL TO have broad and liberal
construction and that the above case Is decisive
against limiting It's provisions to those who
would TALL In strict language within the terms,
| laborers, WOTkmsn and meohAnlos' On the
contrary, think II was the intention Of Con
gress to include within the provisions OF this
act, and OF the previous act Of 1905, all persons
| who are employed and paid by the day. II
| clearly does not extend TO persons who are paid
regular salaries, but Is limited 70 employees Who
arc paid a days Wa EeI for days work and Its
nurpOso was to hN the number OF hours which
thereafter was TO DO considered as days work
| and emitting tho wOTkmen 10 days Wages.
II there IL In the employment Of the Govern
| ment any class Of persons so employed and paid,
/ think they arc entitled TO the beneht OF this
| act although In common parlAnce they might
not come within the strict definition OF lAbOreTs,
Workmen and mechanics.
have the honor to be, sir, your very Obedient
servant, CLEMENT HUaH HILL,
Acting Attorney General.
Hon WIN. W. BRLKEAP,
Secretary Of War.
BY order OF the Secretary Of War;
| WILLIAM ID. WHIPFLR,
Assistant AdiutAnt General.