The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-07-19
Mr.. Buckalew on Hours of Labor.

| or VINO may be hereafter employed, by
or on behalf of the government of the
United States, and that all acts and
parts of acts inconsistent with this act
be and the same are hereby repealed" !"
This measure of progress and justice
was supported by Mr.. Buckalew in all
the stages of its progress through the
Senate.
June 81, 1868, Mr.. Conness moved to
proceed to the consideration of the bill,
and the motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Sherman of Ohio moved to amend
the bill by adding thereto the follow
ing:
"And unless otherwise provided by
law, the rate of wages paid by the Uni
ted States shall be the current rate, for
the same time, at the place of en-
ployment."
This insiduous, adroit amendment,
intended for the destruction of the bill
was supported in debate by Messrs.
Sherman, Morrill, of Vermont, Fegsen-
den and Ferry; and was opposed by
. Messrs. Conness, Hendricks, Morton,
Stewart, Cole, Buclzalew and Wilson.
The objections to the amendment and
its true character as one of hostility to
reform, were admirably exposed by Mr..
Buckalew in his remarks, which we
copy from the Globe as follows:
'MR. BUCKALEW: ii think if this
bill passes at all, it ought to pass with
out being encountered by the amend.
mentproposedb by heSenator from Ohio.
Several things are to be considered in
this connection. There is very fre-
quently great difference between skill
ed and common labor in the labor
markets of the country. 1t is often
very important that the Government
should employ labor of the highest de-
gree Of skill and pay unusual rates.
Under the amendment of the Senator
J from Ohio, however, it would be i'm
possible for the Government officers to
employ any person in any particular
trade or employment at rates above the
common average in the labor market.
Again, the Senator forgets that we
have laws fixing the rates of compensa.
ton for particular Government labor,
here at the seat of Government, and in
other parts of tho country. AS to the
employment of other laborcrs the rates
are unfiXed. The operation of his
amendment, therefore, when it comes
to be applied practically, may be found
to nullify the proposed law or to en-
barrass the Government in the transac-
ton of public business.
We have never heard any complaints,
so far as l know, that labor is unduly
paid by the Government; that it Is in
ordinately paid; that the rates of COM
pensation allowed by Government off,
GERS to those employed by them ought
to be reduced, either generally in the
country, or at particular points; and
l take it for granted that upon this
question we can rely upon our own
agents, that they will not pay larger
rates than are proper to secure that
which is necessary in the public service.
I see no necessity, therefore, for loading
down this bill with condition or
limitation upon our public officers,
which will be found in practice, ex.
tremely inconvenient and operative
against the public interests.
There is another point in this same
connection. 1t is very often necessary
that particular work to be done for the
| Government should be done in great
haste. A vessel is to be fitted out for
some public service in foreign waters,
and it may be necessary to pay little
above the ordinary rates in order to
secure the work being done promptly
and efficiently. Why should you in
cumber now your public officers with a
limitation which may prevent them in
an emergency, and when temporary
labor is needed, from paying above the
ordinary market rate, when by your
limitation you prevent them from OBJ
tanning skilled labor at the particu.
lar city or place where the public busi-
ness is to be transacted. Upon these
considerations, in my judgment, it Is
perfectly clear that if we pass this bill
at all, we ought not to incumber and
embarrass it with the amendment of
the Senator from Ohio" (CongresSion.
al Globe, I'd. Session, 10Th Congress,
3427,)
The yeas and nays being called and
taken upon the Sherman amendment,
it was lost, yeas 16, nays 2l, Mr.. Buck
alew voting against it.
| Tho copna dow op tho EnoI ,,occoco - g
the bill, the vote stood: Yeas, Messrs.
Buckalew and others, %; nays, Messrs.
Corbett and Others, II. So this i'm
portant bill passed, and being signed
by President Johnson became a law,
as before stated, on the 25th q, June,
1865. Its title is, San act const iting
eight hours days work for all Labor
ers, workmen and mechanics, employed
by or on behalf of the Government of
the United States"
But though the object of this law was
very plainly declared both in its text
and in its title, there were difficulties
in the way OF its enforcement, and par
ticularly an indisposition to apply it
| ch viz pRAu VI vi
mentsandgovernmentsuperinten
The attempt was made to have the law
construed to mean that workmen should
be paid less wages than before in pro-
portion to the reduction Of time of daily
labor from ten hours to eight. For
remedy of this difficulty, interposed by
government officers, Mr.. Conness intro
duced supplemental bill into the SEN
ate at the following session of Congress.
1t provided:
"That from and after June %, 1868,
all laborers, workmen and mechanics,
engaged in the employment of the Gov
ernment Of the United States, shall re-
ceive for days labor, as provided by
law, the full wages and compensation
paid for such labor as if ten hours con.
stituted days labor"
Dec l6, 1865, Mr.. Conness moved that
the Senate proceed to the consideration