The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-05-23
THE EIGHT HOUR LAW.
A Speech by Mr.. Phillips in Favor OF
its Enforcement.
ENFORCEMENT OF EIGHr-HoUR LAW.


Congressional Record, May lo.I
Mr. GOODE-I ask unanimous consent
To report from the Committee on Education
and Labor for consideration at this time
ioipt resolution which think will take but
a few moments.
The Clerk read the report Of the commit
e, as follows:
Tn. Committee on Education and Labor,
TO whom were referred sundry menorlai, W
mechanics and laDorefs, citihens VI 'i
niied states, praying for the enforcement
ot the eight hour law, have had the same
unt,er consideration, and recommend TIC
adoption of the following JOINT reso'u'ion'
,o,Sr RESOLUTION To PROVIDE FOR THE EN-
roRcEnESr OF THE EIGHT.HoUR LAW:
J,esolred by The Sradts and House Of RePresen-
,,,,Tcx ,tr That according 10 the true lntent
md meaning of the act of Congress approved
lime q ls,jS entitl. d AN act constitutihB
eight hours egal days woIH n nor al Inv or on
T.haIf OF the Government OF the Uniteu
states eight hours constitute days work
for all such laborers, workmen, anu
,,.cbanics and while said act remains upon
| The siatute-bt ok no reduction shall be msde
IN the wages paid by the Government oy the
day to such laborers, WORK men, anu I'm ms Sns,rs
| les, on account vi TUG
Oflabor.
The SPEAKER-Is there objection to
the present consideration OF the JOINT reso'
luton? IA pause. The Chair hears ro,e
There being no objection, the joint resolu
ton III. B. No. l16) was read hrst and
second time, and the question was on order
ing it 10 be engfossed and read a tliird time
Mr.. REAGAN-If this interferes will
the morning hour, must object.
The SPEAKER-TheC Chair thinks tina
the gentleman from Texas is too late witt
his objection. This, however, will not in
terfere with the morning hour, which vii
come up Immediately after this Is dispose
Mr. cox, of New York. l ask consen
of NV friend from Virginia Mr.. GoodeJ 4
add at the end OF this joint resolution IN
following, which has been agreed upon b.
the workingmen and their delegates:
And all heads Of Departments, officers an,
| agents Of the Government, are hereby direct
ed 10 enforce sid law as long as the same
| unrepeaied.
offer this at the request Of delegation
of the workingmen-
Mr.. GOODE--i have no objection to tina
: amendment
; The aneudment was agreed TO.
Mr.. GOODE-I now demand the pre-
vious question upon the joint resolution
, amended.
The preyious question was seconded AM
the main question ordered, which was upoI
B ordering the Joint resolution, "a amended
40 h, enerossed and read third time.
Mr.. EDEN-I would like to inquire Q
, the gentleman from Virginia Mr.. Goode
E ~bv he does not make this resolution appl
' to all iaborers-not merely those Who labo
s for the Government?
E NJ (;OODE-Mr. Speaker, We have n
y .o.,rol over anv laborers except these EN-
. ,Inxad bv the Government, and will sa
e 70 INV friend that this resolution has bee
!, r.noy,ed by the Committee on Educatio
d and Labor in response to memorials an
= ,,a,;,;ons coming from . large number {
e f.ho,er. mechanics, and workingmen en-
It ,,Ioved throughout the United States.
e On the 18th Of June, 1858 Conge,
n pa..ed an act providing shat eight houl
+ hall Constitute days work for all labo
$ err, workingmen and mechanics now Gu
e ployed or who may hereafter be smPioye
by the Government OF the nited states
And after that the President inproclan
ton directed the heads OF departments
execute and enforce this law. And agai
in MAY, 1872, the Congress INTERPRETED an
IS construed the lay by requiring the prop
II officers Of the Government to settle N
d these employees without making any redu
70 ton whatever in their pay on sccount
y reduction of the hours OF labor. And y
lie notwithstanding this Law, potwithstandil
d this proclamation, Notwithstanding II
. legislative Interpretation contained in II
IN Joint resolution, TIE heads Of dePartmer
Re and officers of the Government have p
" sisted in requiring these men to work .
y hours instead Of eight, and If they do
ht work ten hours to submit to the corre-Pon
As ing reduction in their pay.
a. Mr.. BUTLER-May | ask Tor nome
the ear of the House in this matter.
e voted for this lay when it was before 70
Al eress and it vas voted upon az understal
b Il upon this theory the question vas a
I. t.fed in the country whether eight hot
ye were not AZ long as men could work tendi
I'd machinery and keep health and spirit q
h. strength to do the daily task. That expt
No ment had not been tried and il was nee
u. .arv that it should be tried. 1t corld 7
i. be tr.ed by any manufacturer because
m r;v IA working ter hours and forcing the
hor would undersell him. The Goyernms
!. hsx;uv a given clas Of work in its IA,
Yards and in its arsenals, having exact
cor uts kept of all the work that had b
m done under the ten-hour system, 90 lid
nr vorkine its force eight hours and keepinl