Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-02

TESTIMONY BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL


COMMITTEE.
The Congressional House committee on the
labor question met in the post office building
at New York Yesterday, MeSsrs. A. S. Hewitt,
OF New w York; 70 j. NJ Thompson, of Peunsylva-
mia; w. w. Rice, of Massachusetts, and Thos.
A. Boyd, of Illinois, being present A com.
munication from the clerk Of the House com
mlttee on accounts was read, stating that the
committee on labor. would not be allowed ex-
penseS Tor the services OF clerk. StenOgraph-
ers and sergeant. alarms. Further communi-
cation will be had, however, with the clerk of
the House. The committee meantime decided
to take the risk Of their outlays being repaid,
and proceeded to take testimony.
STONE MASON's TESTIMONY
Th0S. Rock, who presented, he said, stone
mi,Ssas missons appeared before the committee a
government of the United States having work
done in New York, had its stone cut else
where. He was of opinion that stone work
there. In answer to question as to what the
maSons ma society had done-when man worked
for less than s. per day, witness said the times
at the fact. Witness thought that money was
made by employees when the society was at its
strength He thought that the government
intended that this law should be enforced, and
that the government contractors should be
made to carry 1t out themselves.
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW.
Mr.. Thompson, member of the committee
sald that he thought that when contractor
got work from the government, it was the con
traetor and not the government that had to do
with the eight hour day question, as the gov
ernment had hired out the work to him
MI. Rock said he thought the government,
De1ore giving out contract, should compel
the contractor to enforce the Ell ght hour law
lie thought the government should enforce
the eighthOur law without affecting mans
wages.
JEwELLER SUGGESTS LABOR BUREAU.
L. McGIregOr, JeWeiier, was the next wit
ness lie began with a statement as to the
questions involved in this investigation. He
SAID that before Congress could thoroughly
understand this labor question they would
nave to be familiar with the diseases it suffer
ed from. He thought that ministry should
De formed similar to army and navy bureaus
!amlllar WI the labor question in all its bear
ngs, to classify people according to their
od operations, know how they, get their living,
was called to the labor bureau of MaSSachu
Setts, which collected this information there.
put witness said this bureau was fraud that
Il dld not carry out what il was established ior
When this department. that he proposed was
established, they should collect this infOrma-
tlOn, pass upon it and sug seSt necessary re-
l3imS 10 ms, to Congress: Machinery took the place
OF W0rkmen to-day, conSidera oly reducing the
number OF men to be employed.
COMMUNISM.
Inc witness, in reply to. question by Mr..
hewitt, said: II machinery displaced all
charge OF machinery. am not a communist
but a socialist, and / believe in every man
reaplng the results of his labor. l would
rather see communism rampant than to see
the present state of affairs among the working
classes. ! have seen my fellow wOrkmen
starving IN the streets, with dead children
lying at home.
Justus Schwab, communist who was pres
ent, stated that he had nothing to say then in
regard to the matter. but would attend to-day
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
Cornelius OSullivan, of the Granite Cutters
Union, said that like all other trades, he was
depressed at the present time. He traced tb IS
depression, in great degree, to the contra ct
system of doing work. He proposed, as a rem
work and allow no politicians TO m nave ' snvl smi
thing to do with it. He was employed by the
government in Albany and for Yentilating his
views on the contract system he was dis
charged. Men were kept at work there who
We're not skilled WOrkmen, and who were paid
as much as the skilled labOrer