Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-08-05
LET W0RKINGMEN READ.

GROSS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. REGARDING
GROVER cLEvEIANG's AqpTI4unE TO-
EMENT HOUSE CIGAR BILL-ABoLIsHING
PRIsoN-MADE HATs-PREsIDENT THAY-
| ER's vIEwS-THE CAR DRIVERS BILL
THE PAIGE SAVINGS DILL-THE COVER
NOR EVER THE WoRKINGMAN's FREED
| correspondence OF the Yonkers Gazette.
| BUFFALO, N. Y, July "a, 1884.
The opponents of Gov Cleveland are
spreading among the workingmen of the
State gross misrepresentation regarding
his attitude toward the labor interests.
This is the last and most desperately false
line of attack to make him appear an un-
safe nominee. A statement Of faets is SUBJ
lnitteq herewith shoWing tho governors
action on all measures affecting labor. To
begin with. Assemblyman Roesch, of
New York, in the Legislature of 1888,
passed a bill prohibiting the making of ci-
gars in tenement houses. Both houses of
the Legislature which passed the bill were
Democratic. The bill reached the COVER
ner's hands, and a hearing was demanded
by the tenement house manufacturers, whose
counsel was Hon. William NJ Evarts. The
Cigar-maker's Union, Of New York, was
aiso represented by counsel, and upon the
grounds of morality, cleanliness, public
health and benefit to skilled labor, urged
the governor to sign the bill. The evidence
submitted was voluminous on both sides
After a patient and exhaustive examina-
ton of the merits of the question, the bill
was signed, and the tenement house cigar
manufacturing Vas prohibited under Sc
question of oonstitutionality and the court
of appeals. after nine months, decided the
law unconstitutional. Another bill, avoid
ing the legal difficulties, was passed at the
late session and signed by the governor.
The next important labor measure was
the abolition of hat-making in the pris-
ons of the State. This abolition bill
passed through various stages in the Legis-
lature, but somehow was always killed just
before adjournment. Seeing the condition
of affairs six years ago, the National Hat
Finishers of the United States took steps to
have the Legislature of the State abolish
prison hat-making contracts. Every win
ter members of their organization were
in Albany trying to pass a bill to that eff
feet The bill would pass one winter in
one house, but fail to pass in the other.
The next winter it would bs smothered in
the committee, and SO on it was defeated
until 1888, when it finally passed Demo-
cratic Legislature and reached the COVER
nor. The State prison-ring contractors en-
deavored to defeat it in every shape. The
president of the National Hat Finishers' AS
sociation appeared before Governor Cleve-
land and made his reasons so clear and con-
elusive that the contract system was perni-
cious, not only to the manufacturer but the
employee as we'll, that the hill was signed,
and the different local hatters associations
at the time passed warm resolutions COM
mandatory of the governors action. Gov
ernor Cleveland's action on the contract
convict-labor question is well understood.
He not only signed the Comstock prohibi-
tory law, but in compliance with the sug-
gestions of leaders of the workingmen
urged the Legislature to provide some suit
able substitute for the employment of idle
convicts at the expiration of the existing
contracts. This the Legislature failed to
do.
The following statement by President
Walter N. Thayer, of the State Working
meE's Assembly of this State, shows how
that gentleman regards Gov. Cleveland s
attitude in labor matters:
s'The mechanics lien law" he said,
''was intended to give mechanics first lien
ON property in payment for labor or mate
rial. By an oversight, the bill as passed
gives to any person or firm the same priyi-
lege, thereby defeating the very object of
the bill, which was virtually to make work
| ingmen preferred creditors. 1t should ex-
empt from repeal other excellent lien laws,
nine in number, now on the statute books.
On the contrary, it repeals all other laws.
I think the governor did right in not sign
ing the measure, as it would have been a
positive injury to those whom it is intended
to protect.
s'The five-cent fare bill was not, in my
| Judgment, workingmen's measure, and
would not benefit that class as much as it
would the wealthier people. Previous to
| its introduction workingmen did, and still
do, ride for five cents on the elevated roads.
"As regards the conductors and drivers,
bill, I cannot agree with the governor in
the views he takes and think he should
have heard arguments on the bill before al
| lowing it to die.
81 am well pleased with the management
of the labor bureau and regard MIR. Peck
as very able and fair man. He came into
the office in opposition to the wishes of Or
ganized labor in the State, but by his manly
course and universal fairness, l am frank
to say, has given the best of satisfaction. /
have yet to hear the first complaint about
his management of the bureau last year.
"The tenement house cigar bill was
signed by the governor in face of powerful
opposition. The child labor factory bill
was killed in the Senate. certainly know
Of no reason why Gov. Cleveland should be
abused on account of labor measures. In
my opinion he has made but one mistake
on that class of legislation, and that was in
not signing the car conductors and drivers
bill. I should vote for himsa and cheerfully
support Gov. Cleveland ss candidate for
president"
The bill Regulating the hours of labor
of drivers and conductors of horse cars in
cities, to which Mr.. Thayer refers, was
disapproved Of by the governor for the fol-
lowing reasons:
81 fail" the governor says, fto see any
good purpose to be gained by this bill. It
is distinctly and palpably class Legislation,
in that it only applies to conductors and
drivers on horse railroads. Itdoes not pro-
hibit the making of a contract for any
number of hours work, | think; and if il
does it is an interference with the employ
er's as well as the employees rights.
eff the Car drivers and conductors wOrE
fewer hours they must receive less pay; ane
this bill does not prevent that. l cannot
think this bill is in the interest OF the
workingman.
It is naturally to be expected that II tn
bill had been signed wages would in all PROB
ability have been reduced in order to pay
double set of drivers and conductors which
|, would become necessary.
In 1878, a bill known as the Paige bill
passed both houses, and reached Governo