Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-09-10


conductors of cars, except within the linn
its of Incorporated cities.
Few bills have been so crude or so in
sufficient to substantially attain.th osten-
sible purpose of their introduction. IT
was, however. said that the bill was drawn
not with an expectation of its passage,
but rather with view to arouse public
attention, and to call for popular express
sion upon the subject of the protracted
days work of car drivers and conductors.
But even less kind hearted man than
Governor Cleveland would have hesitat-
ed before incorporating in the legislation
of this State, as the first bill fixing the
hours OF labor in one single business, a
measure as faulty as this; as little likely
to accomplish its professed object, and
certain to reduce the wages of the Car
drivers and conductors to the same degree
that 1t reduced their hours. 1t is mat
tar of general information that these wag-
es are hardly more than enough to afford a
bare subsistence to these hard workih g
men; and any measure tending, as the bill
certainly did, to reduce those wages could
hardly be called bill exclusively in their
interest. II was measure that certainly
needed better expression.
Drivers and conductors would have
been much injured had the bill gone into
practical operation. Had 1t been assumed
that under il these drivers and conductors
could have worked but twelve hours,
then as the practice of paying by the trip
would have continued Qor there is moth
ing in the bill to prevent iD. these men
would have been paid for only as many
trips as they could have made within
twelve hours. The result would have
been that the railroad companies would
have put two sets of drivers and conduc
tors on, working each set eight hours, SC
that the money heretofore earned by q
certain number of men would have been
divided between double that number, or
in ether words the men would have earn
ed only half their former wages.
The general understanding Of the char
acter of the measure and The reason why
the Senate delayed its passage we're de
clared upon the day of legislative adjourn
ment, and before the bill reached tn,
Governor, by prominent Republican
journal 0he Albany Ecentna Journal
now supporting the Republican candi
dates, in the following terms:
"The Senate. however gave these matters
| closer investigation and finding that in many
respects the bill checked rather than advanced
the cause of labor, declined TO concur IN them
Among these measures was Mr. Earl's bill fiNnl
hours OF labor for horse-car conductors, In be
half OF which Speaker Sheard himself took tn,
| floor for the only time during the session. II
the Senate IL was shown that the dill would o.
imperative, and IL was accordingly lost IL wa
reconsidered late last night and passed. IL 1
purely piece of buncombe legislation and
patent lie in every title"
To bill likely to disappoint the expec
tations of those who had been led to sup
pose that it was sufficient and beneficial
instead of delusion Governor Cleveland
could not give his approval Away
unwilling to assume the appearance o
doing something when in fact the act wa
worthless; unwilling when asked TO
bread to give stone, he was compelle,
to let his bill die, sincerely declaring :"
cannot think this bill is in the interest O
the workingmen.
, Making laboring Men Preferred Cred
it0rs.
J As an evidence of the care GovernC
; Cleveland manifests for laboring men. th
| prompt signing of the bill which create
laboring men preferred creditors for wal
, es in the case of the assignment of an en-
ployer. This bill, most important to lal
oring men, attracted little attention eve
9 from ,aboring men at the time of its Ell
. actment, but the quick eye and mind {
: the Governor appreciated its value an
7, made it law.
I This Is the most conclusive evident
y that Governor Cleveland has given Il
I closest consideration to all bills which a
:, fected labor; that he has signed all thos
r that were in the interest of the laborin
4 men, and rejected those that were ce
tain to harm the interests of u
e working classes. Whatever fault his o.
i ponents may find with him, they Cam
4 point to any other Governor of the Sta
g of New York, that has ever signed
s many bills in the interest of the laborin
men as has Governor Cleveland, or al
d other Governor of the State OF New Yo
II who has so repeatedly and so openly G
o pressed his sympathy with the workil
e classes,
CORPORATIONS.
No man is more alive to the fact tn
!, one of the great dangers which threat
the people of this country, is the grow
=. of corporate power, than is Govern
= Cleveland. Since he has been Govsrnt
his great effort has been to restrict c.