Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-05
LIEN LAW AND EIGHT-HOUR DAY.
Two Important Subjects Considered at
the National Buildcrs' Convention.

The delegates TO the National builders con-
vention, which was held last week in St Paul
have returned to the city. Mr.. Thomas J.
King, the secretary Of the builders exchange,
in this city, who attended the convention, in
talking with SrAR reporter today said that
while in actual results the convention did not
accomplish very much, still the meeting to-
gether of men from all parts of the country
engaged in the same business was Of great i'm
portance and value. He said that the dele
gates were royalty entertained and all enjoyed
the hospitality which they received during
their stay in St Paul and in their visit to Min
neapolis. The two important matters which
came before the convention, in the opinion Of
Mr.. King, were
THE LIKN LAW
and the eight-hour Law. In regard to the first
Mr.. King said that during the discussion he
failed to bear q single general contractor ex-
press himself in favor of lien law. They were
all opposed to it. Some of the subcontractors
and the material men agreed in favor of such a
law. 1t was developed that the law in the diff
ferent cities was practically the same as pre-
walls here. Many of the Washington delegates
opposed the law, as did the general contractors
on the ground that it was class legislation.
The opinion was expressed that as business
men they were no more entitled to have their
debts collected by a special law than other
classes OF business men, such as grocers, taiors
and others. The injustice Of lien law was
pointed out by a number Of the sub-contractors
as well as the general contractors in that il was
a means OF furnishing credit to irresponsible
men and an inducement to those having goods
to dispose of to make sale of the same without
proper inquiry as to the standing Of their Gus
toners, relying upon the privilege conferred
by the lien law to obtain payment from the
property.
On the other hand, those in favor of the lien
law said that it enabled them to collect bills
which otherwise they would be obliged to col
lect by means of the common law at consider
able expense. They regarded the law as bene-
hcial and as protection to those engaged in
building.
Mr.. King said that the committee to which
the subject was referred reported in favor of
abolishlng all lien laws except so far as they
protected the laborer and mechanic, but the
convention refused to adopt the report and it
was finally laid on the table.
IN REGARD TO THE EIaHr-HouR Law
Mr.. King said that the position of the general
contractors in the discussion was that they
neither favored nor opposed such a law. The
opinion was expressed that if their customers
were willing to give nine or ten hours pay for
eight hours work that they had no objection
he said that no contractors favored such a
change, but a few material men spoke in behalf
of the eight-hour day.
Reports received from the various cities
showed, Mr.. King said, that the eight-hour day
was at present almost exclusively confined to
one trade, namely, the stone cutters. 1t was
thought that contractors ought to take the
neutral ground between capital and labor. The
discussion, Mr.. King states was concluded by
the adoption of O resolution. sent to The STAR
by telegraph during the session of the conyen-
ton, recommending payment by the hour, but
no fixed number OF hours to constitute day Q
work.