The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-20
tn DEBATE.
1t Lasted Daring the Greater Part Of the
Day.

-- !
1t Lasted During the Greater Part Of the
Day.
At II O'Clock the special order was taken
mp and the hoase went into a committee of
the whole with MT. Loud in the chair. The
first section of the bill was read by Assis-
tant CLERK Stanley and then the amend
ments began flying in. Ths first that re-
ceived any serious consideration was Mr..
Greenough's proposal that all classes Of la
Dor be included in the provisions of the
section. The discussion then opened.
M. Green: while parties interested
realize that eight hours is long enough they
did not take the responsibility tor taking
in all classes. They 90 not know the gen
eral feeling and are not prepared to figure
up the extra cost of labor on I'LL shifts"
Mr.. Howey: 1T looks as though the
amendment had come from one not friend
~ to the bill. 1t looks like aIider on the
bill"
Mr.. Gr~eenouQh: II have worked for
more than twenty years and / know that
miners are the best paid class Of lnbOrers in
the world. IL they work on,y eight hours
others sho I'D work only eight hours. The
law should reach smeiter men. Why should
we l~eeislats for one class and not for an
other"
Mr.. Hotter: ''Take them all in at once.
This looks like class legislation. There
olohtA DC III "tlh A1
Mr.. Breen: II will match my smelter ex-
perience against that of any man in the
state. In smelter work. You work by starts.
There are several mining superintendents
here, and I will ask any one of them if they
would not discharge u man If they caught
him sitting down."
Mr.. Penrose. There seems to be n
timidity on the part of members OF this
house in Grasping this question. | am pc
c~uliarly situated here. No man Is more
familiar with labor than l.. When seven
years old l was working in an EnRlish
mine with the superintendent OF the Alice
mine: when twelve years old l worked IN
the tin mines with the present foreman
Of the Elkhorn. In later years
! worked with the superintendents Of
always been with the laboring men ard
have been b!scklisted by several companies
for it. But do not believe this il the time
to enact a law OF this kind. In England
vestment in American mines. The mines
of other countries have played out and
there is now = disposition with foreign cap
~italists to invest in Montana. Many mines
will close down if this bill becomes a law.
Confusion and excitement will be created
and investors will be driven away. there
fore regard this as a most inopportune time
for the passage of such q bill and will OPP
pose it. Moreover, i understand that many
signatures TO these petitions are not genu-
Inc. favor tn0 appointment OF q commit
tee to visit the mines and learn from the
miners themselves what thew want. 1t il
time we heard something besides from the
professional workingman."
Mr.. Breen: Have you proof that . single
signature is not Renuins?"
Mr.. Penrose: II cannot prove it but
know that many men whose names are or
the petition are against the eight houl
law"
Mr.. Breen: 'Is it not true that the gen
tlemen whose names are IN the petition
served an order on you to leave the nam.
OF Miners' union out OF your paper"
Mr.. Psnrose: mo, sir, it is not. Nov