New-York tribune., 1891-02-07
PAY FOR WORK OVER HOURS.
THE EIGHT-HoUR BILL BEFORE THE SENATE
ESTIMATES OF THE COST.


ESTIMATES OF THE COST
Washington, Feb. (speciaD.-Thc Senate spent
several hours today on the EightlIour Claims bii'
and though at the end OF the afternoon no less thah
three widely distinct and decidedly conflicting propo
stioas for compensation for work over hours were
left pending 1t was agreed TO dispose finally OF the
whole subject before adjournment tomorrow Ing
House bill, which reported with All alneLdIleh'
by Mr.. Blairs Committee on Education and LABOR
and which has been the senate calendar sEce last
september, was to-day abandoned by the Ncw'Halhp
shire statesman. and the original ElshtHour senate
bill of the last Congress was brought forward by
him ms a substitute. The House bill provided ior inc
payment OF claims for work done over time, but
stipulated that reimbursement should not be IN cases
where specific contracts for more than eight houfS
labor day we're entered into. The blair substitute
proposes the payment OF extra compensation LOT All
work done over hours, whether in pursuance oi
written contract otherwise The thrd proposal
athered by MIR. Dawes is to let the whole subJcc' o
claims for extra pay be investigated by the treasury
Department, and an accuii ie estimate OF the amounts
involved be reported to the senate before am further
action is taken.
There is apparently wide disagreement as to the
sum necessary to meet the claims now made iOr extra
compensation. Mr.. Bhir fixes it at 81 100000 MF
Morrill,, the chairman OF the Finance Committee,
thinks ii will reach %5.OOO.0OO or S6OOo,oo1 oI'eI
authorities say that tho Blair substitute Will cost as
much as s3OOOOO00 93O,OOO,OOO. Many Of the
claims affected by the proposed measures are un
doubtedly held by spectators and claim agents,
and this fact is used with much effect by the opponents
of thc bill.
House bin. and said he woad be glad to postpone
action on it until after March T. MeSsrs. Vest;
Dawes and Reagan also opposed both the House bill
and Mr.. Blair'S substitute while Mes,rs. stewart,
Teller and ingalls, advocated the payment Of all claims
for over hours work. Mr. sherman said that he
would support the House BILL but would oppose extra
compensation In where contracts involving extra
work were made.
Mr. Morrill, said he believed that not only The
the attempted resurrection Of II In the pending
measure would nnict upon the country a grave and
possibly an irrcparable injury He referred. win
approval to the statement of Edward Atkinson. that
the eight hour law would work I'm th' interest Of
capital aud against labor; hat IL would bc per
nlcons and would result To The great disadvantage of
labor The pending measure was not asked for. or
promoted. far he knew. hy the bet workmcn. or
iy those lonec>' In tn public service. The hours
of labor in foreign countris from ton To twelve
hours and vet II the immigrants from th"7N
countries who were the chief ag aiors for eight
hour law. Frccborn Americans re not hungcrng FOR
an eight hour day Of labor. What they wanted
was work md morr pav.
Mr. stewart argued IN favor II The Ill He believed
that the time was not far distant when il would be M
necessary for labOrinc o work aS much 0S eight
hours a ddy. The passage Of the pending bill would
be the crOWniuc act 81 H." career Of Nr. Bl'ir
passed the House rccogn 7nG. a + dd, the general
principle that eight hours We're air DAYS labor but
not drpyng the right q men to wo"k more hours il
thcv choose and 20 mako contracts
Mr. INGALLS, characterized the bill as paltry.
qubblng evasion of the real quesI ion at Issue.