The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-02-19
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
A BIG LOBBY TRYING 10 GET THEIR
HOOKS UPON UNCLE SANS CASH.


WASHINGTON, ID. G., Fen. 3, 1891
A spirited mass meeting was held
by the working men.of the city Hast
week to discuss the eight hour ques-
ton and take measures to secure ad-
ditional legislation by congress. The
original eight hour law was introduced
by General Banks in 1867, and passed
the House by vote of rs to 23, but
was pigeon. holed in the Senate. In
the following year he again offered,
practically. the same bill, and that
time was successful, as it passed both
houses and was signed by President
johnson Juue %, 1868. In July the
Senate passed a resolution requesting
the president to promulgate the law
| limiting the hours of labor with such
regulations as would secure compli-
ance Herewith. 1t is shown beyond
question that there is an eight hour
law, but, as one of the speakers at the
mass meeting expressed it, the I'M
derstrappers of the government think
it their duty to evade the law"
When law says eight hours shall
constitute a days labor, it does not
mean q man should work twelve or
sixteen hours.
Senator Blair says this law has been
deliberately, persistently and wick
eddy violated by the executive officers
of the government almost from the
beginning. There is an unfortunate
clause permitting an official to detain
an employee after hours, "if ext
gencies of the case require" and this
is grossly misinterpreted often by the
petty officials whose sole desire seems
to be to magnify their Importance.
The 'exigency" will often mean the
demand of a fussy and Impatient sem
ator or member for a letter or letters
bearing on certain questions; the OBJ
sequious little official replies: They
will be forwarded Immediately, and
forthwith the copyist or typewriter is
directed to get these out at once"
or, in other words, get the work of
twelve hours done in seven, or remain
after hours until completed. Possibly
those same papers will not be touched
by the honorable senator or member
| for two or three days. These gentle
men probably have not intended to
make an impossible demand, but
the petty official has the power
Ito determine the 'exigency,
and thus violation of Law
ensues with the semblance of pro
priety. There are many wheels with
in wheels in this government machin
ery. and one who stands on the insid,
track aud looks with sharp eyes car
see many wrongs that need righting
The question of capital and labor il
one of vital importance to our whole
nation, and some time in the neal
future the popular voice. will demand
its settlement.
The government is now calling fol
/ 200 sailors, but unless the wage item
is increased the jolly tars will be q
Door shiftless set. When an ordinary
workman can earn $45 a month on
land, he is not likely to take 1913 al
sea, and subject himself to hard work
and severe discipline; yet sailors must
be of the best stuff, honest, brave
true, every inch men. Our land groans
with wealth, it's resources are magni-
ticent and seem to be limitless; the
earth Yields her increase Of food for mar
and beast, and hidden in her breast
are vast storehouses of riches untold
As a people, holding self support Al
one of our cardinal doctrines, WI
should be far ahead of other nations
in solving these problems of the vel
fare of our people. Senator Carlisle
writing in the February Forum give
some startling figures regarding thu
growth and alarming increase in gov
eminent expenses. 1.-The ordinary ex
penditures for the current fiscal yea
will be at least IL per cent. create
than in 1890, although the population
as shown by the recent census, is in
creasing at a rate of less than 2 pc
cent. "Our abundant wealth is max
ing us giddy, and there is woful vast,
somewhere, YET properly ueVelope'
and applied we would soon reach tn
topmost round, and be the nation o
natious, in every particular.
The late discovery OF platinum il
the Quitman mountains, Ell Pas
county, Texas, is very important ant
if the mine prove to be of any extent
it will be more valuable than the agre
gated sheep ranches of the state.
This metal has recently increased il
price from So to $50 per ounce, on ac
count of the demand tor its use il
electrical appliances, such as incan
descent lights, about one-half inch Q
wire being necessary to each light
Our supply comes principally from tn
Ural mountains in Russia, but ther
has been great falling off, and az
tive search is being made for othe
mines. The United States geographi
: cal survey will investigate the matte
, and report on the discovery.
T THE TREASURY PoRTFoLIo.
The presidents request to congress
for authority to extend the time 70
making a temporary appointmen
from ten to thirty days, has onl