The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-14
TWO VETOES.
The Governor, Refuses to Approve Two
Of The Labor Bills.

SACRAMENTO, March 13.-The Governor to-
day vetoed the TWO bills that were introduced At
the request of the labor unions. The bill amend
ing the elpht-hOur law and the bill requiring all
contractors and sub contractors on stated NUM-
cipal works to pay their unskilled laborers 81
per day. Senator MaheT, who iDtroduc' both
bills, is very angry man tonight, and he has
made up his mind TO induce the Legislature TO
pass both bills over The veto. and Ill his request
they will be made special ider for Monday
morning.
The Veto OF the Eight-hour Bill was as fol-
lows:
l herewith return to your honorable body with
out my approval Senate BIZ 49, relative to eight
hours being a legal days work. Iu my inaugural
address, In commenting upon this subject, SAID :
at is claimed by organized bodies oil labor through
communications to me, that the L ght-hour Law on
our statute books has been evaded. II the failure
to enforce the law arises from an inherent defect
in the law itself, trust that you VIII remedy the
same"
The amendment proposed to the law was, NO
DOUBT made Tor The purpose of giving effect TO
the suggestions therein made, and is as follows;
and every contractor and SuO-cOntractor shall
agree therein and thereby, in addition TO the lore
going provisions. not To require or knowingly per
mil any person or persons performing WORK of auy
nature toward the completion Of the work specified
hsnrS in any Vne day; and Tor the violation
OF any provision contained in this sec
ton. or in said contract or sub-contraetS,
the contractors or SuGcOntcactOTs To receive pay
under said Outract shall forfeit all payment due or
become due thereon, and that they shall NOT re-
cover any compensation for said work, either upon
arises is desired result be obtained by the
adoption of the amendment? In my opinion II
Will not, and for the following reasons; Inc pres
ent law provinces that eight hours upon pubic
WORKS shall constitute days work, and IS thuS
made n contract between the State or municipality
ami another party. rms law apph es 70 Work Done
b. the day. and not where wOIk is done by piece
work or by the hour. IL is now proposed
TO amend the present law 50 that the
contractor and sub-corraetor shall forfeit all pay
for work done If any Iaborer is permitted TO WORE
more than eight hours in any one day. II the
amendment does not apply 20 piece work or WORK
done by the hour u would be OF no enect, LOT me
employer would simply hire his neil To work Oy the
piece or oy the hout ~ IL uoSs AtP.i " pieT %,
work WORK done by tue hour II would operate 70
the injury OF the aboring man in many cases by
preventing indu,tr, Gus men from earning more
Khan is paid for eight hours work. No law should
be framed TO prevent man from worAing as many
hours as he pIeaSes if he obtain correspond
ing pay Again IN the present law the con
trsct referrrd To is the contract be-
tween the state or municipality and the
laborer the Contractor IL is this contract OF
forms no part OF the contract between contractor
and ub-contTactor. The sub-coHtractOr does not
enter into the original contract with the state or
municipality and IS not pirty thereto anu ne can
not agree therein and thereby not TO prevent any
person to work more than eight hours IN any OHe
day. II II IS part OF the contract OF suGcOntract
1t must considered from the fact that The sub
contract IS controlled by the original contract, not
because IL Is expressly made by the amendme nj,
upon Inference Assuming that the provisions of
the amendment 6pply TO ali work done under
contracts, whether done by the day or by the
piece hour IL Is too indefinite It's application.
Ii is proposed to prevent any person perform
ing WORK OF any nature toward the competition OF
the work specified in said contract TO work more
than hours aUy one day. If that is not done
the contractor fcrieits all payment l0r MS WORK:
II Is difficult to tell how Tar the clause would
reach. Suppose contract is made by the state to
construct a public building The contracts Will re-
ouIre lumber stone, brick, mill WORK and iron aud
all classes of material aud ali kinds OF lab In the
contracts with the Iumbermen for the lumber the