Evening journal., 1891-02-07

ident for the correspondence in reference
to the killing Of Gen. Barrundia Mr. Nor
gan addressed the senate in support of the
bill TO aid in the construction of the Nicar.
aqua maritime canal The balance of the
session was occupied in discussion of the
eight hour law, and an agreement was
reached that q vote shall be taken ON the
bill today
The Eight Hour Bill.
When the eight hour law was under dis
cussion, Mr.. Morrill, said be was convinced
that the eight hour law Of 1868 WAS wrong
and that il would indict upon the class II
was specially intended to benefit "A gray,
and possibly irreparable injury He re
ferred, with approval, to the statement OF
AIr. Edward Atkinson that the eight hoHi
Law would work in the interest Of capital
and against labor, that it would be per
nicious, and would result TO the great dis
advantage Of labor.
The settlement of the claims against the
government nnder the eight hour law
from 1873 to 1891 would cost millions-thg
estimate OF Secretary Whitney for the
navy department alone having been, some
years since, s3,000000 The pending meas
ure was not asked for or promoted, so far
rs he knew, by the best workmen or bs
those longest ia the public service Free
born Americans were not haugerinz ioI
an eight hour day of labor The eight
hour scheme if generally adopted would
separate the larger half Of the workingmen
Of the country from the smaller half, which
was employed mainly IN large worlyships
and factories: while those owning farins
or working thereon would still work ten.
twelve AMI often more hours "A day With
a gateway leading 10 less work aud more
pay the pressure Unemployment ID favored
trades could only be resisted by the cN-
clusion Of all new men aud apprentices
and farmers would object to the building
up of a favored class, either BY national Or
state governments, at their expense His
belief was that compulsory eight hour
law applied to all workingmen. would be
disastrous 20 their best interests and vel
fare.
Mr.. stewart Favored the Biu
Mr. Stewart argued in favor Of the bill
He had been of opinion for many years
that reduction Of the hours of labor
would be for the advantage Of the country
Men had been doing too much drudgery
and not enough thinking. The passage Of
the pending bill would be the Growing act
of the career Of senator Blair, Mr.. Sher
man said that he would vote for the bill as
it passed the house. He considered il an
excellent bill, recognizing, as it did, the
general principle that eight hours WAS q
fair days labor, but not denying the right
of men to work more hours If they chose
and to make contracts. Mr. Teller spoke
in favor Of the principle Of the bill II the
eight hour law had been observed by the
officers Of the government the workmen
who labored more than eight hours a day
would have been paid in proportion. He
was ia favor Of paying them now rs Re
buke to the executive officers of the gov
ernment, who thought that they could
ignore the plain provisions Of the statute.
vest, Ingalls, and Dawes speak.
Mr. Vest said that pleasant duty TO on
pose what was called a labor bill WAS not
popular thing, but whenever the time
/ came that legislators were to give M their
Judgment on account Of any consideration
Of popular favor, that would be the end 81
the government and the end Of sound Lex
islation. If the fact were shown that any
workman for the government had been
| forced by his necessities to waive bis
rights, he would vote to pay him, even Il
| it beggared the treasury. Mr. lngalls
characterized the bill as a paltfy, quib.
| bling evasion Of the real question at issue
| There was no doubt as to the intention OF
congress when it passed the eight hour
law of 1868 1t was a matter Of record
| that, after the issue OF President Grants
proclamation in May, 1869, directing the
| observance OF the law, s1O0,O00 had been
| paid in readiustment between the passage
Of the act and the issuance Of the proca-
nation.
If it was desirable that the court Of
claims should take oognizance of such
claims all that was requisite was to remove
| the bar of the statute of limitations
Mr.. Blair then withdrew the committee
| amendment and offered as a substitute for
the house bill the one passed by the senate
last congress. It directs payment of a day z
/ pay for every eight hours work Of govern.
ment employees since June, 1868, when the
| eight hour law was enacted. The court OF
claims is to adjust the claims on that basis,
and no statute of limitation and no receipt
for money shall bar the right to recover.
Mr. Dawes moved a substitute for that of.
| fered by Mr. Blair. Il directs the proper
accounting Of officers of the treasury to ne.
| adjust the accounts of government work
men on the basis Of eight hours for a days
/ work and report the result to congress