Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-20
LAW TO BE ENFORCED.
Labor Leaders Will See That Eight
Hours Is a Days Work.
1T Is NOT TO BE A DEAD LETTER.
Mr.. Edbrooke's Figures Doubted by Mr..
oyster and others
FUND FOR THE G. A. R. NOT YET RAISED
rrRoM STAFF coRRssPoNpENr.l

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-There is little
doubt that before long some one or more OF
the Government or District officials will be
in trouble on account of the non-enforce.
ment of the eight-hour law. The more its
effect is studied the farther reaching it il
found to be, and it is plainly evident from
movements in official circles that renewed
and continued attempts will be made to
make it appear to be impracticable and of
fensive.
One of these is an opinion of Supervising
Architect Edbrooke, which has been widely
quoted within the last day or two, that the
operation Of this law will entail an increase
OF S., 000, 900 a year in the construction OF
public buildings, and that in the case of
the new postofice for this city, for which
s2OOO,oOO has been appropriated. if built
according to the plans made in accordance
with the appropriation, it will cost quar-
ter of million more than is appropriated,
on account of the increased expense of
construction under the law making eight
hours the legal days work.
Federation Leaders Obi
''To show how unfair such statement
is" said E W. Oyster, of the legislative
committee of Federation Of Labor, to-day,
SIT is only necessary to know that Mr.. Ed
brooke made his calculations upon basis
of day ten hours long. Now, the fact is
that the masons and bricklayers alread v
have adopted the day of eight hours, an
forced it upon the employers, and therefore
that imuortant department of construction
will cost no more under the new law than if
the act had never been thought OF. Other
skilled workmen, such as the plasterers, are
working but nine hours day, and eight on
Saturday, SO that in a weeks work there is
but difference of five hours to each man,
all told, in what may be called the skilled
trades OF course the hod-carriers work no
longer than the bricklayers. Therefore Mr..
Edbrooke may pare his quarter million of
difference down to few thousands"
>ome Cases wh-r- 1t Doesn't Go.
The attorney for the District, Mr.. Hazel
ton, has decided that the engineers of the
wstsr works may work IL hours, as hereto
fore, because the law provides that in ex-
traordinary emergencies there NAV be a
legal infraotion of the eight-hour law. That
clause was intended specially to cover a
possible necessity for the operation of the
navy yard force more than eight hours, in
case of the sudden breaking out or the i'm
minent prospect of a war. The attorney ap-
plies it to the water works engineers be-
cause there are only a sufficient number
provided for to keep the works going by
two 12-hour turns, and not three eight-hour
turns in dav.
There will probably be no fight on this,
but it is also decided that the alley cleaning
force may be worked 10 or II hours, and at
the meetings of labor assemblies last even
ing this proposition was hotly discussed,
and trouble was threatened for the author
ities
"We don't propose to beg for Justice for
the workmen as we did under. the old law"
said one of the labor leaders to-day. 1--WE
have got a law which cannot be evaded,
with a severe penalty attached, and we pro-
pose to make officials and contractors toe
the mark. We have appointed committees
to watch the enforcement of the act in every
department of the public work, and it shall
be enforced thoroughly or the public will
know the reason why"
The Moral Eject OF the Law
One of the chief arguments advanced in
opposition to the enactment of the law has
been little referred to in the public prints
1t was brought forward first bv Charles
Cramp, the Philadelphia ship builder. He
opposed the bill with ali his might, declar-
ing that it ought to be called an act to close
up the ship-building yards of the United
States 81 do not care for the law in its
effect on Government work." said Mr.
Cramp to the committees of the two Houses
"The difference in the cost of Government
vessel made by day of eight hours and one
of ten hours will be provided for by the
Government, but how will it affect private
work that is being done in the same wards?
The men engaged on Government work will
begin at o'clock and they will drop their
tools At g. The men engaged on private
work will insist on doing the same thing. 1t
will be impossible to work one set of men
eight hours and another ten hours"
What do you think of that argutnent?"
asked the members of the Senate Commit
tee of Mr. Oyster, who was urging the
enactment for the working people.
Ltaven for the Whole Lump
"Why," said Mr. Oyster, ''that is what 1
have been trying to impress upon you all
along. l have striven to make it plain to
you lhat a day of eight hours for the hand
ful of workmen employed bv the Govern
ment is an insignificant thing, but the |
moral effect will be immeasurnble The |
law will soon leaven the whole |
lump"
1t was perfectly evident during the pro- |
gress of the bill that it had not the SYM |
pathy of the majority of either House or
year neither House dared to defeat nor |
smother it, and the President did not dare
to refuse to sign it. The opponents of the |
measure who voted for it told the Cramps |
and others that another way would be |
found TO vitiate the operation of the act |
1t is expected that an attempt to repeal or
modify the law will be made at the next |
session of Congress, and the labor leaders |
tell me that they are preparing to resist any |
such step with force that cannot be over
come.
Sad Petering Out Of Patriotism.
When the committee representing hotel
keepers, saloonkeepers, pension agents and
street railway moguls, with, of course. a
patriotic and enthusiastic contingent of war
worn veterans of the Union army, interested
only on account of sacred memories, visited
Detroit year ago. for the purpose of in
ducing the Grand Army to hold its ext
annual encampment at the National Capi-
tal, that portion of the committee which
claimed to speak for the solid financial null
ioons of the city flourished in the faces of
the g. A. r. leaders and the advocates of
Uther cities which asked for the honor of
he epcampment, promises to pay amounting
% 500, ,000 Before this, and other proofs of
he determination of Washington to outbid
vi other corners, rival cities retired abashed.
The Capital got the boon it asked for,
md that is the last that has been heard of
he 500, 900. Congress was no sooner con-
-ened than a committee of citizens, much
he same as that which invaded Detroit, be-
,an to haunt the corridors of the Capitol,
'egging for an appropriation OF S1OO, 600,
lalt to be paid by the Government and the
'ther half by the District After great
eal of squabbling in both Houses an appro-
,riation Of $50, 600 was made, but it was
that not only should all of the |