Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-10-04
GILL'S RECORD.
CREDIT DUE HIM FOR CHAMPlONiNG
TIE WEEKLY PAY BILL.

The Efforts aud Succe sses of the Demo-
cratic Candidate for Lieutenant Gov
ernor in Behalf of the workinEmen of
Illinois While Member of the General
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Testimony in
His Favor.
Republican papers have been in the
habit lately of charging that Joe Gill
did not do anything for the miners and
and Tailoring men in the last legislature.
This has been done with full knowledge
of the facts and with intent to deceive.
When the weekly pay bill went into the
house from the senate it went to the
committee on mines and mining, Joe
Gill chairman, which was then consid-
ering a semi-monthly pay bill. At the
request of the representatives of the
workingmen the committee took up the
weekly pay bill and pushed it to its
final passage, through the earnest per-
sonal efforts of Joe Gill. The Chicago
Tribune of April II, 1891, said:
1.-The were two happy legislators in
Springfield last night (thc 16th)-Repre-
sentatives Gill OF Jackson and Senator
O'Conor of La Sale. As the leaders in
the fight for the weekly pay bill they
succeeded in forcing that measure
through both branches of the general
assembly, and it now only awaits the
signature OF the governor to become a
law. This measure passed the senate
some time ago, and early this week,
after vigorous fight in the house, was
ordered to third reading. 1t would not
have been reached in its regular order
on third reading for some weeks yet,
bat Mr.. Gill and his friends rallied the
supporters of the bill yesterday and sue
ceeded in having it taken up on third
reading. Without any debate the roll
was called and the bill passed by vote
of 116 yeas to 1 nay, Mr.. VIII of Cook
voting in the negative"
1t must be understood that corpora
tons do not fight the measures in the
interest of the workingmen openly, and
when any of the bills are pushed to a
final passage and it is evident that they
will be passed the fellows who have
been covertly fighting them, all crawl
into the band wagon. The attack upon
the weekly pay bill was by amendments
which were intended to destroy the effect
of the bill or defeat its passage by post
ponement. Anyone who is acquainted
with the methods of the legislature
knows that the final vote on a bill is no
indication OF the opposition. Joe Gill
personally fought all amendments Of
f.red to defeat the weekly pay bill and
succeeded as The Tribune says in secur-
ing its passage.
Mr.. Gill had introduced gross weight
bill in the house, but Withdrew it in
favor of the senate bill which was
further advanced and had be. ter pros
poets for passage. OF this bill the Chi
cago Inter-Ocean, which is Republican
paper not in the habit of giving Demo
Gratis undeserved credit, said:
1.-The gross weight mining bill has ex-
cellent prospects of becoming law. In
the house this morning MIR. OLaughlin
moved to suspend the rules and read
the senate bill second time and send
objections, but Mr.. Gill of Jackson
made stirring speech in favor of TAX
ing up the bill. Until the gross weight
bill is passed. he said, the scale of
wages between employees and operators
can not be fixed for the ensuing year.
1t is duty we owe every miner in this
state to hasten the passage of this BILL
Applause.
'sMr Gill being chairman of the COM
mittee on mines and mining, his speech
carried the day, and a motion to suspend
the rules prevailed. The bill was then
ordered to third reading, where it will
certainly be reached before adjourn
ment."
Upon this evidence can the Republic
can papers still insist that Joe Gill was
not . valuable friend to laboring men?