Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-17

from being furnished to or for the use Of
any department of tho government, and to
prevent tho product OF convict laOor from
being used upon public buildings or other
public works OF the United States.
degrading the said bills relating to the
subject of constituting eight hours a days
work Tor certain classes OF laborers and en-
pioyes your committee submits the following
preliminary report:
BY al act approved June rs. 1868, known as
the eight-hour law" Congress provided
that eight hours should constitute a days work
for all iaborers, workmen and mechanics en-
ployed by or GA behalf of the government of
the United States, such act reading as follows:
BE 1t enacted. &c, tina. eight hours shall con-
stitute days work TOR all !aborers, workmen
and mechanics now employed or who NAV here
after be employed by or on behalf of the gov
eminent OF the United States.'
Your committee are of tie opinion that while
this statute in its letter was a mere naked
declaration of principle, its spirit and inten.
WAS to hx a rule for the limitation of the daily
hours OF service of the labor engaged in the
service OF the government and its fail
ure to accomplish this purpose, if such
failure there has been. may be attributed to the
absence from the act OF necessary provisions to
secure the enforcement and observance of the
declared principle, and not to any ambiguity
as to the intent Of Congress.
Your committee are unanimous in the opin-
ion that this law should be strictly observed in
the Congress that enacted it, and not evaded,
and If the same is evaded and that disregarl ed
because OF the lack of proper provisions OF law to
secure its enforcement such provisions should
be at once supplied unless such observance aud
enforcement is lHlpractlcabie aud would pro-
duce evils which would outweigh in their re-
suits the benefits intended to be secured by It's
enactment, in which case it should he repealed.
The official record of the proceedings of Con-
gress since the passage of said act of June IS,
fhn nf .ss,x
on labor in the Fittieth and Fifty-hrst
Congresses contain substantial and ample
evidence, consisting OF executive orders
and proclamations, communications and
orders from heads of departments,
judicial proceedings in the Supreme Court of
the United States and dispositions and a:iidavits
of citizens. showing conciusiyely an almost
universal evasion and disregard Of this statute
coveriny the period from its enactment down
to the year 1884.
Your committee has no official data or evil
dence showing the enforcement or non
enforcement of this statute at the present time
or since 1854, but information entitled to much
weight (based, however. upon hearsay) has
been furnished your committee that said law
is now very generally evaded. disresarded and
annulled.
A careful examination of the various docu-
ments and orders, letters, contracts and COM
muuications so carefully and deliberately COM
piled by the committee on labor in the Fiftieth
ana 4 llty -urst congresses Tails 10 Snow any
assignment by the heads OF any OF the depart
ments or bureaus of the government of any
substantial reason or necessity for the disre-
gard OF the intent and object OF this law or as
showing why its proper observance as not prac-
ticabie.
Your committee, in order to properly dis
charge the duties devolving upon them by
reason of the reference OF these bills deem il
to be proper and essential that they should
have facilities for obtaining aud should obtain
reliable information and evidence to enable
them to determine.
l. Whether tue continuance OF the law
OF June 20 1868, and its practical enforcement
is advisable or whether there exists substantial
reasons for its repeal.
2. II said law should be maintained and
enforced by what methods and means and In
what manner and to what extent is il eyaded
or disregarded.
3. By what amendments can its prac tical
enforcement be secured.
In relation to the bills concerning the en-
ployment OF convict labor upon the public
works of the government and those relating 10
the use by the government OF materials
and supplies the product of convict labor YOUR
committee beg to report that, conceding
the propriety and wisdom OF such legisla-
the conditions therein assumed to exist
does IN fact exist. your Committee after ex-
hausting its authority for obtaining inForma-
ton in this behalf have no information that
convict labor is being used by the government
OF the United States in the construction or re-
pair OF its public buildings or other public
works, or that the product Of convict labor is
being furnished to or for the use of
amy. department Of tho government, or
that tho product Of convict labor is
lie works OF the United States.
The problem presented in these measures
differs essentially from the convict labor prob
lens which are the subjects Of consideration
in some Of the states Of our Union. The United
States maintains no penitentiaries or prisons
except its military prisons. and by its laws
has no convicts under its jurisdiction or author
ity exceptit its military convicts. When personsare
convicted Of crime in the courts of the United
States they are taken to some state prison or
penal institution and these come under the tur-
isdiction and control and are subject to the
authorities Of the state To use convicts in
the construction Of its public works the gov
ernment OF the United States would by itselfor
use from the states. The reasons why this
should not be permitted are obvious.
The government OF the United States would
not for the mere difference In cost have the
temples and monuments Of its wealth, its
greatness and the liberties it preserves erected
BY the hand Of slaves or convict II this prac-
tice prevails il should be prohibited. II it
does not prevail we owe 1t to our
selves and to those we represent that
Good citizsnship and respect for Law law
and authority may be promoted q we'll by de-
monstrting that assumed or alleged evils in
government do not in fact exist as by the
enactmentof laws for the suppression Of &C.
tualiy existngevils Bills Of the character Of
thesc we are considering have been
introduced and considered by committees In
several preceding Congresses and although no
such measure has been embodied into law, thers
yet prevails belief on the part Of many citi-
sens that the practices such measures are a.
nd1D0d To proyeut do In fact ax;~< m. -