New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-10
npyGOODS DEALERS HEARD.
vpoTEsTS AGAINST THE SAXTON LABOR
BILL !

.,crnNG THAT 1T WILL UNJUsTFIABLY
HAMPER THEIR BUs1NEss-THEY DON'T
LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING SUPER
v1sED BY FACTORY INSPECTORS.
-.x THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE IRIBUNEl
Albany March 9.-The Senate Judiciary Committee
-.vs hearing Of great interest to-day upon Senator
..,on,s bill "to regulate the employ OF women
"a children In mercantile establishments, and to
.,,de that the State Factory Inspector shall en-
sorce the same"
representatives of leading drygoods firms OF New
v,,t Brooklyn. Albany and other cities appeared in
.,ositiOn 10 the bill. They see In II serious IN
..,.rence with their business The power given to
49, factory inspectors especially Is resented by them,
:. ew OF the fact that these inspectors are usually
.,acal heelcrs out Of work. Undoubtedly such
s...ure would be used as Matchmaking machine
!. times Of intense political excitement. Among
.s..e nom New.York william E. Moore and J.
= rhrockmorton of Edward Ridley & Sons; J. r.
,.morn Of Enrich Brothers; S. S. Matley, Of Stern
gathers; E. W. Bloomingdale, Of BloOmingdale
s.sh.rs and A. L. Kinkead, OF r. II. Macy Co.
rxAssemblyman Alfred r. Conkling informed the
um,tee that the representatives Of about twenty
a.. leding drygoods firms Of New-York were present
:. o,uose the BILL He criticised the measure at
,.,ch saying that II 1t passed 1t would greatly
s.mper business in New-York City, and especially
. a Christmas time. Section 16 forbade persons
,,d.r sixteen years OF age from working after
.e,ock at night. This would cut of large numbers
~ rersons under that age from employment. Inc
IN also gave a preposterous length OF time for
luncheon forty.fve minutes). 1t would be impos-
able for firms employing from 1900 to 1000 people
70 allow so much time for luncheon In order 10
AVA time. restaurants had been established In the
,tores. which were used by the employees. What
r.s epecially Objectionable about the bill was Its
vns to the factory inspectors the arbitrary powers
N interfere with business enterprises. "We 90 not
h.neye the factory inspectors said Mr.. ConKhhg
vho are usually merely mechanics, have the mental
.anacity to supervise these great mercantile es'ao-
usbments They would use their powers so rs
n harm business. Elbrdge T. Gerry the president
a, the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty 10
children disapproves of this measure. He says that
Is unnecessary paternallsm; that the children ana
women are already protected
Section / Of the bill prevents any person from
doips extra work for extra pay ai'er p H. vi
before a. m.-surely an unjust PROVISION tut
.xamp,e dressmakers are employed in the large
stores An order for mourning outfit must be filled
n once Under this section sewing woman couu
MT do piece work for extra pay late at night or
early In the morning In large. well-lghted room.
Moreover. boys under eighteen who work on the de-
livery wagons cannot always finish their work at
a. M In busy times. as at Christmas. goods coud
nat be delivered at Ave minutes past D. IL wouo
NJ n misdemeanor punishable by fine and imprlson'
msnt TO do So A failure to deliver goods at
deanite time might result In great loss TO the EN-
Mover The employees come to the store at a. H. Out
they have little TO do till 80 or 10 O'CLOCK. Inc
law of competition virtually prevents abuse Of en-
ployes
aThe bill saws that no child under fourteen years
Of age shall be employed. If parent cannot send
his hrge-sised boy Of thirteen and half years 10
colleee he must seek employment for him. Is there
no opening in factory drygoOds store Tor such
boyt Section also Is Objectionable. 1t prohibits
persons who are under sixteen years OF age ana
who cannot read or write English from working on
Saturday evenings except during vacations OF the
public schools. Under this bill ambitious. we'll
educated GeSman boy lately landed in the United
States could not work in a large store TIL he had
learned to read and write the English language
Section 10 makes the violation OF the act INSIDE
ueanor, subject to fine and imprisonment This Is
tr loo severe. Under Section seats must be pro-
vAed In every store This Is law already. passed
In 1891 Help do not SIT down when not busy, for
customers DO not like 10 see them seated Are
.ctory inspectors qualified by their training TO
supervise these big stores mechanic day
boer should not have Discretionary power to control
q mercantile house employing 1000 or more persons.
The bill also would prevent children from working
"How long do the children work I, inquired senator
NeCleland.
Not above six or seven hours" replied Mr. Bloom
ingdale.
Mr. Moore then spoke. "The bill, IL passed." he
said, 4" would work injury to juvenile labor. con-
tend that the merchants Of New-York philan
thropsts. They give employment to children who
the bread winners Of the family. II til II Eases they
will be crowded out and older persons will take their
places. They usually remain In the business.
seventy five per cent OF hands came into our SER
vice when they were under eighteen years old
The sole question Is whether this bill Is necessary
eaid Sena saxt0n.
IT Is not necessary said Mr. Moore. and We do
object TO the state sending man In Its garb 10 inter-
fere With our business
But the factory inspectors have done good In
iactoites,7 said senator Mullin.
You cannot compare factory hand Nth an EN-.
the result Is different There Is no particular set OF
which requires the supervision OF our
by state employees who Know n0thlng
about business. The bill also gives TO discharged
to make complaints against us. ! have said that
our employees remain In the business. Three OF our
Junior partners entered our store when fourteen years
Of age -.,.
womens Association, also made argument In favor
Of the bill. speech in favor OF tie bill was also
made by Douglas II. Pratt. Of the American Fedora
don Of Labor.
THE STATE WILL TAKE FIRE ISLAND.
THE BILL TO REIMBURSE GOVERNOR FLOWER
PAssED-DEMoCRATIC HARMONY
ExEMPLF1ED.
Albany March o ISpeclal The harmony which
beats in the breasts OF the members OF the Demo
cratic party at present again eAenplined in the
to-day BY n savage attack upon Governor Flower