The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-06

one mad shown any advantages to be
lgained from the bill by the laborer.
Let the gentlemen who favored the
bill see that it was ventilated.
Booth called for the question on the
amendment. The amendment was lost
by an overwhelming majority.
Eldredge moved to recommit the bill,
but there was no second
Williams said it should be disposed
Taylor said his theory is that twice
as much employment will be furnished
under the proposed law. An
Iemployer can employ two sets OF men
for sixteen hours and get much more
work than if he employed one set at
ten hours each day. He believed men
could do better work in eight hours
labor than in ten. He believed that
! the laboring dlass in the territory
wanted the law and it had a right to
| be heard. In New York the rule is
in force and works well. He could
| not state that he was not in favor of
the payment of the same wages for
eight hours work as for ten hours,
but he saw a principle under this law
which would furnish work for the un-
employed.
Williams asked where he got that
doctrine and Taylor replied that it was
his own. Williams was of the opinion
that no good would result to anyone
/
his information, he did not believe
American laborers would derive any
ibenefit from it. It was true that friends
tof such legislation pointed to England
as an example of the successful opera
ton Of such a law, but the conditions
were far different in England, and he
ldwelt at length upon those conditions
He thought large popular vote was
considered and had great weight with
the advocates of such bills. The bill
| is Illogical. If it were a logical de-
mand, why should not a man receive
! the same compensation for eight hours
work as ten hours? The bill is simply
a direction, leaving the demand and
isupply Of labor to regulate the wages
1t is strange doctrine to promulgate
on the floor of legislative hall that
laborerS are wards of the territory
lSuch a doctrine suggests a monarchial
government 1t is utterly inconsistent
with our institutions. He repudiated
the statement as an absurdity. The
members of the assembly are simply
using the power delegated by the So
called wards" After the sixty days
OF this session had expired, the legis-
latorS would retire and help elect some
OF their constituents to the same posi-
ton. If that is so, what good is there
! in the law? 1t leaves the regulation
of wages to the law of supply and de-
1
ply exceeds the demand the tendency
of wages is downward, and under op-
posite conditions the reverse is true.
He had once paid a pressed brick
mason 81 per day for his services. He
did not blame the laborer for charging
that amount. The wages must be in
accordance with the amount of labor
in the market and the demand for the
same. What the laboring man wants
] &c fol
enable days work. The proposed law
is wrong for various reasons. Some
laborers came before the committee
last evening, and claimed, as Taylor
SAID. that employment could be furnish
LED Tor greater number under the
eight hour law. The question was ask
ed of one man: DO you expect a cor
responding reduction in wages in ratio
70 the shortening of a days work?'
The answer was a decided negative
He denied the proposition that better
days work is done in eight hours than
ten. A healthy man would prefer
working ten hours at ten hours
wage than eight hours for less. A
multitude of conditions enter into and
AFFECT this question, among them the
health of the laborers and the kind of
work He had recently read a prize
essay read before some labor organiza-
tion in Ohio. The argument contained
therein was that natural laws work to-
ward the contamination desired bv
laborers- In Chicago in the various
pursuits. the laborers have reached the
I point OF receiving fair compensation for
reasonable work. That condition had
peen worked out by the social evolu-
TONS which are the only justifiabl
means. 1t is an understandable intru
sion Tor a legislative body to interfere.
me result of the proposed law would
be 10 give political color to the work.
Inc Fellow who was most blatant in
the campaign would be the man who
secured work. The more quiet man
but probably the worthier, would have
10 seek private employment. This is
one or the worst results of the proposed
Ieglslatlon- The problem should be
worked out by the natural means. It
seemed. according to Adam Smith the
great economist, that such an effort as
Inls Dill designed, had been made in
England hundred yea1s ago and
rallied The same authority recon-
mended leaving the solution of The
problem to the laborers themselves
VINO are the best judges. We will
only get honest and satisfactory work
on public buildings by keeping il out
of political influence. There will then
be no struggle for a place on public
works as more of a sinecure than
private labor. The tendency now is
for shorter hours and they will event
ually come without legislative intru
sion.
He read from a speech by T. v.
Powderly, in support of his own nosi-
ton, and continuing, said We NAV
not stop at eight hours. If there is an
influx Of other unemployed, in order
TO accommodate them, in time six
hours would be made the limit. The
passage Of the law would invite idlers
from Denver and a six hour law Womb
have to be passed for their benefit.
AS regards the legal efficacy of the
law. 1t is nugatory. 1t is blank paper.
1t is irrational incomplete, a legisla-
tive sham. Let not the people see a
law upon the statute books that NAV
be ignored. 1t would bring about
most deplorable lack of respect for the
statutes If the law is mere waste
paper, it will encourage a disposition
to set all laws at naught.
The only probable result would be
to fix the wages for an hours work
and men might work for eight hours
or ten as they liked He read the
decision of the United States Supreme
court in regard to the case of Martin
a laborer, showing the inefficacv of
such a law. Let laborers contract for
sucH ldpoi dI Sucn wages as their
Judgment dictates. No law should be
put upon the statute books that makes
promises to the ear but breaks hone
to the heart Leave open to laborers
the field of competition that win per-
nit them to forge ahead by their own
ability. Do not undertake to turn men
from the true principles which should
guide them. by leading them to an
unworthy struggle for a place on public
works.