The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-02


man took contract at eXcavatine
at 40 cents per linear foot and sublei
the same for u cents, making a profit
of 81 cents per foot, without turning q
hand. The present system is not one
Of competition, but is one of combi-
nation. There are but few heavy con-
tractors in this section of the country
and when a contract is to be let they
combine. They stand together. The
speaker pointed TO Denver, where the
labor of the city was employed by the
officials to construct a sewer and the
work was of a first-class nature and
cheaper than il would have been had
the same been let by contract. The
city and the state has to hire its en-
gineers and its inspectors to watch
that the work is done right anyway and
why should they not do the same for
the city without the Intervention of a
contractor? These contractors grow
rich at the expense of the state and
that is all there is to the question u
tell this Democratic senate this is z
Democratic measure and the same
should be passed." said Harbour III
conclusion"
Mr. Hamer said he was in favor OF
the bill because the city of Ogden iii
its contracting had paid some fancy
prices, which he presumed was the
law could be amended for the good OF
the people. 1t was perhaps a very good
measure when perfected and he would
oppose the striking out of the enactins
clause.
Mr.. Rideout favored the bill and
thought the senate would make a mis-
take if it refused to pass it.
Johnson favored the measure also,
and declared he would vote against the
a. oil
MunSon opposed the measure and
said under honest officers there was
no fear of work under the contract sys>
TEN.
Mr. Snow did not favor it because
he believed there was no-necessity for
such a measure. He would, however,
vote for a law which would prevent
subletting contracts and believed ne
would favor a law by which the con-
tractors would be compelled to pay Ia
Dor the highest wages.
Mr. Evans cited the case of the school
at Lehi, which was erected by con-
tractor, who brought down men TO do
the work and take the money with
them. out of the town, while the build
ing was not as good as ii would have
been had the city erected it under the
of its officers. He believed
a bill of this kind would be good
thing, and opposed striking out the en-
acting clause.
Mr.. Smoot did not see the use of the
and made a speech against
it, 1t was a bill which was not needed
at this time. He cited the fact that
during the erection of tie state instl-
tutions the contractors carried, not
only the laboring men, but the state;
that the men were paid in the best
pay ever given mechanics in the his
tory of the state; that these institutions
were erected at a time when Utah had
no money with which to pay. AS to
the matter of compensation, he was
by those who had the MATES
in charge that the members of the
board drew no compensation, save
when they were working. Create this
boards and its members will find some~
thing to do.
The bill was finally recommitted to
the labor committee.
TO PROTECT MOTORMEN.
Another discussion was caused when
the bill to compel the street car COM
panies to erect enclosures for the mo-
tOrmen, came up.
Snow moved to strike out the enact
ing clause.
Harbour was indignant. He said it
was odd when bills in the interest of
were brought up in the
senate the members seemed to be pos
sessed with a desire to kill them right
away, while bills in the interest of cap
ital were attended to carefully and
tenderly. He claimed he had investi-
gated the causes which made this bill
necessary and had found the men
needed it They were compelled to
work Is and IA hours per day in the
cold with no protection, and have
asked him to assist in getting it
through. L want someone to tell me
why it should not pass he exclaimed,
and then perhaps 1 may withdraw
my support"
Whitaker said he, too, would like to
hear the reasons.
Snow claimed that there was too
much legislation. The world was prone
to correct every evil, or attempt to
correct it, with legislation. 1t is i'm
possible to legislate against all ills.
Harbour added to his speech that
the motormen were afraid to come
down and ask for the passage of the
bill lest they be discharged. He had
been requested by many of the en-
ployees to vote for the measure and
to work for it.
Mr. Whitaker said the states of Hi
1ois, Missouri. Wisconsin and Michi-
that corporations will do
nothing for their men unless COM
oelled by law. Corporations have no
souls: they care nothing for the men
who work for them. There are men
who work for this soulless corporation
who did not dare speak to the speaker
est they imperil the positions they
held. Time was when these men had
some spirit, but they have been ground
j \
Oy the employment of boys at 10 cents
per hour, until they scarcely dare say.
hey are masters of their own action.
These men work during the day with
,ut intermission. They scarcely have
ime for their meals, being compelled
o eat on the car. Some of them do
lot even know their own families.
This bill is in the interest of the public
Is well as the men, A half frozen
nan cannot guard the interests of the
people as well as a man who is warm
lie has not the control of himself that
,thers have.
Mr.. Hamer thought the bill unneces-
ary He noted that the men did not
Ill wear overcoats. In talking with
ome of them he found they were not
III interested. They did not know he
vas a senator; at least, some of them
lid not.
How do you know they did not
hink you a spotter and were afraid
o talk TO you?" asked Harbour.
Hamer didn't know.
Mrs Cannon argued for tenders or
Don skin overcoats. The men should
re protected She found pneumonia
nd rheumatism prevalent among mo-
ormen. Men, when they were cold,
ould not work we'll. She had noted
Instances where the men had to thaw
ut their hands ere being able to eat
heir dinner.