The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-15

SlS IL, lie SttlOs W reply " Lie iiON
cry speech of the senator, but there
was practical as well as sentimental
side to the question The eight-houI
provision of the code would be great
additional expense to the state. The
farmer and many day laborers in the
city, who were the taxpayers of the
state, frequently received less than sec
per month, and worked far longer than
| eight hours day. 1t was an unequal
and unjust measure, and senators who
| represented the mechanics and farmers
of the state could not justifiably pass
! such a law.
The senator had advocated the cause
not of the workingman, but of the
pampered class and the salaried Of
| ficers of the state. He would have the
poor laborer lose his property to pay
taxes, in order that these officials of
the state might live in pampered ease.
The whole proposition was that men
should work in state institutions for
eight hours and be paid for II.
Smoot, in replying to the statement
of Rideout, said he wished to plead
guilty to having conferred with the
| governor on the subject of his veto of
the code bill. The governor had wisely
pointed out to the committee that the
elght-hour clause would greatly in
crease expenses and unfairly discrim-
| mate against other classes of laboring
men.
i stated to the governor on that oc-
casion," he continued. that 1 should
be pleased to support an executive veto
of the bill. Senator Harbour was pres
ent and took no exception to it at that
time. / do not believe that there was
another senator who made that state
ment."
Monson-I wish to correct the senator.
L made that statement, too.
Il wish the senate to understand the
facts. 1t was done publicly-before a
joint committee of both houses. L
want to say now that this proposed
elght-hour law is an absolute injustice
to every taxpayer in the state.''
Skilled mechanics, who paid taxes on
what little property they had accumu-
lated, were willing to work for far less
than was proposed to be given to these
salaried officials who paid no taxes.
Investors had as much difficulty in get
ting adequate return for their labors
as the employees. The bill was an alb
Surd and unjust proposition, The i'm
putation had been thrown out that
those who opposed the measure were
not the friends of labor. He wished to
challenge the senator to prove the
truth of his statement by sensible ar
gument.
Whitaker argued in favor of the mi
nority report. The additional expenses
necessary to pay $4,000 per year would
amount almost to nothing. The gov
ernor's message was inconsistent In
one breath he recommended economy
in the payment of labor, and in the
next that the adjutant generals salary
be raised so per cent. There was no
reason in dispute over the eight-hour
law, since the senate had already
passed it by unanimous consent
A POPULIST VIEW.
Harbour spoke in mournful cadences
of the way labor had been-neglected
all through the session. The eight-hour
law in the code was the only measure
which he and his colleague (Whitaker)
could call to the attention of the labor
ing men as being in their interests.
Now 1t seemed that this too was to be
lost The governor, who had caused so
much rejoicing by the signing of that
other eight-hour law, was now to re-
verse his record and seemingly
for no reason. 1t was strange
that one who had held out against
the overtures of the capitalist
then, should succomb at this late
day. He wanted to know what infiu-
ence had been brought to bear upon
him and the legislators to bring about
this change of heart
Hamer advocated the adoption of the
report. The senate, he said,
ought to be willing to put the stamp
OF its approval upon the eight-hour
law.
SNOW SPEAKS FOR THE COUN-
TRY.
Snow said he had been opposed to |
the provision at the time the bill was |
first under discussion. He had been !
willing to vote for a reconsideration |
some time ago, purely out of good will |
to the senator (Nr Rideout). It was
hard to understand, in view of this, |
why he had been accused of posing as |
a Caesar or car. He was there as a |
Democrat, and did not propose to be |
carried away in a Populistic net. He /
had not been overpOwered by the hum |
buggery of labor declarations, nor had |
he forgotten that organized labor was /
not the only labor in the state. It was
hard to forget that people in the coun-
try worked for 16 hours per day and I
only 81 per day for their la
Dor. 1t would be the greatest injustice
to make them pay taxes on their prop
arty to furnish others with higher
wages than they themselves received.
Evans wanted the minority report
voted down now, as he had previously
desired it to be kept out of the code
Ii would be an anomaly in legislation
to make such an enactment as the bill
provided for.
THE VOTE.
The minority report was then reject
ed on the following vote: Ayes-Ha-
ner, Harbour, Nebeker, Rideout, Whit
-aker-5. Nays-Allred. Game, Evans
Johnson, Monson, Robinson, Shurtliff
5moot, Snow, Wright, Nebeker (presi-
lent-11.
The president, in casting his vote
7or of the eight-hour law, but thought
he bill was inconsistent in fixing a
iefinite salary for the officers and then
the number of hours they
should work
Harbour Immediately moved an
amendment, which should provide for
light hours as a days labor but leave
he fixing of the salary at the dis
retion of the board After consider
Lble discussion, in which Robinson op-
posed the amendment, the amendment
arried on a division vote. Ayes-All-
ed, Evans, Hamer, Harbour, Johnson,
Rideout, Shurtliff, Whitaker,
lebelker (president)-10. Nays-Caine,
1onson, Robinson, Smoot, Snow,
Vright-6.
The amended bill then passed on the
vote: Ayes-Allred, Game,
Iamer, Harbour, Johnson, Nebeker,
sideout, Shurtliff, Snow. Whitaker,
Wright, Nebeker (president)-12. Nays
-Monson, Robinson, Smoot-3
This gave the necessary two-t thirds,
which passed the bill over the govern
RS veto. The president explained that
would go to the governor as a new
ill, with the superstition that it would