The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-08-25

nighttime is another hour. For his MID
day meal. with such Incidental time there,
we will allow another hour. placing the
general average thus engaged two and q
half or three hours out Of this eight hours
actual toll TO which this bill must SUBJ
ject him, and he Is permitted one hour. or
possibly one hour and a half. through the
beneficial humanity OF a free, Christian
Government to educate his mind, give the
care to his body, cultivate his family as
sociations. guide his children, and care
for, protect, govern and arrange the do
mestic demands of his household. And
this Is the blessing which In this age, in
proportion to the great increase OF ma
chinery. the vast results to the employer,
which the toiler obtains.
Labor's Struggles.
Such results cause us to reflect whether
he has much for which he can be thank
full or for which he owes much debt of
gratitude to the Government to which he
contributes the agonizing hours of his
labor and. in most instances. the sacrifice
OF his life. I digrees here 10 call atten.
ton TO some OF the mutations which have
opposed the toler's struggle for some re-
cogniion OF his natural rights. I mark
the slowness with which his privileges
have been recognized. I call attention
that in proportion to the advanced oppor-
tunites and the reliefs afforded every
other branch of Government and of man
his. in proportion to these advances, has
been the last TO be recognized
Such men as Ashcroft and wilberforce,
in England. and Hugo, in France. have
been advocating such changes as here
suggested for half century. Arthur
Young Informs us that In 1867 hundred
dollars n year and work both night and
day was the laborer's lot. Thomas JEFF
erson says that from 1883 to 17SS. while he
was In Europe, the laborers worked six
NOS hon W., s1.AA fHCC
volution gave labor some relief from the
arbitrary power of men of wealth and
station. Prof. Rogers says that II was
the beginning of the settlement OF the
question 1t Is to be regretted that It had
to be begun in revolution. Yet however
much We depore It, too many reforms
have had their beginning necessarily In
that way. Prof Rogers. in his work on
six Centuries of Work and Wages" said:
Il sontend that from 1868 to 1924 a con-
spiracy concocted by law and carried out
by acts OF Parliament in behalf of inter-
ested parties was enforced to cheat the
English workman of his wages, tie him to
the soil. increase his hours and degrade
him to poverty"
IT is to be observed that Mt the time
when Burke and Sheridan were denounc.
ing the despotism of Hastings the labor
ers of England were being forced in
point Of duration of hours and smallness
of compensation, to excel In this ordeal
what the Indian Rohillah was forced 70
endure In this country note particular
ly that ZIG different bills looking to the
relief of the laborers and the shortening
of his hours have been introduced since
1@5 Twenty-Five of them have received
favorable report from the committees.
eleven of them in hacked and emascu-
lated form have gone through Congress.
only six have afforded any decided relief
ana three of these have been so amended
as to put arbitrary power into the hands
OF employer or contractor, or have placed
what Is called discretion in the hands
or those controlling the labor which they
were permitted to use 70 the utter ienor-
ing and despolation Of the law.
Protest of Western Central Labor
Union.
i call for evidence upon this fact ana
produce before the House a protest I'm
writing of the Western Central Labor
Union of the State OF Washington head
quarters at City Of Seattle, who are pro-
testing to Congress and to the Attorney
General OF the United States that the act
or congress forbidding labor more than
eight hours, yet reserving a discretion to
suspend the law whenever to the mind NJ
those having charge of the work Il be-
comes necessary, that now, because there
has arisen the necessity for Government
work. those having charge OF the contract.
particularly upon the Notifications around
fuget sound. instead of employing more
men, insist upon forcing the men TO work
more hours. and giving as n reason for
the same the impending war
III view or the fact that these men who
work IN this branch or department ara
the class OF men-who are now being given
toi TOT the hrst time in years, who have
the last Few years been idle and often hun
cry 1t does appear that every effort might
be made by this great Government to mt
as many or these men to work as can he
engaged that each and as many as poss
nie may draw some benefit from out Of
tne governments situation, particularly
ms "hen we recall that many other of
these men. or the same sort of men. have
gone to the front to give their lives Sor
tne nation, leaving their wives and chill
dren 10 be supported by their fellow.
workmen' their relatives and friends.
wish TO impress upon the House the
necessity or keeping that provision in the
Dill for which I feel some resnonsib,Iitv
which is entitled ito prevent s,ih-contrac,
tors or boss workmen from evading this
elght-hour law and refusing to comply
with II upon the pretenses that they are
only SUBJECT to state laws, as they do
not take the contract directly from the
government These pretenses, 1 regret
10 say nave In many instances prevailed
and judges of Federal and other courts
nave IN too many instances made an ex-
emption to these sub-contractors and 9TH
ers assuming authority and thus gave an
opportunity not only for the ignoring hut
Tor the complete destruction Of the pro-
visions or what should be humane law.
The Legal Phase
There has been raised some question as
to the constitutionalty of the law. and
whether 1t is In the power of people TO
control the personal contracts Of the in
diVlduals. That there are conditions when
such laws can ont be applied to contracts
between individuals, which would include
sub-contractors, I at once submit hut.
with the provisions in that bill specifcal-
iy applying to them, a late decision of the
Supreme Cont, constituting the law of the
District OF Columbia. makes It certain
that this provision is both constitutional
ana VIII, upon any contest, be wholly sus-
tanned.
As concluding observation 7 shall IN
sist that Congress shall feel itself the
guardian of these men for whom this law
was framed, and will stand against any
attempt upon the part of any official.
however high, to suspend or ignore this
law. go further and demand that IL for
want of reason. for good and ample
reason, any official, matters not his sta
tlon' snail at liberty suspend or ignore
this law he shall be treated as an ey-
President of the United States was who
attempted similar course to a eraver
law-to the process OF impeachment. II
We shall hope for the love and sunn, IT ~
these men and their advocacy of ON. in
situations and the laying Town of tberA
lives for their country, let Us protect tha
and see that they get the fill favor of ,h
full law passed for their beneft and pro
lection.
DEFENDING UNION LABOP