The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-27
THE EIGHT-HOUR BUSINESS.


When the labor article in the cOnsti-
tutional convention was taken uD for
consideration it was looked upon by
many of the delegates as cumbersome
with details; il WAS regarded as an in
fringement upon the legislative func-
tions of the state. As reported it con-
tanned no reference whatever to the
eight hours proposition. And when Mr..
Roberts spoke in opposition to the ar
ticle there was not word in it about
working eight hours for a day. Mr..
Roberts said:
Mr. President, l move you, sir. that
section l, together with the title and
all other sections of this article, be
stricken out l wish to say my motion
to strike out this article does not arise
from any hostility to labor or making
provisions for it's protection, but L am
of the openion that this article - alto
gether useless for the accomplishment
of the purposes designed by drafting
it, as a part of this constitution. L
shall not at all be afraid of offending
laborers, since l myself am one, but it
seems to me, sir, that they are useless
ly numbering this constitution with a
provision that is absolutely worthless,
because there is not a proposition in 1t
but what can be evaded both by cap
ital and by labor, and l believe, sir,
subserved if the state shall provide for
securing the rights of the individual
which are provided for in the bill of
rights and which in fact are provided
for throughout the constitution, and by
the recognized principles of law in our
country, and since l regard the whole
article as useless, for one, l am not
willing to give my voice to putting IN
this much lumber into the constitution.
~, fex-1 Of -frsilr
ing out this whole thing"
The debate continued for some time
(pages 1165, 6, Z, s., 9, of the official re-
port) and Mr.. Kearns OF Summit Of
fered the following amendment:
Eight hours shall constitute a days
work on all works or undertakings car
ried on or aided by the state, or munic-
ipal governments, and the legislature
shall pass laws to provide for the
health and safety of employees in fac
tories, smelters and mines
A vote was taken on that amendment,
70 members, including Mr.. Roberts, vot-
ing for it.
Other amendments were proposed and
rejected On the final roll Mr.. Roberts
voted against the article as a whole for
the reasons stated in his speech at the
beginning of the discussion-that it was
matter for makers and not state
makers to handle.
After all, the constitutional provision
covers only public works.
- q %
The eight hour law that was passed
by the state Legislature in 1885 is an
other matter entirely. The bill was in
troduced by Representative j. Y. Fer
guson of Carbon county. 1t was turned
down by the committee to which it was
referred, leading Republicans of the
house declared it to be unconstitu-
tional.
Mr. Ferguson was told that if he
could get a favorable opinion from a
prominent member of the Salt Lake bar
the bill would be taken up by the jul
dietary committee. He went to Judge
Powers, who gave him a written opin-
ion showing its constitutionality. This
opinion was submitted to Hon. c. S.
Varian and met his approval
In the meantime the labor unions all
over the country had begun an agita-
ton Of the matter. The growing sem
timent in favor of the bill worked a
change in the Republican majority.
they didn't dare suppress the measure
any longer, and it was reported to the
house.
In time it became law. for the enact
ment of which Republicans are claim
ing credit.