The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-19
LABOR HOURS LEGISLATION.
COTTON MILL MEN BEFORE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE.

Representatives of the Industry in
the south Protest Against the FRO
pOsed EnRctment-They Claim
That 1t Is n scheme in the Interest
Of the Mills in New England as
Against Those in the south-The
southerurrs Come out First Best,
and Defeat of the Bill Probable.
Washington. Feb. 1S.-The hearing ne
fore the House judiciary committee on the
Massachusetts proposition to give Congress
the right to legIslate on hours Of labor
came off this morning and resulted greatly
in favor Of the Southern mills
No labor leaders appeared in favor OF
the proposition and arguments on that
side were made by Massachusetts con
gressmen. Messrs. Lowering Walker ana
Fitzgerald, no two of whom agreed on
what they wanted.
on the Southern side there was the fol-
lowing strong array, who We're in charge
of Congressman Elliott.
South Carolina-Ellison A. smyth of Pei
ger. chairman; James L. orr of Piedmont,
c. X. Oliver of Columbia. D. L. Converse
of Clifton. D. A. p. Jordan Of Greenwood,
] A. Brock of Anderson, O. 7. Mills of
Greenwood, ]. l. Westervelt OF Pelham,
NJ. D. Wheat of Gaffney and John c. Cary
of Lockhardt.
North carolina-D. A Tompkins of Char
lotte. chairman; DR.. J. H. McAden of
Charlotte, r. NJ. Miller, Jr, of Charlotte,
w. T. Jordan of Charlotte, Caesar Cone of
Greensboro.
Georgia-Dr. j. D. Turner of Atlanta,
chairman; H. e. Fisher of Atlanta,
Charles Estes of Augusta and Elias Elsas
of Atlanta.
Col Orr of Greenville opened for the
Southern side and made an address utter
ly demolishing the Massachusetts argu-
ment His chief points were that the pro-
posed change would utterly destroy the
principal of home rule in our government;
that there was no demand for the change
by labor North or South: that the advan-
tage that the South had was chiefly in
the character of its laborers, who were
all native Americans to the manner born,
and of the same blood as their employers;
that they were treated with more con-
sideration than at the North; that the
mills provided free schools for the chill
dren: that the cost of living was much
cheaper than in the North; that New
England had many advantages in the
matter of cheap money, long established
business, and in many other respects,
and what they now wanted TO do was to
retain all these advantages, while depriv
ing the South of the only advantage 1t
possessed. Col. Orr was bombarded with
scores of questions by the other side and
In every case turned them against his
questioner.
President Smyth followed on the same
line. The discussion was closed by Mr..
Tompkins of Charlotte, who made a
strong plea for combined action by all
American mills to build up their foreign
trade, to encourage American shipping, to
establish better banking facilities instead
of squabbling among themselves over the
home market, which could never support
them.
The hearing attracted a great deal of
attention and there were present the en-
tire South Carolina and Massachusetts
delegation and several Congressman from
other districts.
After the hearing Congressman Elliott
took the entire Southern delegation TO call
by appointment on the President, who re-
ceived them most pleasantly and had an
extended talk with them on business mat
tiers. The Southern visitors were charmed
with their reception by the President and
they returned home tonight greatly
pleased with their good work
There was also a hearing before the
House commerce committee on the sub
ject of quarantine, at which the opposl-
ton to the pending bill was led by Health
Officer Horlbeck of Charleston and DR..
Doty of New York. DR.. Horlbeck took the
burden of the fight In behalf of local man
agement, and answered most satisfacto-
rily all the questions put to him by the
committee.
Congressman Davis of Florida, men,
Der of the committee, i'm whose charge
Col. Elliott, who engrossed by the ctder
hearing placed DR.. Horlbeck said after
the hearing that it was an excellent thing,
that DR.. Horlbeck had come on, and that
he believed the hearing would result in the
defeat of the project. The hearing Will
be continued tomorrow
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