New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-27
rrAsoNs roR SIGNING IT.

Albany IS fSucc4a!l ono or ne steps
which the Legislature Of 1000 must take immedi-
e,e,v II IT'S members wish 20 preycnt large in
c-oqso IN the cost of maintaining the state Cow
rrr,4nt and that its counties and cities is the
repeal Of the new Eight Hour law" said State
oNcial to-day THAT law passed by the
LEGISLATURE OF the present year shortly hefois It's
ediournnert and signed hy Governor Roosevelt
=, May l. What has been gained for tax
ravcrs by tho Franchise Tax Act may have been
ios, through this Eight Hour law.
The Eight Hour law" continued this ofhclaI'
increases by - per cent the cost Of all state
work Already the Department of Public WORKS
officials are aware that there must be such an IN
.-e,eo In the number OF lock tenders 70 add
so1,p 10 tho cost OF supporting this comparatively
small branch az the canal departments Every
canal contract 20 be made is affected by the new
law and increased in cost.
ATTEMPT TO REGULATE HOURS AND PAY.
The viciousness Of the law is that It attempts
70 regulate both the hours OF labor and the
wages which canal contractors must pay. La
h,rers commonly work ten hours. and such Of
them as labor on the canals or on city contracts
ordinarily receive 81 p or s. 80 day This Eight
Hour law cuts of two hours Of work, but says the
lahoror must still receive HIS 81 - or 81 -. and
therefore Increases the cost Of such work 10y p
nov cent In other words. if tho cost OF compei-
frg the caral Improvements would he at the
market rate Of labor N2oo0o]0 this law will In
crease its cost 100000 raise the total cost OF
r. this estimate Of the effect of the Eight Hour
law is correct the Ncw-York Rapid Transit Road
instead Of costing $oooooJ. Will cost S-.5oeo adj
dtiona! or S52aQOCo in all The city govern
rcuts throughout the state are already disturbed
~ the statute. il has compelled the contractors
rho pave streets to shorten the hours Of labor
Of their employees to eight hours, and Yet give
.hem the same pay though they Were working
ten hours The effect Of this viii he 20 CONF
pc. the contractors TO hire more men IN order 10
complete Their various CONTRACT ON eN.SiinE
contracts they therefore viii not make so much
money. or may lose money. Bat on future con-
tracts the taxpayers can he sure the contractors
will charge enough 20 make their usual profits.
Thus. the lahorcr for City contractor Will he
favored person. he will work only eight hours
aal yet he will receive tie same compensation as
e. man employed by private citizen who works
ION hours More men must necessarily DO en-
uloyed ON public work therefore. 10 complete
IT, and the total cost will be increased = per cent
RoCHEsTER's EXPERIENCE.
The taxravcrs ~ Rochester have already had
the interesting experience Of seeing their street
paving contractors forced to pay . per cent more
than the market rate for labor. and the conse-
Qu,ncc must he large Increase In the cost OF
all public work that city. Roo hester IS too poor
t. provide ~.itaN'e school accommodation for hun
droGs cf the children Of her cusens. Now tie
sac steps i'm aud compeis ner 20 pay % per cent
more for the labor Of day lahorors than the
fi.u canvass in progress iu Rochester. and there
~. hor politicians thus FAR have not been oo-
cr,ntly Gonounoinc this oppression Of her tax
ra..rs It'd, Huncrn ~ the Bureau II Labor
steu.'ics. jus, issued says:
Largely as a consequence Of the new Eieat Hour
r,;-i .pal work in Rocho.ter struck "olk IN jun.
- r.t 80 t,,., w.. ks flnv returned 20 work al
'le r.te 70 81 80 FOR eight hours work
Under THE HARROW ~ ALBANY.
Hero in Albany the contractors also have been
under me narrow AS j" roc .'',' W ~ "'
other 'ltt oii'fi~ aye I" no oIe-''' an" we o.i-
ncian mas S'e'''' 10 ,'i'.n =. "o'.- w.. ~. ,ho
.,xrsvers pressure therefore. has come upon
The cont-actor from .wo directions-fr from his en-
rlovos and from the CITY officials The tarpaycrs
~ ,1bo~,. b,. and nv viii nav the bill
The chief contractor has valulv said that no
sigrea his contract before Governor Roosevelt
signed the eight hour law: 70 the politician seek
ing votes and ~ the lahorers seeking an Indirect
increase Of wages this argument has not mat
tered The Bulletin of the Bureau OF Labor Sta
tstics has the following account Of this AFFAIR:
n, 1,ra o. q strife was hoc,n on all ~ the
street paving contracts in Albany on account Of
failure TO enforce ne tgfnt nour aW I'i'E ID
naving 12i, cents an hour and requiring ten hours
as days work .,
Of The street t'ommi-sioner 20 the violation Of The
ana ~ Ne oir @,tr T5n CIV nspeofors on Ne
work were working ten hours q dav the same
wien ibe strike began IT was simply FOR The
enforcement Of the law liking eight hours as q
H. moral support Of the community. Later they
aora.d,d hoth 'he short day ana 81 - wage The
contractors offered TO- accept he cight hour day
creased thcr offer 70 81 g. ard hrally ono Of thcn
consented 70 pay ~ ana Bls men is'ieu "',h'
celled The contract Of. ono II the remaining con-
maojors ama pefmnte me o,d ,s :, =, ,or I'm
eigh' hour dav 49,, 1T,