The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-04
WELLS ON THE RACK
Asked to Explain His Labor
Record.
QUESTIONED AT OGDEN
HANNA ORATORS GIVE MUCH
ATTENTION TO HERALD.


Ogden, Utah, Nov. 3-The supreme
Republican effort of the campaign in
Weber was made tonight at the Grand
Opera House rally. where Governor
Wells, George Sutherland and c. Z.
Allen spoke The chief topic of the
first two was The Herald. which they
called a variety of names. and, indeed.
seemed not pleased with it, particu-
larry with its references to their record
on labor questions. This subject was
injected into the meeting by a South
ern Pacific switchman, who asked Gov
ernor Wells to explain his veto Of the
eight-hour law.
The crowd was not large. The first
floor of the house was fairly we'll filled
and a fringe of people appeared on the
second balcony. ThrOngS left after the
close of each address, and even while
the speeches were in progress. There
were dozens of vacant chairs on the
stage. GlaSmann took to the noun
tains and held forth at Huntsville. Z.
II. Callister presided. Owing to the
disturbance of the electric lights, it was
about $3.50 when the meeting began, and
/ it closed shortly after 10
Questions for Wells.
Governor Wells, the first speaker
touched on the Philippine question. but
for the most part dealt with a resume
of his administrs ton. The governor
sat down without saying anything
about his labor record. and then came
Z the question. A workman sitting near
/ the front arose and respectfully re-
! quested permission TO ask some Ques-
lions. The permission was granted and
/ the man said;
Il would like to ask, sir. why you
vetoed the eight-hour law, and why the
r.N
posing your reelection
The governor came forward and a
! ripple of applause made the rest of the
questions inaudible. The governor i'm
mediately apOlOgiZed for emitting to
discuss this subject but said he thought
the newspapers had done it so thor
OughIy as to make il unnecessary The
. speaker then went back to the passage
; of the present eight-hOur law affecting
miners and smeltermen. He signed it,,
after listening TO the lobbies of both
sides.
The Law. passed by the last legislature
affected only state and county employ
! ees and imposed a severe penalty for
any man violating the same. Further
more, the law was passed late IN the
session and came to him with such
mass of other bills that he could not
give it much attention. He would be
I pleased, however, TO sign an eight-hour
! law if one were passed and he should
! be governor.
I The governor made no attempt to an
swer the other portion Of the question
and did not volunteer to answer fur
/ Their interrogatories.
No Answer at All.
NJ. B. Howard, who asked the ques-
. ton stated after the meeting that the
statement was no answer at all and
( that he had tried also to ask why the
3 executive delayed action on the Dill
until within six hours of the time when
it would have become a law. The gov
ernOT cut short the question by reSum-
3 ing his address.
with some choice epithets for The Her
aid, which had dragged the labor cues
ton into the campaign at this time.
He had favored the eight-hour law now
in force but thought the other one alb
/ surd, unconstitutional and unWlse.
For Gold Standard.
Mr.. Sutherland stated absolutely that
I the Republicans propose to fasten the
gold standard on the country.
THE difference is, said Mr.. SutheT-
land, that the Republicans say they
arc for the gold standard, and they
mean it; the Democrats say they are
for bimetaIlism, and they don't mean
it."
Neither Mr.. Wells nor Sutherland
evoked more than an occasional ripple
of applause. but g. +. Allen created a
little enthusiasm. He was courteous
and rebuked a man for Kissing the
name of Frank J. Cannon.
This came up in connection with the
mention of each senatorial candidate
two years ago He was making the
point that the party had plenty of able
men as candidates. He named each one
with a bit of eUlOgy for each, and won
considerable applause.
At the beginning a lot of people