The evening times., 1900-03-08

The Committee on Labor OF the House
Of Representatives continued its hearing
on the Eight-hour bill today. This bill
was introduced by Representative Gardner
Of New Jersey on January TO limit the
hours Of daily services Of laborers. work
men. and mechanics employed upon pub
lie works OF. or work done for the United
States. or any Territory. or the District Of
Columbia" 1t limits the hours of labor
to eight day.
In the course of the four hearings which
have been held on this bill by the com
mittee those who have appeared In CppO-
sitiOn to it are Judge J. K McCammon.
former Representative L. c. PaysOn. Ed
ward J. Jennings, capt W G. Randle. C.
J. Hannah. President Of the MidvaIe Steel
Company: r. W Davenport Superinten-
dent OF the Bethlehem Steel Company;
John 5. Hyde. OF the Bath Iron Works:
William A. Parker. OF the E W. Bliss
Company aud others. These witnesses
have been subjected to discrimination
by Samuel Gompers, President OF the
American Federation Of Labor.
The fist witness TO a. ha'o~e the
Com nittee today vas lillian Sellers. OF
New Jei sey, a u4anGIactu. e.. oi machinery
and machine tools He opposed the bill
he said, because, 60 his mind. IL was
restriction upon personal liberty. He read
from the bill that clause which provides
that no man shall be permitted TO work
longer than eight hours a day"
Representative Gardner. Chairman OF
the Committee. and author Of the bill.
corrected the witness. claiming that he
ha r,frF FF1r.
the word permit" Il did not mean. said
Mr. Gardner. that man was to be forcibly
prevented from working
Mr.. Sellers said he must take the law
as he found H.. Continuing. the witness
said he thought the bill was not in the
interest OF labor. 50 far as he was con-
ceTned ne believed that labor organiza-
ttons were not responsible for the increase
Of wages and the shortening Of the work
ing day He was conscious that wages had
increased. but this was due. he thought.
10 economic conditions. supply and de-
mand. over which labor organizations
could have no control He thought IL
quite probable that an eight-hour day
would eventually come. but il could not
be fastened by legislation.
Former Secretary Herbert. representing
the Midvale steel Company. asked the VT
ness
DO you enter into contracts to supply
the Government directly with machinery
and machine toolse"
II DO.
What percentage Of your product goes
10 the Government
I think about per cent"
Would f. be practicable for yOl 10 turn
out this work for the Government on an
eight-hour basis and for your other Gus
TONERS on the ter-hour basis"
1t would De impossible
In reply 10 q1eS,iOus by Mr. Herbert aud
members OF tIe committee. the witness
said that his eN0o-r trade was increasing
and that the decrease In the hours q labor
would be equivalent to such an increase in
wages as would cut OF this export trade
and thus produce an adverse reflex effect
on the woTkueu themselves
long contention ~as caused by the
question as 10 thc separation uf Govern
ment and nOn-GoEe5uT ent york on one
side IL was majntaine, tuat the makfr OF
machine tools purchas a by J-tamp or 9th
er Government COB,ra tors for the prose
cution OF Government s1rk would be
ameuahie 10 the Eight hour law 10 was
held by the opponents Of the bill that II he
Eight hour law should be applied 10 the
manufacture Of tools used in making Gov
ernment machinery. it should also be ap-
piled 10 the mining o. ore used in the
tools.
\ recess was taken soon after -,oon