The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-17

nois, suggested that the committee could
not very well express itself intelligently on
the proposed anti-injunction bill unless II
could read a copy OF the bill. President
Search at once produced a copy or the
measure and directed Secretary Wilson TO
read il. 1t is the bill known as Senate Bill
Ills introduced Dec. ., 1901, by Senator
Hoar.
Mr.. Leake. of Pennsylvania. suggested
that the resolution and the bill be referred
t. the executive committee, with power TO
act, TO which suggestion Mr.. Tllden replied
that the resolution could be lost slght OF
about as easily IN the on resolu-
lions as anywhere else. Mr.. Gates, OF chi
cago, declared that the convention ought
not TO desire TO lose sight OF so important
q resolution and urged that 1t be referred
70 the committee on resolutions, as orig
inally proposed. In this connection he de-
nOunced Senator HOar's bill bitterly. II
we were not able 10 get an injunction from
the United States courts he said. the
chances are that our dangers from strikes
would be terribly augmented. l think the
association ought to insist upon legislation
remaining so that we can get inJunctlOns.
Why, many small concerns might be abso-
lutely wiped from the face of the earth II
they could not get lnjunctions. The reso-
luton was recommitted to the committee
on resolutions and is expected TO be brought
out in revised form to-day:
Resolution No. 10, providing that the
matter of holding a .semi-annual meeting
OF the association be left TO the executive
committee, was adopted.
EIGHT-HOUR LAW.
The last resolution, relating to the bill
for an eight-hour law now pending in Con-
gress, proved to be one of the most inter-
esting Of the series. Its wording follows:
Whereas laws are proposed in Congress
TO make an eight-hour working day not
only for employees of the government, but
for all others engaged in the production or
manufacture OF materials entering into
COVE. nment contract work, and whereas
this would affect farmers injuriously and
without any cOmpensating advantages,
therefore. be it resolved this association
recommends to Congress that no such leg
islation be enacted"
To a motion to adopt the resolution with
out discussion President Search objected
on the grounds that the subject was one
of great Importance and a deliberative
body such as the National Manufacturers
Association ought to be willing TO give ex-
preston to its views so that they might
encouraged, the delegates responded with
alacrity.
1T may be interesting to members said
Mr. Gardner, of Wabash, Ind, Ito know
how far-reaching this law would be. From
my point of view, l contract with the
government at times for large quantities
Of material that enter into packages. L
had the opinion of an attorney upon this
Oil and he informs me that this law APP
plies to the package as Wen as TO the ma
terial which il contains. Now, IL does not
require a demonstration here 10 make you
gentlemen thoroughly appreciate how ridic-
Ulously impossible almost IL would be TO
supply oCAuC CHARACTER UL SOOuS 10 1T
gOvernment-for instance, suppose you are
putting machines together and you
bought your bolts and nuts separately,
what guaranty have you that the bolts
and nuts were made under an eight-hOur
law, what guaranty can you give TO the
goVernment-or. suppose it were nails in
the casing. The law Il so far-reaching.
Lots of gentlemen have got ideas on the
subject and have thrown them at me; L
wish they would throw them at you"
DENOUNCED THE BILL.
Mr.. Geier, of Cincinnati, denounced the
bill as vicious and declared that it would
work a hardship upon manufacturers, of
whom, he said, there are very few operat-
ing under an eight-hour day.
Mr.. Carpenter. of Philadelphia, asserted
that no buyer of goods is more e~xacting as
to time of delivery than the government,
and yet accidents might easily occur which
would render prompt fulfllment of a gov
ernment contract impossible with an eight
hour day. so that rigid enforcement of such
a law would be unjust.
Mr.. Gates retOrted with fine sarcasm that
there never would be a time when labor
unions would not permit their members to
work overtime, provided time and a half or
double time were back of it.
Mr.. Meyers. of Ohio. declared that if
American manufacturers are permitted to
work their men nine or ten hours a day
they can compete with any other country in
the world, otherwise not.
After equally forceful objections from Mr..
Fairbanks, of Virginia. and sir. Smith, of
Indiana. the resolution condemning the
measure was unanimously adopted. The
convention then adjourned until 10 o'clock
this morning.