Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-13
TIE Eight HOUR BILL
Arguments for and Against,
Submitted to Committee on
Education and Labor.
SOME POINTS OF THE DISCUSSION
Former Secretary of Navy, Herbert,
Makes Statement That Few Men in
House of Representatives Like to
Take Responsibility of Opposing Any
Labor Measure-other Business.

Washington, Dec. 13.--The senate
committee on education and labor Fri
day listened to arguments for and
against the eight-hour bill. James
O'Connell president of the Information
al Association of Machinists, referred
to a statement made before the COM
mittee Thursday by James ii. Null, as
sistant manager at Cramps ship yard,
Philadelphia, to the effect that members
of the International Association of Ma
ehinists had tried to destroy the ma
chinery of the battleship Alabama and
the transport Thomas White. They were
undergoing repairs in the Cramps
yards.
Former Secretary of the Navy Her
bert, in an argument in opposition to
the BILL declared there We're few men
In the house of representatives willing
to take the responsibility OF opposing
any labor measure, no matter whether
he approves it or not, lest he be set
down as an enemy to the laboring class.
THAT explains why he said, this t,lli
and preceding bills like it, even worse
than it is, passed the house by Large
majorities."
l.. e. Payson, for the Newport News
Ship Building Company, referred TO the
strike at Newport News in 1901, and
said that when the battleship Illinois
was about to leave the yard on her
trial trip, word had gone forth from the
labor union that she should not leave
the yard until the unions terms were
complied with. He vehementiy exclai1n-
ed that it was an act which, II the
United States had been at war, would
have been misprison of treason.
"Men have suffered the loss of their
lives for less acts of culpability.' said
he, than were committed against cur
people in June a year ago.
James Duncan, national secretary of
the Granite Cutters Association, denied
the statements of both Messrs. Herbert
and Payson.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
Federation of Labor, said he had been
classed as an agitator by the ''cyclonic
and vehement Judge Payson,' but it
was the agitator who made this country
republic, that abolished slavery and
that saved the children employed in the
cotton mills in the southern states.
Mr.. Gonpers also denied Judge Pay
sons statement regarding the battle
ship Illinois, and that of the Cramp
people regarding attempts to tamper
with the battieship Alabama and the
transport Thomas, made Thursday,
Gompers added with much fervor:
'.If any man was guilty of the act
charged here it was the duty of Mr..
Cramp, as citizen of our country, to
make a criminal charge against him
and to expose to the world what it inn
piled The charge has not been out
lawed by the statute of limitation, and
if the charge has no foundation in fact
it simply reacts upon the heads of those
who have made the accusation
He declared that II the bin should fail
to pass it would be back again in the
next congress There is no ending in
this demand" he said, until it is ac-
complished."
Mr.. O'Connell said that nothing of the
kind had been brought to his atten-
ton, and he did not believe it ever oc-
Cured.
The house comittee on public build
ings and grounds reported favorably
the bill approprlating S7,000.000 to pur-
chase site for court of justice build
ing for the accommodation of the SUI
preme court of the United States, the
department of justice, national law Ii
brary and international tribunals. The
committee also reported the bill which
has passed the senate carrying $780,
600 for the construction of new de-
partment OF agriculture building, but
cut the limit to s1,500,000.
The legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill carrying $26,9S0,453
was reported to the house yesterday by
the appropriations committee. This is
an increase of S500,301 over the appro
priation for the current fiscal year.
The senate committee on immigra-
ton continued its hearings on the i'm
migration bill. III. H. Fuller of the
legislative committee of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers favored
the bill as it had been amended by the
house. Mr.. Campbell and Robert
Watchorne, inspectors for the immigra
ton bureau, mace NUMBER Oh SusSeS-
lions as to the details of the bill. In
general terms they favored the house
bill as against the senate measure.
The house committee on judiciary
took up for consideration three joint
resolutions introduced in the house pro-
posing an amendment to the constitu-
ton to disqualify persons found guilty
of polygamy from public Office and pro-
hibit polygamy. BY vote of to 1T
was decided not to report any of the
measures to the house.