Gilpin observer., 1903-02-19


Osgood and other officials Of the Colo
rado Fuel and Iron Company werefbe-
! fore the House committee on mines
and mining and presented arguments
against the passage OF an eight-hour
law. Mr.. Osgood, who made the OPEN
Ing statement, said:
II have been in the state for several
years, and, without boasting, may safe
ly say that l have secured the invest
sment here. of between 5O,QO0,0 900 and
$6O.000000 Of capital, and hope to
bring large amount more This has
been invested in railway and other en-
terprises, giving employment to more
than 1900 men. am representa-
tive of this capital, and self-appoint-
ed representative of all these men. In
all my business career, l have never
lost sight of the men employed, for
their interests have been my interests.
! hold that everywhere employer and
employed have interests that are iden-
tical, and it must be SO. l think the
Passage of an eight-hour law would
be against the interests of the men en-
1loyed by our companies.
"The eight-hour amendment to the
constitution did not receive the en-
dorsement Of a majority Of the voters
of the state. There are 1000 voters
in the state, and of these $4,000 voted
for the law, out of the $4,000 who voted
on the question.
TT is the most serious menace Colo
rado has had since the panic of 1893.
The eight-hour limit is an arbitrary
one. There is no real reason why eight
hours should be selected than seven
hours, or nine hours. or five hours.
This bill, or these bills, are introduced
on the theory that some employments
are unhealthful, and that the regula-
ton Is therefore sanitary one. This
method was taken when the first law
passed was declared unconstitutional.
Il have been identified with coal
mines for the last thirty-three years,
and the first six or seven were in the
mines for the greater part of the
time. l did not find the mining of
coal to be unhealthful. In my whole
experience l have known Of no disor-
der or diseases that have predominant
ed among miners. / remember talk
ing with an old man who had been in
the mines for forty years. He said
that under the condition of the old
days there was a disease called miners
asthma, but recent Improvements in
the care of mines had caused its dis
appearance. l understand that this
law is drawn up .on the theory that
man should have eight hours for work,
eight hours for sleep and eight hours
for amusement. If the Legislature is
called upon TO regulate the health of
the people of the state, it would be
just as much in its province to say
that man must stay in bed the eight
hours. and it shOulisregulate his hours
OF amusement, u, isato speak plainly,
the grossest interference with, individ-
ual liberty. l would say that none OF
you gentlemen who have achieved sue
cess. and have come here because of
that, could have done SO If you had
observed law that said you, must
work but eight hours a day.
THE gentlemen who drew up these
bills have not attempted to find out IL
the employments mentioned are un-
healthful. They have spoken of coal
mines. smelters and blast furnaces.
and have supposed the work about
them was unhealthful. Who has ad-
vfsed the Legislature that the damage
cannot be done in eight hours as we'll
as in ten? The question of health is a