The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-02-11
RAIL ROAD BILL KILLED.
The State Senate Refuse TO Limit
the Hours Of Labor.

On Wednesday Mr. Hydrick'S bill
TO regulate the daily hours of service
of employees of railroads and railway
companies doing business in this
State" with majority unfavorable
and minority favorable report with
amendments, was next taken up in
the Senate. The debate which en-
sued was made principally on the
amendment to limit the hours to y
instead of 10 hours.
Mr.. Hydrick explained why he
thought the measure necessary. These
employees are under great corporations
and knowing that their daily bread is
dependent upon their labor must
necessarily bow to oppression. realiz-
ing full we'll that on the slightest
complaint they will be hustled out
and other men put into their places.
The BILL said Mr.. Hydrick, is SIM
ply to provide that no railway en-
ploye shall work more than y hours
each day without extra compensation
and in cases of emergency when his
services are demanded there Is pro-
vision to collect bis extra compensa-
tion by suit necessary.
Mr.. Sheppard said no bill introduced
deserved more speedy rejection than
this one. He characterized 1t as
paternalism in its worse shape. 1t
differs from the child labor bill in that
it attempts to interfere with the con-
tracts made between adults and cor
porationS. These men knew full well
the conditions that would be imposed;
they are not in any way bound to re-
main in their pSesent position and
more than that it is an immoral
ching to advise man to break his
contract by bringing suit for tae
overtime, besides giving the right to
annul that contract by suit which ne
would be permitted to bring any time
within six ye;rcc. AS matter OF en-
couraging litigation this bill has no
superior and would be grievous to the
railroads and he believed its rejection
a duty the senate owed to the people.
Mr.. J. W. Ragstiale said that he was
undecided as to how be would vote on
the bill until he had heard the argu-
ments of Mr.. Sheppard and now he
was emphatically in favor oft. Mr..
RagSdale told how the train crews
were often sent out on duty at Flor
ence just after return from long and
tedious trip and he knew that their
condition was such that they were not
capable Of assuming the reSponSlblli-
ties devolving upon them. Isis duty
the generally assembly owed to the
travelling public aud the families de-
pendent upon them.e There are no
positions more trying than that OF a
railroad man and TO discharge his du-
ties Alright he should be in the best
possible physical condition. Mr.. Rags
dale also referred to the operators
along the line and the long hours they
are often required to work
Mr.. Rsvsor thought it a dangerous
thing to attempt to interfere in con-
tracts between adults and told Of tue
differences between the hours Of work
in the busy and dull seasons. 1t would
be too much to keep two sets OF men
employed and us d general rule the
men would prefer to d0 the work than
allow green man to handle his books
if he is employed in the freight de.
partment. and besides If leliefs are
employed this would be nothing less
than reduction Of salaries. The bill
is not protection nor will 1t remedy
the evils complained CT.
Mr.. Manning brought the lengthy
debate to an end by motion to in
definitely postpone.
The yeas and nays were demanded
and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Messrs. Blake. Butler, Dem
mis-, Douglass, Forrest, Hardin, Hay,
Herndon, Hood. Hough. Manning,
Maytleld. Mccall, Mclver, Raysor,
Sharpe, Sheppard. Won kolnltz,
Walker, WilliamS-20.
Nays: Messrs. Aldrich, Brice, Car
penter, Davis, Goodwin. Hydrick,
Johnson, Marshall, Mower, Peurifoy,
G.. w. Ragsdale, j. w. Ragsdale,
S Stackhouse. Stanland-l4.
So the bill was killed.