The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-27
|HfARING ENDS ON
EIGHT HOUR BILL
Gompiers Says WorE<ingmen,
Having Tasted Freedom, viii
Not Be Ensiased Again.

WASHINGTON, d. c., March 26-
James T. Hayden, of Washington, rep
resenting the Carnegie Steel company.
closed the hearing for the opponents of
the eight-hour bill before the house
committee today. He compared the
contracts for government vessels with
contracts with a tailor for suit of
clothes. Both, he declared, remain the
property of the contractor until deliv-
cred. He asked who was to say where
the operation of the measure begins
and where it ends.
He said he believed it would apply
to all goods manufactured for the gov
eminent, which, if not delivered, would
find sale in the open market
Samuel Gompers took up the argu-
ment in favor of the bill, saying that
many of the objections to the bill were
founded en- fact Among the trIlisms
he accepted was the statement that the
purpose Of the bill was to influence the
industries of the country to come to the
eight-hour basis at the earliest day
possible. He said that in first extend
ing the eig11t-hou day to the govern
ment work covered in the bill, the con-
tractors would see such an improve
nent in the change that it would en-
courage the efforts of their workmen.
Mr.. GomperS referred to the question
of constitutionality.
I'VE assert it," he said 1--WE have
consulted the best lawyers of the coun-
try, and they assure us on this line
MIR. Gompers said the workingnaan
never made move that the constitu-
ton had not been hurled in his face.
Mr.. Gompers in regard to overtime, and
he said the men want no opportunity
for overtime. In fact, he said, the men
get no chance for overtime in any well
organized industry, for the reason that
in a fulI-time shop the shifts are
changed at given times, and in an
eight-hour shop the plants are closed
at a given time.
Referring to the frequent statements
from representatives of manufacturers
that they want no special faEors, but
want to be let aione,H Mr.. Gompers
said this Is true when they are en-
gagged in grinding labor, but that when
they are asking for subsidies and spe-
cial legislation they do not want to be
let alone.
He condemned the men at the head
Of the National Employers association
and the Anti-Beycott association, and
the tactics used by the detectives en-
ployed in spying" and lying" about
labor.
fThese men want to be let alone
he said, s'but they won't be let alone.
They will not make anarchists out of
organized workmen. We have tasted
freedom through our organized and
united efforts, and those who have
tasted freedom cannot be held in
slavery again"
Mr.. Gompers said he felt compelled
to answer the imputation of opponents
Of the bill that the bill does not meet
the wishes Of the laboring men, and
that the champions Of the bill are not
representative of the laboring classes
In answering this she asked vehement
ly:
IF we do not, who does"
He reviewed the action that had been
taken by the various labor organiza-
lions in regard to the eight-hour work
day, and said that there had never been
a gathering of workingmen anywhere
in the United States that has not in
dorsed the eight-hour day. He appeal
ed to the committee to report the bib
favorably and also to press it to en-
actment at the present session.