The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-23
CROSBY SEES DEFEAT
FOR S.HOUR BILL
Expects House to Pass 1t, but
Thinks Senate VIII Kill
Measure.


Oliver Crosby president of the
American Hoist and Derrick works,
has returned from Washington and be-
lieves that the eight hour law now be-
fore congress will ultimately be de-
fested.
AS the representative of the
Commercial club, and in company with
]. H. Beck, representing the Chamber
of Commerce, Mr.. Crosby went to
Washington and there appeared before
the committees of the house of repre-
sentatives and the senate and opposed
the passage of the measure. They
met there twelve or fifteen other men
bent on the same errand.
while 9e were given respectful
hearings, after all had been said. we
left with the same impression that OBJ
tains in Washington, that the bill will
pass the house of representatives, said
Mr.. Crosby to T h e Clio b e. But in
the senate there is some hope Of de-
feating the measure. AT any rate, the
vote will be very close, but we believe
that if we have the support of Senator
Clapp, the measure will be killed in
committee. There are no Minnesota
men on the house committee.
Our arguments before the commit
tee were in effect that if the bill is
passed and becomes law the result
must be great increase in the cost OF
government work that is done by con-
tract. If the factories are prohibited
from working the men more than eight
hours a day, which is contemplated by
the bill, it would mean that the ST.
Paul concerns, and others of a like ma
ture, would not bid for such work.
+ This would result in several establish
ments giving up their entire factories
to government orders, and the govern
ment would be compelled to pay the
additional cost The hardship of such
a law would lie in the fact that the
taking of a government contract would
put the factory or foundry on an eight
hour basis and greatly increase the
cost of all its products.
Senator Mccomas Favors Bill.
ST believe that we impressed the SEN
ators with the justice Of our conten-
lions, although Senator McComas, the
chairman of the committee, would
| make favorable report and will urge
the enactment of the law. We found
our strongest opposition on the COM
mittee from him. The other members
treated US cordially and listened to
our side of the case with an apparent
Q6S1T6 TO De Ialr.
I'VE found that the labor unions
have already established and are main
tanning a strong lobby in Washington,
and that this lobby is doing all in its
power to have the bill made a law.
Such leaders as Gompers and O'Connell
are on hand urging action. 1t was adj
mitted by many of the members Of
congress that the measure has come
up at an unpropitious time, as the con-
gressmen and senators do not like to
offend the labor union vote. IF action
can be postponed until after election
it is believed by all those interested
that the measure can be defeated, but
if it should be forced to a vote before
that time it is possible that it will go
through.
1.-THE members Of the labor unions
are acting upon the theory that the
law will reduce their hours of labor,
but If the members of the union who
are employed in factories or foundries
catering to commercial work as well
| as government orders, realized the real
outcome they would be opposed to it's
passage. 1t would mean a reduction
in the working force of nearly all foun-
dries now taking government work"
The addresses that were made by
| Messrs. Crosby and Beck before the
committees have been printed and will
| be circulated in an effort to arouse a
| sentiment against the proposed law. In
| the addresses the question is gone into
| at great length.