The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-04-01
THE LABOR MEASURES
Many Hearings Held, but No
Action Likely.
LABOR AND THE EIGHT HOUR BILL
Leaders Favor Five Per Cent COM
promise, hut Employers Are Against
1.-THE PaciGc Coast and the Chi
nese-Investigating themselves.


Washington. March 3d. Special. i
IL may seem strange that after devot-
Ing much time to hearing arguments
both for and against labor bills con-
gress will take no action, yet such is
the case. There have been almost con
tinuous hearings for months by the
house committee on labor and the house
committee on judiciary on bills in
which the labor organizations are much
interested. but there seems TO be little
prospect of any action being taken.
tremendous pressure has been brought
by the employers against the "conspir-
acy" or "anti-injunction" bill, and gen
orally the same men have opposed the
eight hour bill. The labor OrganiZa
tions have great deal to say in favor
OF both measures, and yet ii is doubt
full If their arguments will avail.
McComas For Legislation.
The house passed in the last congress
q very drastic eight hour measure, and
after nearly year Senator McComas,
chairman of the senate committee on
labor, reported the bill in an amended
form. 1t was not satisfactory to either
side. The employers did not want
any legislation, and the labor men as
serted that they were not getting any
thing worth while. Nothing ever came
of the measure After congress adj
journed Senator McCOmas had con
ference with a number of prominent
labor leaders and pointed out to them
that the bill as reported gave them only
about per cent of what they asked.
Ninety per cent" he asserted. twas
rot and would not have stood the con-
stitutional test or availed the laboring
men anything" Five per cent was
conceded on both sides. and that was
the compromise. Upon this showing
the labor leaders agreed TO support the
compromise. 1t Is that bill which Is
now pending in both houses, but the
employers are as bitter as ever
Military Camps.
1t is yet doubtful whether one of the
many pet schemes Of former Secretary
NOOl, lhC VI lOhl Sltoh
military camping sites, will be carried
out by the present congress. After a
great deal of rivalry among different
states and different localities four loca-
tons have been agreed upon and the
military committees have favOraDly
acted upon the bills. There is yet some
doubt whether the men from the states
l; -ft
rejected will further continue the fight,
and if they do il will he very doubtful
If the bill can become a law. Any
strong opposition would very likely de-
feat a measure of this kind at this
stage Of legislative proceedings.
Changing Chinese Sentiment.
| heard a remarkable statement the
other day coming from Pacific coast
senator. who said that the sentiment
against the Chinese was changing rap
idly and that many people in that sec
ton recognized that they had To have
Chinese labor in order to take care of
the vast fruit farms the fish packing
industry and similar work which other
laborerS will not perform. 1t seems to
be generally understood now. also. that
Chinese contract labor must be utilized
for work on the Panama canal Few
people would have recognized Il few
years ago that anything but absolute
exclusion would be satisfactory to the
people of the coast and he would have
been a bold man indeed who would pro-
pose Chinese contract labor for any
government work
Investigating Themselves.
Members of the house are having
more or less fun with themselves dur
ing the progress of the investigation
by the special committee They joke
each other about the department in
vestigating congress instead of congress
investigating tine department They
laugh at each other. saying that the
department has neatly turned the ia
bleS upon congress and is making the
house somewhat ridiculous OF course
the whole affair is more or less a TEN
pest in a teapot. but the mere fact
that members wrote to Beavers and
other postal men who have since been
indicted was what caused the trouble
They would like to punish the persons
responsible for connecting them with
the postotfice affair and will do so by
resolutions OF censure if they can 10
cate them definitely
Bring Their Troubles Here.
Whenever the West Virginia Repub-
lican politicians are i'm trouble they
bring it 10 Washington for adjust.
ment, and Senators Scott and Elkins
and the members of the house hold a
council to adjust differences. straighten
the tangled skeins and set the affairs
OF the state upon an even keel Wash.
ington. owing 60 the geography Of West
Virginia and the railroad lines. is so
situated that il is really convenient
meeting point. The railroads that trav-
erse the state converge i'm this city. and
from the north, central and southern
parts Of the state the men who are un-
able 20 adjust their differences come TO
the capital and talk il out with the
delegation. So far none Of the prob
lens las been too difficult TO solve.
and after each powwow the stalwart
mountaineers and the city business
men depart, If not satisfied. at least in
harmon xxffIt tho mon with xvbor,, fhorv