Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1904-04-15
Igh Hour Law.

As the contest OF the Eight Hour
Law is being closely watched by work
ingmen all over the state the following
by Hon. 4. Chnriz iii the Journal will
be Of interest:
In your last Sundays issue, you ask,
cdi.orially, why the eight hour law
should be questioned now, and wonder
why we SHOULD not all obey il. | will
attempt to answer the questions.
An Act concerning vaGrarcy md vag-
rant. statutes Of Nevada, general section
iS6 says: VagrHncy consists OF the
acts md deeds OF the commission and
COMMISSIONS, coupled with the personal
state and condition OF Il ragrant, and
shall be deemeed Il misdem, amor; md
any person convicted the rcof shall be
punished by imprisonment III the
county Jail for Il term not exceeding 90
Tia. g."
An Act regulating the employment ill
underground mines anC smelters, and ore
reduction works, and providing pen.
alties for violation the reof. Sec. says:
The period OF employment OF working
men in smelters and III al other insti.
~tutions :oI the reduction or refining Ct
ores OF metals shall be eight hours per
day, except in cases OF emergency where
life or property is in imminent danger.
Sec. 3. Any person who violates
either OF the preceding sections o! this
act shall be guilty Of n misdemeanor
punished by n fine Of not less than Sl00
nor more than $500, or imprisonment in
the county Jail not more than Fix
months, or by both such iiue and i'm
%prisonment.
Sec | refers tn men working in
mines and is similar to section ., and
the matter | left out III section 3 sim
pl! p~articularizes but in no way effects
my argument.
Under the last named act n man
named Peter Kair is now in jail at Day
ton, Nevada, convicted Of having work
ed two hours over time and he was sen.
fenced to pay Sl0O fine and cost Of court,
amounting To Sli.50. he testified that
he had worked twenty-five years i'll
quartz mills and had raised n family aud
had daughters teaching schools in Ne.
vada, and that he wa healthy, and that
luis occupation WIS pleasant to him, and
he desired to help his employer, fearing
lIrt ,r,,L,,ut email, I,lr L.,
who was running u little quartz mill at
Silver City, could not keep him cm-
ployed, Pnd that he worked over time
freely and voluntarily. He further st at .
ed that he did not want the legislature
to make his contracts for the disposition
OF his oyn labor. but wanted to make
them himself, and also TINT he did not
believe the legislature was looking out
for his health when it enacted the eight
hour law. but that the politicians were
looking ont for his vote. lie gave much
other teststimony on similar lines.
Now, under the first act quoted, Wa
will assume a case, and say that Peter
NocGre is under arrest in Reno for vag-
rancy, and sentenced to one days i'm.
prisonment for having worked" the
town for six months. Under the lnw
n day Ia the leust punishment that
Il be inflicted on Peter Nocare for
working the town OF Reno for six
months or any other length OF time and
500 is the least penalty that can be in.
ilicted ON Peter Knir for working two
hours over time in a quartz mill, ut.
tempting to help out his employer to
The end that he may keep up his in'
dustry. Peter Kair could 90 the limit
and that would he sly months in jai
and a fine OF 800, and Peter Nocare TN.
der tho limit, could be imprisoned for
30 days, and no more.
How are you going to develope the
OF the country that wayy
| claim, and | want it perfectly TN,
d~erstOodtas m announcement that | am
not n candidate for any oilicc) that NOR,
nj cowardicc on the questions raised by
the eight hour law, so.callcd is trcach'
cry to the best interests of Nevada, ant
to employer ma employee alike. Bus
mess sense aud reason must prevail
Ooncr or later. IL won't do 20 milk
% twice in eight hours, aud leave he
unfcd aud uncarcd Tor lG hours. Thir
IS simply 10 illustration.
ALFRED CHARTa.