The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-29
MAKE PROTESTS
><.zS
The South Does not Need the Help OF
Congress Where That Help Consists
OF Embarrassment and Discourage
Observation-Disclosures Have Agreed
on Regulations That Are Sufficient
ly Stringent-Argument as to What
Products OF a Cotton Factory Are
Not Exempt From the Bill.

Washington. March 24.-The protests
Of southern cotton manufacturers
aginst the interference Of Congress rag
ulating labor contracts was the feature
today in the hearing on the eight I'll
bill before the Senate committee on ed
ucation and labor. Jack J.. Spalding
Of Atlanta, Ga. asserted that the south
does not need the help Of Congress
when that help consists Of embarrass-
ment and encouragement to the man
facturers in their efforts to obtain a
percentage of the foreign trade, ham
s%tringing them and setting barriers in
h way of their progress in the inter
est Of labor n against the interest Of
the working man and woman"
Chairman McComas asked if it is not
a fact that the southern manufacturers
are a unit in protesting against legisia-
ton of any kind. Mr.. Spalding said
that the manufacturers had %volunta-
rily adopted regulations more severe
than any legislation that had yer
been proposed in Georgia and that so
far as child labor was concerned, the
young boys and girls that are employed
are minding machines where they can
play half of the time. He declared
also that 76 per cent of the mills main
tanned schools and free books equal 20
h state schools. n that it was a
part of the regulations hat the boys
and girls should attend the schools a
certain number of months each year
Why" said Mr.. Spalding, my mill
is in the town where President RooSe-
velts fatherNand mother were married.
This mill has been running sixty yedrs,
with the exception of a short time If
ter Sherman came through n acct
dentally dropped some fire in the mil,
and he social distinctions are l=ss
there than in almost any town in tie
country. The people are satisfied. The
manufacturers are getting along We'll.
the laboring class does, not want this
legislation and in fact the agitators are
the only ones that do want it,"
F. B. Gordon. Of Columbus, Ca.
called attention to the fact that the
chairman Of the committee had said
that all products of the cotton mills
were exempt from application Of lie
eight hour bill. He said that there wer0
factories in Georgia which manufa>-
tured particularly heavy duck, VIII, Oh
was used only by the government and
not being sold in the open marker
would not be exempt. He introduced
F. F. Galloway, Of LAGRANGE. Ga, who
made a statement in regard to this
product. After the statement, the
chairman insisted hat the prod,.ct
would be exempt, under the provision
making exceptions of government sup
plies whether manufactured according
to particular specifications or not.
Then you a tell me what is in
cluded under his billy" Mr.. Galloway
asked.
Chairman McComas said that the
hearings in the last three years he had
concluded that the only things viii III
were not exempt were government YES
sells. large marine engines. hig cranes
and heavy carriages used in govern
ment work. He said that the supplies
for manufacture. such as bolts, rope
sails n all material of that charac-
ter was not included under the bill.
Mr.. Galloway said if it were known
Just what articles would be included
they should be specified in the bill in
order to avoid the general confusion
that now exists. He asked why his
had not been done.
In the opinion of the chairman q
specification of that character would be
unconstitutional.
Are you sure" asked Mr.. Galloway.
that the Supreme court would con-
strue the bill as you do"
"Of course. 1 cannot be sure wha.
any other man or men would do" said
Senator McComas, but am sure that
under the bills no intelligent lawyer
would say that the duck you manu-
facture was not exempted"
Il don't know that said Mr.. Gal
loway. Il have seen things drawn a
heap tighter tina this bill seems to be
and yet the lawyers have twisted them
about SO as to make almost anything
they wanted out of them. I think you
can make anything you want out of
this bill. I may be exempt. but I pre-
fer to be on the safe side and get my
record in so that if the courts do not
agree with you, my contentious Win
be on file"