Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1906-12-08

passing the bill limiting the number
Of hours of employment of railroad
employees. The measure is a very
moderate one and | can conceive of
no serious objection to it. Indeed,
so far as it is in our power, it should
be our aim steadily to reduce the
number of hours of labor, with as a
goal the general Introduction of an
eight-hour day. There are industries
in which it is not possible that the
hours of labor should be reduced;
just rs there are communities not far
enough advanced for such a move
ment to be for their good, or, il in
the Tropics, so situated that there is
no analogy between their needs and
ours in this matter. On the Isthmus
of Panama, for instance, the condi-
tions are in every way SO different
from what they ave here that an
eight-hour day would be absurd; just
as it is absurd, so far as the Isthmus
is concerned, where white labor can
not be employed, to bother as to
whether the necessary work is done
by alien black men or by alien vel
low men. But the wageworkers of
the United States are of so high a
grade that alike from the merely in
dustrial standpoint and from the
civic standpoint it should be OBJ
ject 70 do what we can in the direc-
ton CT securing the general observ-
ance Of an eight-hour day. Until re-
Gently the eight-hour law on our
Federal statute books has been very
|scantily observed. Now. however,
largely through the instrumentality
Of the Bureau Of Labor, it is being
rigidly enforced, and I shall speedily
be able to say whether IL not there
is need of further legislation in ref
erence thereto; for III purpose is to
see It obeyed in spirit no less than
in letter. Half holidays during SUM
mer should be established for Gov
eminent employees; it is as desirable
for wage-workers who toll with their
hands as for salaried officials whose
labor is mental that there should be
a reasonable amount Of holiday.
Labor of Women and Children.
The Congress at its last session
wisely provided for a truant court
for the District of Columbia, a mark
ed step in advance on the path of
properly caring for children. Let me
again urge that the Congress pro-
vide for a thorough Investigation Of
the conditions of child labor and OF
the labor of women in the United
States. More and more our people
are growing to recognize the fact
that the questions which are not
merely of industrial but of social i'm
portance outweigh all others; and
these two questions most emphatic
ally come in the category of those
Mllltn blSCL III blit must lSoSAAhS
way the home life of the Nation
The horrors incident to the employ
ment of young children in factorie.
or at work anywhere are a blot OF
our civilization. 1t is true that eacl
State must ultimately settle tn,
, question in it's own way; but a thor
ough official investigation of the mat
ter, with the results published broad
!. cast, would greatly help towar,
arousing the public conscience an
securing unity of State action in tn
!, matter. There is, however, one lay
on the subject which should be en-
acted Immediately, because there
no need for an investigation in refer
ence thereto, and the failure to enaC
it is discreditable to the Nationf
Government. A drastic and thol
oughgoing .child-labor law should /
enacted for the District of Columbi
:, and the Territories.
le Employers Liability
" Among the excellent laws WhiC