Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12
BILLS WHICH DID NOT PASS
Demand for Organization in Interest
of Workingmen.
LOOKING OUT FOR THE FUTURE
Request for Reinstatement Of Lamp
hghters-Meeting to Consider
the Matter to Be Held.

Most of the session last night of the Cen
trail Labor Union was taken up in consider
Ing the report of its legislative committee
as reported by Chairman James L. Feeney.
Following is the report:
THE adjournment of the second session
of the Fifty-ninth Congress brings to a
close the congressional career of 101 men,
bers, some of whom throughout their terms
in the House have always been antagonistic
to all labor measures, and especially friend
~ to legislation in the interests of the trusts
and other big combinations of wealth. 1t
Is not my purpose to attack or criticise in
dividual members of Congress for their hos
tility to labor legislation in this report. as
experience has taught me that members Of
Congress have long memories and it is ex-
ceedingly difficult to receive favorable con-
sideration or even a respectful hearing from
congressional committees when the men,
bers have been severely criticised in public
meetings or newspapers by men represent
ing labor organizations at the Capitol
"A few of the members retiring have been
noted for the good they accomplished or
endeavored to accomplish in the interests
of labor and the working people in general.
and / desire to especially mention the two
members of the committee on labor, VIM.
Randolph Hearst and John T. Hunt, both of
whom retire to private life at the close OF
this Congress.
Among the many bills introduced in the
interests of labor / desire to make brief
mention of the following:
Eight Hour and Anti-Injunction.
THE eight-hour and anti-injunction bills
failed to pass either house of Congress, and
in fact were not even considered by the
committees during the second session. Both
bills have been strongly advocated for pas
sage by the American Federation of Labor
for many years, but the representatives of
capital have been successful in preventing
the passage of either.
'Immigra ton bill-The immigration bill
became law through the efforts of President
Roosevelt in forcing the anti-Japanese
amendment on the bill in the interests OF
the state of California and the Pacific coast.
THE bill re-enacts the Allen contract
labor law and amends and strengthens 1t,
and increases the tax on each alien enter
ing the United States to 81, which must be
paid by the ship companies Several recon-
mendations presented by labor men and
labor organizations are adopted but the
severe educational test is omitted. The bill
also provides for a commission to InVeStl-
gate the subject of immigration and report
at the next session of Congress.
Sixteen-Hour Law for Railroad En-
ployes.
TIVE bill preventing the railroads from
working their employees more than sixteen
hours out of twenty-four hours was passed
by the Senate in good shape, but the rail-
road attorneys attacked it in the House,
and when presented to that body for pas
sage it was useless Efforts were made by
the representative of the railroad en-
ployes to improve the bill. He appealed
to President Roosevelt and several of the
most obnoxious amendments were stricken
out and the bill was passed. 1t was again
amended in conference and enacted into
law. and 1t is anything but satisfactory
No doubt effort will be made to again
tl,-, 49,
gress.
Increase of Wages for Government
Employees.
Representatives Davis, McNary Mann,
Southwick, Coudrey and Jones introduced
bills for an increase of compensation for
the executive clerks and employees of the
government. and notwithstanding the large
number of measures introduced for that
purpose not one of them received favor
able report. Although almost every men,
Der individually expressed himself as favor
able to the increase. All took particular
care to see that the bill increasing their
own salaries was enacted into law, and
then they gave interviews to newspapers
expressing thems Ives as favorable to the
increase for the clerks, but made no effort
TO pass the bill.
Increase for Letter Carriers.
THE bill increasing the salaries of letter
carriers to maximum sum of $1,000 a
year was passed after a struggle lasting
eighteen years The letter carriers this
year had an exceedingly intelligent body
of men representing their interests at the
Capitol, and although the Post Office De-
partment was not favorable to the increase
they succeeded in getting it through both
houses. Their national secretary was on
the ground continually. and, backed by his
organization. he sought the influence Of
every member for the passage of his BILL
which proves conalusively that an organ
lied effort of a body Of men will prove sue
cessfCl II care and skill Ii displayed.
The executive clerks and employees of
the several departments Of the government
IL they desire an increase of their salaries
should organize, and then have their repre-