Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-07

OINtlNlAlNALINn VI NANNH TT wv NNAAAiA ANtaAAA
ever beforehand all TO the great advan-
age OF that section.
Tho activities q the department have
been greatly increased by the enactment
Of recent legislation. by the pure food act.
the meat inspection act. the cattle trans
portation act and the act concerning the
Interstate shipment Of game. This depart
ment is one Of those the scope Of whose
action is constantly widening and there
fore II is impossible under existing legis-
iaton to reduce the cost and their esti-
mates below those of preceding years.
An interesting review Of the results Of
an examination made by the department
into statistics and prices shows that on
the average since 1891 farm products have
increased ia value " per cent, while the
things which the farmer buys for use have
increased but 70 per cent, an indication
that present conditions are favorable to the
farming community.
Department OF Commerce and Labor
The secretary Of the Department OF
! Commerce and Labor has had under lbs
immediate supervision the application OF
the merit system OF promotion to a large
number OF employees. and his discussion Of
this method Of promotions based on actual
experience 1 commend to the attention Of
congress.
Bureau Of Labor.
! The commissioner OF Labor has been ac-
lively engaged in composing the differ
ences between employers and employees en-
gagged in Interstate transportation. under
the Erdman act, Jointly with the chairman
Of the Interstate Commerce commission. l
[ cannot speak in too high terms OF the sue
cess Of these two officers in Cancellation
and settlement Of controversies which but
for their interpositiCn. would have resulted
disas trously to all interests.
! ! invite attention to the very serious in
jury caused to all those who are engaged
in the manufacture OF phosphorus matches.
The diseases incident TO this are frightful,
and as matches can be made from other
materials entirely innocuous, believe that
the injurious manufacture could be dis
couraged and ought 10 be discouraged by
the imposition Of a heavy federal tax.
recommend the adoption Of this method
Of stamping out very serious abuse.
EiEht-HOur Law.
Since 1868 It has been the declared pur-
pose of this government to favor the move
ment for an eight-hour day by-as provision
Of law that none OF the employees employed
by or on behalf OF the government should
work longer than eight hours in every
twenty -four. The first declaration Of this
view was not accompanied with any pena
clause and with no provision for its en-.
forcement, and, though President Grant by
a proclamation twice attempted to give 4
his sanction and to require the officers Of
! the government to carry It out, the pur
I pose of the trainers Of the law was ult
mately defeated by a decision of the su
. | "a, n,
I drawn was merely a direction Of the gov
t eminent to it's agents and did not invali
3 date contract made in behalf of the gov
! eminent which provided in the contract fo
! labor a day Of longer hours than eight
. Thereafter, in 1892, the present eight-hou
law was passed, which provides that tn
e services and employment of all laborer
{ and mechanics VINO are now or may here
( after be employed by the government o
n the United States, by the District of Co
E lumbia, or by any contractor or sub-con
h tractor on any of the public works of tn
4 United States and of the said District o
? Columbia, is hereby restricted to e.gh
Q hours in any one calendar day. and
q shall be unlawful, etc
+ THIS law has been construed to limit tn
application OF the requirement to thos
> who are directly employed by the govern
= ment OF to those who are employed upo
public works situate upon land owned b
the United States. This construction pre-
. vented it's application to government bal
tie ships and other vessels built In privat
shipyaTds and to heavy guns and armo
plate contracted for and made at privat
X establishments.
9 The proposed act provides that no LAHORE
> or mechanic doing any part OF the wOr
- contemplated by a contract with the Unite
= States in the employ Of the contractor
7 any subcontractor shall be- required {
= permitted to work more than eight houl
: day in any one calendar day.
. Apply Il to All Work.
= It seems to me from the past mstor
that the government has been commits
:, to a policy Of encouraging the limitatlc
:. of the days work to eight hours In a
: works Of construction initiated by itsel
!, and It seems to me illogical to maintain
difference between government work dol
y on government soil and government VOL
: done in a private establishment, when Il
~ work is Of such large dimensions and il
- wolves the expenditure OF much labor 4
- considerable period, so that the priva
j. manufacturer may adjust himself and h
establishment to thu special terms OF en-
ployment that he must make with h
workmeR for this particular Job To r
D. ouire, however that every small contra
IN OF manufacture entered into by the 20
re eminent should be carried out by the CO
" tractor with men working at eight hou
81 would be 20 impose an intolerable burd
le upon the government by limiting its souro
IN OK supply and excluding altogether 4
40 great majority Of those who would othC
wise compete for its business.
The proposed act recognizes this IN I
in exceptions which It makes to contracts
sc ''for transportation BY land or water, I
TO the transmission OF intelligence, and I
Ne such materials or articles as may usual
ys be bought in the open market wheth
se made to conform to particular specific
he lions or not, or for the purchase OF su
at plies by the government. whether mar
ng featured to conform 20 particular speci
Dir cations or not"
~. I recommend that instead OF enacti
he the proposed bill, the meaning OF viii
Of Is not clear and definite and might
OF given a construction embarrassing 70 I
as public interest, the present act bee
a larged by providing that public works Sin
iut De construed to include not only buildin
Ia