United labor bulletin., 1911-10-12
CR0SKEY BURNS
TYPO committee
Answers in Bitter Terms the Re-
port of HOsman.
(By r. e. Croskey.)

union No. 4e, on the labor laws passed,
or not passed, by the Eighteenth Gen.
eral Assembly.
The report is purported to be signed
by L. D. Hosman and M. J. Collins. I
know nothing of the political beliefs of
Mr.. Collins, but from what | have seen
and heard of Mr.. Hosman, one is not
surprised at anything in the political
line that he might report; the only cause
for surprise therefore is that an intel
lectual body of men that know COM
prise the membership of No. 4e should
accept and adopt such biased report
and allow it to be spread broadcast as
the expression of this union. Truly it
would be discreditable to the poorest in
formed union in the labor movement. |
am charitable enough to believe that No.
4e had something Slipped over" on
them.
1t is true that labor did not get all it
asked for in the way of legislation
neither did the corporations get all they
wanted. but the facts are that labor did
get a goodly portion of the legislation
asked for, and, when this report says
that nothing has been accomplished in
the last legislature in the interest of the
men, women and children who do the
worlds work." it makes a notoriously
untruthful statement.
whom Mr.. Hosman speaks of as drawing
the magnificent salary of s5 to 81 per
day to act as a lobbyist and work from
- to 16 hours a day (Mr. Hosman, pre-
sumo. gets the same salary for working
eight. | am in good position to say
that in my judgment more laws for the
protection of the workers, and in their
interest, were gotten through by these
said labor leaders" acting as lobbyists.
q
legislature in Colorado.
To enumerate. the committee convent
entity forgets to mention several laws
that were passed and are now in full
operation and proving of immediate
value to the workers; in this the com
mittee shows that it is either woefully
ignorant or wilfully dishonest in this
Investigation" and that the sole pur-
pose of its investigation" was to make
political capital for the party that Mr..
Hosman. at least swears first allegiance
to. and places before any mere trades
union.
No mention is made of child labor
law, one of the very best ever enacted
by any state or nation. was an achieve
ment of the eighteenth assembly. This
law is in full force and already has taken
the children out Of the coal mines, and
also placed several hundred children in
\
merly engaged into the schools where
they belong. To enumerate the many
things for the benefit OF the children
that this law is doing would be too
lengthy Is this law OF no benefit to the
children. Mr.. Hosman? Il was endorsed
by the recent convention OF the State
Federation OF Labor. Why did the lin
yestgating" committee not mention this
law9
tn, -,,g,,.-s, arJ ,pflir,sn's lion Law.
by which the miners OF the state are
protected against losing their wages by
rascally leasers, making the mine owner
responsible for the debts contracted by
these leasers. is another law that is of
immediate benefit TO the workers. The
investigating" committee makes no
mention OF it. Why?
The lahorers lien law is another law
that is proving of immediate benefit to
the workers, and under the provisions
of which a number OF laborers have al
ready collected wages due them. when
they had no chance TO do so before its
This law makes the railroad
or irrigating, or any other company hir
ing laborers. responsible for the debts
contracted by contractors or sub-con-
tractors doing work for these companies.
The investigating" committee makes
no mention OF the enactment of this
law. why?
The investigating committee also
did not investigate far enough to get
the amendments that were made to the
tunnel bill by the men who were doing
their level best TO look after labor's in
terest. These amendments provide that
all work-if this law should be adopted
by the people-must be done on not
more than an eight-hour basis, and that
the minimum wages shall be S3 per day
Tor laborers and for skilled labor the
prevailing rate of pay as is paid for like
work in the Cripple Creek district, and
that the labor shall be supplied without
cost to the laborers through the free
offices, cutting out the eN-
actions OF the private employment OF
fees.
1t is true that the corporations had n
free swing in the last legislature and
that the labor lobby was up against
hard proposition, but what did the mem
bers of the investigating" committee do
to help out in the enactment of labor
laws? AS far as l can understand.
nothing. In fact they were ever ready
to criticise and hamper and slur every
effort made by labors representatives
Belittling its efforts and gloating in its
defeats. And for why? Because their
desire to make political capital for their
own particular political party is para
mount to any desire they may have for
the betterment of the condition of the
men. women and children that do the
worlds work. Let us have few more
boosters and few less knockers, and
the betterment of the men. women and
who do the worlds work will
be more quickly improved
The slurs of the Investigating" com
mittee on everything done or tried to be
done in the interest of the men, women
and children who do the worlds work,
is alone sufficient to show the caliber
and animus of the committee AS a mat |
ter of fact they do not want these condi- |
tions improved. not very careful ex-
into their tactics will show
that the brand of politicians that Mir
Hosman associates with are ever ready |
to decry and malign the efforts of labor