The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-24
FROM OTHER PENS
HOURS OF.LABOR.

Two hundred Troy laundresses ap-
peafed before the New York senate s
committee on labor in opposition to the
bill limiting the working hours of wo-
men to 81 per week. They asserted that
by working 60 hours per week in busy
times they could make up the loss re-
sulting from short work In the dull sea-
son, and they claimed that they were
entitled by the constitution to liberty
Of contract.
Something very like this was heard
from railroad trainfne1 when congress
had under consideration the law, now
in force, limiting the number of con-
secutiVe leurs they might be employed.
But private rights must yield to public
policy. 1t was held that considerations
of public safety required that trainmen
be restrained from evertaxing their
powers of endurance; sleepy engineer
might run by a danger signal, or an
overtired teleSrapher might neglect 70
signal q train, with disastrous eonse-
qHences.
In the case of women the United
States supreme court decided that
thought for the welfare of the race JUS
titled the legislatures in protecting
the mothers of future generations OF
citizens from themselves as we'll as
from rapacieus employers by forbiddiHg
them. to injure their health by over
work.-Philadelphia Record.
TRIALS OF AN ALDERMAN.
Alderman Finley, of New York, is
tired of his public duties and wants to
ge back on the police force, of which he
formerly was an efficient member. His
salary as alderman is $1,000, that of a
policeman is $1,400; but he prefers the
smaller pay. This is what he says: As
alderman 1 get $1,000, But when you
have taken out thu price of picture
show tickets, and what you spend buy
ing cigars and drinks for constituents
and helping out the poor in your dis
trict, there is nothing in 1t. I'd rather
be back pounding. the pavement. L
guess am too honest to be an alder
man.
What is true of New York is true of
other cities. Until a man holds public
office and experiences the unusual de-
mands made upon his purse, he little
realizes what he is expected to do out :
side Of his official duties. 1t is the
same story in the legislature of most
states, particularly In city districts and
districts that are close. Some say that
a congressman has even a worse time.
The situation is likely to improve but
little for the poor we have with us al
ways, and the tribe of spongers and
grafters is not lessening appreciab1y.-
Boston Globe.
ONE-CENTk POSTAGE
Business men in verious parts of the
country, actually mainly through the
National One-eent Letter Postage AS
soeiation, are wasing an earnest and
systematic campaign for ene-eent let
ter postage. Pressure Will be brought
to bear on congress in favor of a law
reducing postal charges for letters
from two cents to one cent.
Letter postage at the rates now
charged is unqestionably heavy tax
on the business of the country, and as
the government realized from, this
source pfofit of more than 5000
900 last year there seems to be no
reason why part of the burden should
not be lifted. There are firms in this
country that pay from $4,000 to $780,
600 year for flrst-class postage.
There is no reason why the govern
ment sI1eH1a make a preiit out of the
sale of postage stamps. Letters should
be carried for whatit costs the govern
ment to give the service When the
government charges more than 1t costs
to collect and distribute the mail il
Leaves an unjust burden upon the PEG.
lple.-Seattle Post-Intelligencer.