The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-17
TO TEST THE LAW.
CONTINUED from Page one.>
News Leaked out

$OfNS LCAAAeu OuL-
In letter received by Commissioner
Tandy last night the order to st.p the
work or be prosecuted was received
from State Labor Commissioner Doyle.
Commissioner Tandy intended to keep
the letter ard the news of the letter
out of the newspapers until the war was
declared. BIT it leaked out today.
Mayor Billiard upon consultation de-
clared that he favored starting the work
as usual despite the order from the
state labor commissioner. Comrnissi m
er Stotts said he would start out lis
tree cutting gangs whatever happened.
Commissioner Tandy said his men would
continue their work under the Melan
bridge no matter what orders came
from the state labor commissioner.
In his letter to Commissioner Tandy
Owen Doyle gave considerable space
TO the publicity the city commissioner
time the labor commissioner skinned"
Mr.. Tandy fnr his public expressions
en- the wags scale in Topeka.
Labor Commissioner Doyle in
statement to the State Journal today
explained his side of the case. The
statement fellows:
Statement From Doyle.
To the Citizens and Taxpayers Of To-
peka:
In the past couple of weeks it seems
to have been the purpose of some in
dfvidua1s to attack me from a personal
standpoint in connection with the diff
ference Of opinion between the officials
of the labor department and the city
commissioners as to what would con-
stitute a current rate of wages for
labor in the city of Topeka
This being the case, want to state
my position to the public at this time
and say had no personal interest in
the matter whatever, but acted as an
official of the state bureau of labor
and industry with view of prevent
ing q rate of wages being paid by the
city that would tend to lower the
scale of wages in Topeka, and which
would be taken advantage of by other
contractors and employers of labor.
It was not Owen DOy1e,s demand at
all, but the demand of the legislature
when they passed chapter ia, laws of
1901 I saw no reason why the de-
partment of labor and industry should
not call the attention OF the commits
sioners to the wage phase of this law,
and request that some arrangement be
made by which they could conform
as nearly as possible with the pro-
visions of this law. They seemed to
accept this as a threat on my part
that the work would be stopped or
prosecution follow for violation of this
law. They also stated that this depart
ment refused to compromise on
basis of $3.50 a day, when the depart
ment had never been offered an op-
portunity to compromise on this basis
stop work. nor did we at that time
threaten prosecution.
The Commissioners in recent meet
ing did not defy Owen Doyle, but
rather defied the demands Of the de-
partment, and the laws of this state.
Advised Work to Proceed.
Two weeks ago in a conference with
Mr.. Miller. I advised him to allow the
work to proceed. in hopes of securing a
mutual. satisfactory settlement of this
matter. and have been very patient,
enduring criticism on all sides, in hopes
that a satisfactory settlement would be
made.
The commissioners made the claim
that 1t is not necessary at this time to
do the work, but are doing it in order
ment while the cold weather is on and
few opportunities for them to secure
employment elsewhere.
Let me call your attention to the fact
that IN the past few years considerable
damage to property, caused by high