The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-23
BIG VICTORY
 FOR REILLY Success of Eight Hour Pos tai Law Personal Triumph for Meriden Man Senate Is Sure to Follow Example of House Tn
 Passing Bill
Especial to The Farmen }


 Washington, D. C.. July 2S@Con- den, Connecticut's only Democratic representative in the House, scored a big personal victory yesterday when his eight-hour postal law was report ed in the Senate as part of the post office appropriation bill. The eight hour law is a measure for which pos tai clarks and carriers have been fighting for years. The report of the Senate committee yesterday insures its enactment into law as the measure has already passed the House.
 The eight-hour bill, which was pre- pared and introduced early in the ses- sion by Congressman Reilly, provides that the postal employees day of eight hours extend over a period of not more than ten hours. The working hours of the post office men are the same as heretofore. In the past, the work but sometimes required as many as twelve Or fifteen hours to get in their full day. This was due to schedule of work which would give them few hours in the morning, a few more In the afternoon and pos sibly some more time in the evening in order that their eight hours be made up
 For years the carriers and clerks have fought against this system but have been unsuccessful. Congressman Reilly is member of the House com mittee on Post Offices and Post Roads, succeeding the late N D. Sperry on personal interest in postal affairs since he has been in Congress. and the eight-hour bill has been chief con- cern with him during the present ses- sion.
 The measure passed the House as part of the post office appropriation bill, but met with opposition in the Senate committee on Post Offices. Oppogitionists who have killed the bill in former years got busy and sought to. have amendment made to the meas ure that would virtually kill the ob- jeets aimed at Congressman Reilly worked even harder with members of the Senate committee than he did in the House and was successful in hav- ing the bill finally reported favora.bly with only a change in the date for the law to become operative.
 In the original bill, July was set for the date of the bill to become ef fective. The fight in the Senate. cona- mittee held up the reporting of the bill until that date had passed and ffirfeas11sr Ely March 4, 1913, was substituted, the
 
 Congresnaan Reilly. and passed by the House.
 Congressman Reilly was greatly elat- ed today over the reporting of the bill He is. going to try to have the opera tive. date changed to October 15 or January 1, 1913, So that postal en1- ployes may be benefited as soon as possible. This matter will be taken up in conference before the bill is passed by the Senate and put up to the President for signature.
 Employees of the Bridgeport post of- flee received word yesterday afternoon of the favorably reporting of the Reilly bill by the Senate and were greatly pleased. Congratulatory mes. sages were sent the congressman from the local associations with the thanks of the bodies for his interest in their behalf. Congressman Reilly is popular with Nthe postal employees here and at the Democratic convention here last May, the local post office men presented him handsome floral when he called the conven- tion to order.