Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-20

| the industries of the State of Maine
| and oil every New England state; also
| on account Of the probability of the
passage at this session of a workmen's
| compensation Act to which both of the
old parties are committed in their
platforms of last year. of certain 9th
| er matters such as the high price of
coal and the increased cost of operat.
| ing the mills For these reasons it was
deemed best to report ought not to
pass on the 54-hour bill. After that
| vote was taken Il proposition was made
| in the way OF a compromise; we were
| told that if we did not do something
the matter would go before the people
| by means of the referendum: and after
that proposition was put up to us.
while we did not fear the vote of the
people upon this matter, still ii was
deemed that We might be able to COM
promise the matter, and FIVE of the
members of the committee, including
two who had signed the other report,
agreed To a compromise. But / say,
gentlemen, that after very careful in
Vestigation Of the matter since these
reports We've made, the people of the
State of Maine do not want any
change: the employees as Il body do not
want any change in the present hours
| OF labor. We would be glad To give the
women and children in this State n
| "a hour law, could we do il and not
| affect the operation OF the factories
and the industries in this state. But
| if We give the women and children
| 5f-honr law II means that the mills
will run "a hours and no more; and at
this present time it is not deemed
wise 10 make any change.
l have consulted, gentlemen. with
both sides, employers and employees.
and / fail to find among the employees.
nj least in my section, any good rea
son why we should deprive them Of
their capacity To- earn mere wages ar
the earnings. the present wages under
the pieces system. a great many, and
| in fact the majority of the women. is
| | understand it. do not work by the
| day but work by the number oi yards
| they can produce, and in the shoe fac
| tories by the number of pairs of shoes
they can turn out; and from what |
| can learn ! find that they do not wish
| to he cut down any in their present
earnings under the high cost of living
with which we are now confronted.
make this explanation and wish te
withdraw my name from the comrro-
mise report at this time.
Mr. EMERSON OF Island Falls. MI.
| Speaker, | do not care Ia Withdraw my
motion made in this matter the other
| morning, and | have nothing further
t. say in regard To the question.
| Mr. DESCOTEAUX of Biddeford.
| Mr. Speaker, the committee voted
seven to one against the 54-hour bill,
and | nterposed d proposition to the
effect that we would compromise on
a bill for 70 hours. The committee
wanted a week to consider the mat
| ter. The following Wednesday we
| took a vote upon the matter, and the
vote stood five to four; at that meet
| ing | told the members of the com
| mttee that was going to put in a
minority report on Sc hours. and the
committee said | could not do it.
| felt pretty sure that | could, and to
make sure | found out that | could,
and the next morning l went around
with paper and five of the members
of the committee signed it, two of the
i
| two of The members who had signed
| the 54-hour bill. That was how that
| came about.
| Now in regard to the gentleman
| from Newport. Mr.. Mitchell, saying
that the working people of the state
| Of Maine do not want shorter hours
| and that they would get lower wages,
| L want TO say that throughout the
L H. tine
as much, if not more, today, than
| they Were when they were working
| so hours | know in my part of the
| State it is a fact; in fact, | was
elected to support a 54-hour bill, or
| 56-hour pill. and especially the wom-
en- and children. ought to have at least
a 56-hour working day. | move. Mr..
| Speaker, that when the vote is taken
| it be taken by the yeas and nays
| MIR. NEWBERT: Mr.. Speaker( Just
| one word. This is simply in order
| that we may all know what we are
| voting upon. This is a rather compl-
Gated affair. l want to say this, that
| on the roll-cal the friends in this
| House of the 56-hour bill will vote no,
on the motion of the gentleman from
| Island Falls (Mr. Emersom. That will
i keep the matter before the House,
| and motion will follow to adopt the
| other report.
| Mr. BOMAN of Vinalhaven: Mr..
| Speaker, | do not care to say a great
| deal in regard to this bill, but | am
| impressed with the idea that the ex
cuse made by some of the gentlemen
| in this House. that we are in fear of
| the people of the State, / do not think
| is we'll taken. few years ago the
| granite cutters of the State of Maine
asked for an S-hour bill. and they
We're then working 10 hours The
same objection was made at that time.
that if an S-hour bill was granted
| to the granite cutters of Maine that
| the granite industry of Maine would
be ruined
/ believe this bill is a just one
why should not the women and minor
children have a right, if they so ask,
to have their hours reduced to the
extent of two hours a week. ] will
state in regard to the granite cutters
that after the employers had object
ed to the bill for some little time.