Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-10-16
EICHT-HOUR law
MENACE T0STATE'
Senator McCrosky Warns
Farmers, Businessmen and
Workers Of Danger
WOULD HANDICAP STATE
Proposed Measure Would
Seriously Cripple all the
Industries of the State

Former State Senator r. c. Nc
Croskey of Whitman county warns
the voters of Washington that adop-
ton of the proposed eight-hour law
would bring injury alike to the farm
er, the business man and the wage
Garner. Few residents of the Inland
Empire are qualified to speak with
equal weight of authority. No one
has firmer grasp of farm conditions
or wider general knowledge of the
industrial and business needs of
Washington. When Mr.. McCrosky
says that rather than face the adop.
ton of this law he would, if given
the choice, accept the burning of all
the improvements on his extensive
holdings, it is time to heed his coun-
sci, for those who know him will
testify that he is not given to emo
tional extravaganza of statement,
says the Spokane Spokesman-Re.
view.
The objections to initiative meas
ure No. 13 have been frequently set
forth in these columns and have not
been refuted. The Spokesman-Review
has given space to many advocates
of the eight-hour law, but their ar
ticles have emphasized the weakness
Of their contention They are large
ly made up of emotional pleas for an
easier lot for the wageearner and
evade the important point that this
measure would bring him loss and in
jury and, therefore, harder lot
Rhetorical assertion can not alter
facts and conditions.
First, the agricultural, orchard, live
stock and dairy industries of Wash
ington can not bear the proposed re-
volutionary disturbance of existing
conditions. Apart from cereals and
orchard products, the states produc-
ton is insufficient for the needs of
its own population. We are short on
meat products, eggs and poultry, can
ned goods and products of the dairy.
Whatever the present rewards and
profits in these lines, they have not
been sufficient to bring production up
to consumption. The state needs
more producers. but it can not Sc,
cure them by imposing handicaps not
borne by these industries in other
states and countries.
Second. the orchard industry is con-
fessedly precarious. The grower is
constantly in doubt, from one season
to another, whLther market prices
will cover the actual cost of produc-
ton. Every year. even in the best
seasons, enormous quantities of GER
tain fruits must go to waste because
prices are not sufficient to cover the
cost of picking, packing and moving
to market. An eight-hour-law would
increase the cost and greatly enlarge
the present waste.
Third, a hard effort is making to
build up canneries and evaporators to
save some part of the present waste.
1t is an uphill pull at best. An eight
hour law would make it hopeless.
Fourth, the immensely important
lumber industry is suffering from a
depression running back for several
years. Severe losses have been
borne and no one knows much about
the future. Even under present con-
ditions of hours and wages, the in
dustry is largely suspended and many
men thrown out of employment. An
eight-hour law would increase the
Aumber of unemployed and impose
still further losses on employers.
Fifth, the proposed measure would
cripple the fishing industry and cut
off another source of employment.
These are the basic assets of the
people of Washington. Directly or
indirectly practically all of us live
off them We tinker with them at
our peril and cripple them at our mis-
fortune. And if the injury should be
wrought, the wageearner must suf-
fer; not alone the wageearners engag-
ed directly in them, but working men
and women in dependent lines of bust
ness and industry.
The folly of the proposed law pass
es understanding. Professed leaders
of labor who are urging wageearn-
ers to support it will have to face a
grave responsibility If it should be
adopted.