The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-03


feature Of today's doings in the hous
Of representatives was the passage o
the eight-hour day law for all classes
Of female labor with the exception o
domestic servants. I.usk, Missoula
opposed the measure on the grount
that the hours of labor in mercantil,
establishments were not too long as a.
present in force and offered an amend
mcnt to exclude all retail mercantil,
establishments. He argued that thi.
bill would raise the cost Of doing bust
ness and that it would result in tht
decrease in wages for female employees
Of just one-ninth of their prescn,
wages. He also stated that there was
no demand for such legislation al
present.
Murray. Cascade, introducer Of Tho
bill, told of the statements made be-
fore the joint committees of house and
senate with regard to this measure by
President Batch Of the State Retail
Merchants association and said tina,
his argument was that men would be
employed in place of women. mfr
Batch stated" said Mr.. Murray, that
the average wage of the shop girls In
Helena was $40 a week and I ask you
how many men in the state of Mon
tana will work for such a wage:"
Mrs. Hathaway Defends Bill.
Mrs. Hathaway, representative OF
Ravalli county. made very able
law for women and referred to the
large number Of states which have
such legislation at the present time
She said that the members were legis-
lating for the future generations Of the
state and that she would be disloya
to her sex IL she did not take a stand
in favor of this measure.
Representative Murray said thai
there was decided demand for just
this bill. citing all the womens or.
ranizations allied with the State FED
Grafton OF Labor as evidence enough
that the measure would be welcomed
Beldcn, Fergus. was the only Other
member of the house to speak in favo,
of the amendment and it was lost ID,
an overwhelming majority. Severa
proposed amendments were lost by the
same decisive vote and the bill wa.
reported from the committed
with but ono minor amendment Offered
by Lusk, which makes the law OPP
crative on April I. instead of immedi
atcly upon its passage and approval.
Higgins Denounces n. 3. 81.
IL. b. 81 by Anderson was the sigma
for Il two hour discussion which
worked up to a climax when Higgins
Missoula, denounced the measure a.
being legislation simply for the Wat
kins Remedy company and told OF Tho
methods pursued by the represent,
atives of this concern in lobbying fol
the measure. II had no sooner gotter
oft the train in Helena" said Mr.. Hig,
gins. when Il representative Of thi.
company asked me to Introduce thi.
measure. II were to repeat all tina
had been told me by that represent.
alive of this company, he would com,
pretty close to being Ill boarder will
my brothcr-in-law at Deer Lodge
Drank Conley. warden of the stat,
PRISON.. don't believe this legislator.
Is going to allow itself to be STAN.
pcded by some company doing bust.
ness in the east and paying no take.
in this state" 3'#' 's.
The bill was defended by the farm.
ing interests. who said that the farm
ers were strong for this measure ant
that they had received many request.
to pass this legislation which lower.
the amount of license and provide.
that it shall establish u place OF bust
ness within county and pay taxes or
a stock Of $1,000.
Favorably Reported.
The question OF the value Of these
remedies and the demand for them OF
the part of the farmers was thorough.
~ discussed. Amendment after amend
ment was offered and every concelv.
able method of killing the bill invoked
but it was all to no purpose and tn.
measure was favorably reported b,
the committee.
III. b. l0S by Stimpert was the onl,
measure. killed by the committee. Thi.
bill proposed to eliminate what i
termed unfair competition. 1t wa.
cited that various elevator companie.
had adopted the principle Of offering {