Show DEMAGOGY The late legislature of Indiana indulged in a little demagogy which is liable to react re-act on many of the members The workingmen work-ingmen demanded that impossible thing an eighthour day and the law makers yielded passing a law making eight hours a days work except when otherwise agreed by contract and except as to persons employed as domestics and on farms It was a piece of foolish legislation as little relief could conic to the workingmen through it as employers em-ployers would necessarily insist upon a tenhour contract or eightrhours pay However the labor organizations requested the measure and the solons afraid to oppose op-pose the voters passed the bill Now the question of the validity of the act has been raised and there is little doubt that the law will be set aside as offensive to the constitutional con-stitutional prohibition against special privilege privi-lege legislation there being manifest discrimination dis-crimination against farm hands and house servants But what troubles the demagogues dema-gogues most is not that the law is unconstitutional un-constitutional but that the agricultural workers are asking why they should not be placed on a plane of equality with navvies brickmakers and other day laborers as far iis the hours of work are concerned The agricultural districts elect many members of the legislature legis-lature and it is said that whatever may be the outcome of the legal test of the laws validity no country member vho voted for it will be returned to the next legislature The inclination to demagogy is F so strong that there seems to be few men who can resist re-sist it The love of office and distinction causes many to do things against which their better judgment revolts |