Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-23
Gbs 9ailg SPY.


On tuesday last, a bill providing for a re-
form in the hours of labor, was reported IN the
House of Representatives, by a committee 70
a,vA,r, ,vers referred the petitions of a large
n,,rher If the citizens of Massachusetts,, pray
mo that tbe legislature would take some &C.
ton to limit and abridge the hours OF labor.
We have not seen a copy of the bill, nor are
we ,couainted with its provisions in detail,
I'M, We doubt not that it embodies those es-
genital elements Of reform which have been so
often. and 50 eloquently urged upon the atten-
ton of the Legislature, by the workingmen of
TIE State, in years past.
There is no denying the right of the legis-
lature to prescribe suitable restrictions for the
government of incorporated institutions, es-
tablished under its sanction, and clothed with
special privileges by its enactments, more es-
pecially when those restrictions are felt by a
large class Of the community, to be an abso-
lutte necessity to their comfort, happiness, and
well being And there is no denyi too, the
other fact, that the working men of Massachu-
sets, have just and abundant grounds of COM
plant, that year after year, the legislature
turns deaf ear to their entreaties, and disre-
CARDS their appeals We legislate for capital,
when we incorporate these large manufactur-
ing establishments, that cover the State, and
mainly for capital. The object and end aimed
at by those who ask for the charters, is to
make money. Human labor is one of the
material aids, indispensibly necessary to them
in the prosecution of their undertakings, with
out which none of them could succeed, yet
human labor, willing to take its chance in the
competition of the world, where laborers are
required, asking of the Legislature only that
it will extend to it so much protection as may
euable the working man to sell only so much
of his time as all fair minded men admit IS
enough for a fair days work, meets with a
cold repulse, and is told to go about its bust
ness; for those who employ labor are the sole
arbters of what is just and right. In other
words, capital asks and receives protection by
special laws of the State, and receives what it
demands, whilehonest industry asks protection
from the absolute crushing out I" of the later
system of these corporations, and is denied the
boon.
There is a simple law of nature, which
ought to govern, and that is this, no man,
and no class of men should have the power
. to exact more service from the limbs and mus
cIes of any human being than nights re-
pose can restore to him, and when the incor-
porated institutions of great State combine
~ they do in Massachusetts,, and virtually
say to every one of their employees that they
must work to the full number of hours that
a7arice or cupidity may dictate, or they shall
not be employed, not only in one particular
corporation, but by any corporation in the
State, as is now the case, we say it is time for
the legislature to interfere and extend its pow
erful arm for the protection of the laboring
men Of the Commonwealth.
If legislation is necessary, to protect Ameri-
can mechanics from the competition of foreign
lands, it seems to us that it is equally proper
to protect the health, morals, and minds, of the
working men from the effects of that sordid
love OF WEALTH., bCoouDS ~ AAsAS 20
er, prolongs the time of labor Of each day to
twelve or fourteen hours, and converts man
into mere machine to be put in motion, or to
rest by the pulling bell-rope.
God never willed permanent condition to
any Of his creatures. which would deprive
them Of the use Of any of the wonderful facul-
tics. with which he endowed them. The
same Being who created the cunning hand,
also formed the immortal mind. With the
capacity to toll, he gave also, the love of intel
lectual and social enjoyment. Men and wo-
men were never designed by kind Proyi-
dence, TO be hurried out of this world, by the
hard efforts they are obliged to make, in order
to stay their allotted time in it, and we ear
nestly hope that the present Legislature Of
Massachusetts will not follow the bad exam
pie which was set by the last in strangling
the ten hour bill, thereby denying as
strong a claim upon it for justice, as has ever
been presented to its notice, by the class Of
men in Massachusetts,, to whom the State is
so much indebted for all that she possesses,
and which makes her State to be proud of
the world over