Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-07-29
gailg Gmpire.
E|- We publish the following article
at the request of several of the mechanics
of aur city.
Talks About Health.

"EIGHT HOURS A DAY"

The world moves So we declared when
the Emancipation Proclamation appeared. So
we shouted when Lee surrendered. So / said
the other day when ! read in New York
daily an account OF a procession bearing u
banner with the inscription, Eight Hours a
Fair Days Work"
AS nation, we are killing ourselves by
hard work Drive, push, run--drive, push,
run, in every direction, everybody, day and
night Our climate and food are excessively
stimulating, the temptations to great exerton
overwhelming, everybody sweats, trembles,
and prematurely dies.
Next to killing the rebellion, reducing the
hours Of work throughout America from ten
to eight would prove the most beneiicent OF
all possible achievments
| Breakfast comes at half-past six, at seven
the man is at it. We dine at half-past twelve,
at one the worker, with full stomach, is
pulling away at his muscles.
Physiology proclairns the inevitable results.
Farmers, with the advantages of perspiration,
sunshine, and pure air, suffer stomach pains,
loss of teeth, and 9th er symptoms of indiges-
ton, as much as professional men in their Sc
dentary life. The prin cipal cause ofthis strange
fact is found in the lssck of rest just before and
after eating
| If the great army of workers would break
fast at six, and begin the day 8 work at eight,
stop at twelve, dine at hslf-past twelve, and
begin work at hall-past two, stop for the day at
haIfpast six, eat supper at seven, and retire
at half past eight single year would exhibit
change in the bodily condition Of our people
that no observer could fail to notice.
For the comfort of employers will say
that, under the new order, laborers would do
as much work as now.
If were asked by an association of poiti-
cal economists to indicate the change in
American life which would result in the largest
additions to American wealth. should un-
hesitatngly point to Eight Hours Day."
All over the Eastern Continent money
owns muscle 1t is the hope and glory Of
America that here capital and labor have been
organized into great mutual insurance
company
Certain mean employers fill the newspapers
with bitter complaints over the thousand and
one mutual protection societies among the varl.
Gus classes CT laborers. These associations
force upon me an extra disbursement OF more
than thousand dollars year, but thank
God for their manly spirit and independ-
ence.
WELCOME TO THE New MoyEMENT.-Let
workingmen everywhere organize let them
print and circulate tracts. In single year
should the change be established.
Thirty years ago, children ten years old
worked in q cotton mill, near my father 4
house, fifteen hours day. When the move
ment for twelve hours began, the owners OF
the mill said, mo, we won't submit to it.
But he change was made, and the poor work.
ere had chance TO bs!he in the morning
and setting sunshine.
After time the workers. Of the country de.
clsred for ten hours; employers protested
crying out, "You will ruin us soon it will be
eight and then six" Well, the time has
come for the change to eight hours, and am
not sure that within the next ten or twenty
years, the muscles Of the country will not de
mand more rest
Should VIC not all rejoice to SEQ these hon
est sons Of toll who feed, clothe, and shelter
every one OF u.s. combine with their hare
work the pleasure and profit Of higher socia
and intellectual life