Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-11-21
From the New York Tribune.l
EIGHT HOURS A DAY,

"Can the Hours of Labor be reduced gem
orally to Eight per day9"
This question is one of the gravest of the
many now soliciting public attention. 1t
comes home to every fireside, while its deci-
sion must affect the whole vast fabric of In
dustry and Business 1t is maniiestly not
to be answered off-hand, but requires calm
deliberation, and patient scrutiny, as well as
thorough discussion. Let none be afraid of
it, for its proper consideration will insure its
correct decision. Let usall have faith in the
might of Truth
We are among those who hope for an ulti-
mate abridgment ofthe hours of Daily Labor.
Whynot? Formerly, nearly all who worked
for wages in cities toiled eleven or twelve
hours per day. Now, ten hours is very gen
orally accepted as the measure of days
work; yet nobody is hurt. Is it certain that
we have reached the limit of progress on this
road? Step into any foundry, any machine
shop, any great mandatory, and note the
ininity of inventions and devices, whereby
Labor has been economical and its efficiency
increased within the last forty years. Go
out upon the prairies, and note how the hui
man labor required to grow five hundred
bushels of grain fifty years ago, will now
produce at least a thousand. When Labor
generally shall have become twice as efficient
as formerly, why may not fewer hours per
day suffice?
Mind, that we are not deciding the main
question. Weare simply showing that there
ia a main question, and that it should be care
fully studied, be candidly considered, before
it is decided.
The current assumption that the laborer
for wages derives no benefit from the rapid
march of Inventionis utterly fallacious. He
Is beneited-signaIly beneftted-by the ne
cessary cheapening of the products of what
ever industry finds its efficiency thus increas-
ed. But suppose he should say, 81 prefer
to receive my share of the benefit resulting
| from the march of Improvement in the shape
ofincreased leisure and opportunity for study
and reflection, rather than in finer clothes, a
larger house, richer food, more stimulants,
&C., what would be the proper answer?
We look with much interest on the move
ment for shortening the days work; yet the
arguments-or rather, the assumptions-ot
its champions oftener repel than tend to con-
vince us. Here is sample, in q manifesto
recently issued by the Journeymen Ship
joiners of our City;
ResolUed, That, in justice to ourselves and
| to our families, and for the Improvement OF
such intellect as God has given us, we con-
slider eight hours for labor to be a fair and
just division of the twenty and we shall
use all honorable means to obtain Legislative
sanction to make eight hours labor legal
days work.
Resolged, That, as the merchant and capi-
talist work but five or six hours per day, and
in that space of time accumulate millions,
principally by our manual labor, we believe
that the noble, just and generous will not,
and the proud, oppressive and ungenerous
should not, refuse to grant our just demands.
The old judge cautioned the young one
not to accompany his decisions by reasons,
because judgment was often right, while
the Judges reasons for giving it were utterly
mistaken. The former of these resolves
embodies a simple and every way proper
demand, which the second stultifes by asser.
tions which are widely known TO be false
1t is perfectly notorious that successful EN-.
ployers and business men work too intently,
too constantly, and they should be urged to
shorten the working day for their own sake
and that of their families, who age too often
deprived of their society by their incessant,
absorbing devotion to money making To
tell these men that they work but five or six
hours per day, as an argument for shortening
the day work oftheir employees, is the very
way to set them inhexibly against you. II
there be indeed merchants and capitalists
who accumulate millions, " they do it by
working far more than ''five or six hours
per day." if there are business men who
"work but five or six hours per day." they
are very unlikely to s'accumulate millions. -
We worked on an average more than ten
hours per day as journeyman mechanic
yet we lived an easier, less exacting life than
we have ever done since; and suchwe believe
to be very common experience.
Here is another specimen of Eight Houl
advocacy, extracted from the platform of the
late great Workingmen's Mass Meeting in
Faneuil Hall, Boston,
Rssolved, That in the coming city election
we will ask but one question of all candi
dates, viz: "Will you, if elected, use all YOU
influence 10 secure the Eight Hour system
/ for every laborer and mechanic employed
by the City of Boston, by contractors ant
otherwise, and at the rate of pay usual,
allowed in the Ten Hour system?"
ResotDed, That the great material advan
i tage to the laborer of the Eight Hour systeu
Is, that it is the only way by which his wage
can ever be permanently increased, wITHou