Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-11-20
The Hours Of Labor in Massacliu-.
.setts.

A Board of Commissioners is in session
in Boston, with a view of eliciting thed
opinions of workingmen, employers andIo
journeymen. as to the effect of certain hours 4
of labor. The Post reports the following
as the opinions at an examination, few
evenings ago: -"i' lI'hiit y ~ d
Mr.. j. B. Ham, of East Boston, boss
blacksmith, who hadadopted the eight hour
system, said that a long experience had
CONVINCED him that the ten hour system
was of more advantage to both employers
and employees than longer number of 30
hours of labor. Under his practice there, 81;
was more puuctuality observed under the
ten hour rule than the eleven hour rule, ~
and that as general rule the hands were a
not as profitable as those who worked ten
hours. His eXperiencein Boston since 1860
was narrated. Previous to this time how
ever, he had labored for several years by
the day, working thirteen hours day, and
during that time he keenly ielt the -disad-
vantage of being deprived of leisure time
in which to cultivate his mental faculties;
but since he had only eight hours day, he
had improved his spare time, and was now,
consequently, stronger in both mind and
body. He confidently asserted that the
man who labored only eight hours day
could in the long run add as much capital
to his employers Golfers, as those who la
bored ten hours, and'in his opinion it would
be better for Massachusetts if the eight hour
system was universally adopted, not only
in point of wealth, but intelligence. Short
hours better adapted a man tor his work
than long hours, He thoughts a generation r
of farmers could work fifteen hours to more
advantage than generation of mechanics
could ten hours. In answer toa question of
one of the Commissioners, Mr.. Ham was of
opinion that the reason why large num-
Der of wOrkmen INDUCED in the habit of
using tobacco and ardent spirits was ocea-
stoned by physical exhaustion and over
work; tn at they sometimes found it neces- q,
sary to do this,in order to stimulate them
to other necessary duties.
Mr.. Joseph HUsmer, of Boston, shoe- q
maker, said as class of men the shoemak-
ers did not desire an eight hour law. They
all worked by the piece or hour, and had
reduced the business to science. Men in
Lynn, he said, worked from eight to thir-
teen hours. The number of hours worked q
by them depended upon their pecuniary
circumstances and the state of the business.
/ He thought carpenter would do as much
work in ten hours as in twelve. Aiman. he
said, should be paid according to his. abili-
Jty. Dctation among shQemakers would be
lodious; every man ought to be left to do as
he pleased He thought the eighth hour
system would be applicable to certain spe-o'
citic trades which, worked at regularly, had '
"a tendency to exhaust the physical system.
If workmen were encouraged to save a po
ton of their earnings, instead OF spending
them for narcotics andl0ther stimulants, heqi
thought the remedy for short, hours would :
be arrived at. If the eight-hour law would
elevate man he was in favor OF it, but ev-
cry man must preserve his own indipidual-zil
lty and manhood-joumeymen asz well as y
bosses. The eight hour system, he said, had
its advocates among those who were in its
secrets and who wished to control matters
by what they call moral force. Members
5 of societies, he said, refused to work with
THOSE not associated with them, and struck
for higher wages and employers, chose to-
Mr. 6. T. Crane, President Of the State
Association Of lMassadhlisettsp 4
denied that this course was pursued. 1ol 1sai
In conclusion, Mr.. Hosmer said to the Il
Cpnimittee, that so far as shoemakers were !,
concerned they desired to be tlfberty TO do !
as they pleased, to adjust thei pay to the 4
amount and character of the work perform
Jed. He did not know but what this, rple E..
might be applied to other trades. Capital
lists and legislation often combined to effect
the prices of tile laboring classes,
|, MI. IRA 'StewRrt, of Worcester, said the
sboemakers we're the poorest paid class Of !
mechanics in the State aud thougbt the !,
reason. of this was because, they. did d not
combine In the form of trade Unions to pro,
ltect tHeir own Interests AS an Instance Of
this in1contrast he hereferred tothe callkers,i9
who receive 50 and So per dayaapd. who |.
had their trade unions, thus preventing 4
capitalists from combining against labor. ''''"
! ID. f. Drake, of. Boston, harness-maker,
said that the Body Of men he Represented
preferred the eight-ii0ur system. Si Day
workers labored ten hours, but those who o.
worked by the piece worked more tha1jo,
eight hours, The best Workmen received !,
S3 day. Those who worked the least num-: =
ber of hours were the most intelligent men;ui
this was characteristic whichi he could j
inotfail to notice. ?. Z nGal ri Gge ssw s1o'