The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-07
THE EIGHT HOUR LABOR MOVEMENT.
Mass Meeting OF Workingmen NJ Cooper
Institute.

Institute.
The large hall OF the Cooper Institute crowded
evening by the worngmen of this city, assembled to dis
cuss the eight hour labor question. The intelligent
working classes turned out in great force almost all the
trades being represented the occasion. The
ment in furtherance of which the meeting called
attracting general attention. and the citizens most inter
ested adopting mode Of action which bids fair
TO them the boon they ardcntly desire The
organization is perfect in every particular, and the
greatest harmony and accord of action marks all their
proceedings The assemtage last evening was imposing
in numbers and in the appearance and conduct of those
composing it, The female relatives Of the workngmcn
present in large numbers the Ladies' Protective
Association being also well represented and for whom
the front row Of seats reserved An excecn. band
of music added further attractions to the proceedings
The business Of Ne meeting opened by the ap-
pontment chairman Of Mr.. MICHAEL srEvEss who ad-
dressed the meeting at length He said that the idea of
gathering in the advocacy of the question t had to
consider the assembage before him would NV years
ago have secuted as utopan. They were not aIono
in the fight They were supported by eminent
Some able speakers were present, who would address
them and he would therefore conclude.
Mr. EDWIN JAMES was then introduced. He s&id 10
better that this should be carried out by the
w0rkingmcn themselves. The organization ard the
object they desired to accomplish by !, had his mos.
cordial good wish ond cooperation. He tr,sted that
ltical parties and ciaues II they did this nn4 worked
TO the end In the same spirit which had MARKED their
| proceedings hitherto. they certain Of sue
| cess. The movement win make itself felt, though
| OF recent origin In this country. II strug-
gle between capital and labor They had had Brit sh
capitalists among them lately. He would be glad
British capital invested in works or benefit But these
men came heraldcd as with rumpets aid acclaim as II
they had come to perform some phianthropic object
But what did they come forS To invest thor capital,
and 10 receive four and five per cent upon L. when they
could get only three percent at home One would have
thought that they csne as commissioners TO pay for the
dcpcdations inflicted upon American commerce by rebel
svaeers fitted out in British ports. (Appausc Tho
British capitalist was In himself unexceponabe but
stil az capitalist ne was not quite amenable to the
laws which should bind the capitalist and the laborcr
together The most corrupt Of all arstocrcics the
arstocracy Of wealth. Wealth. when employed as
capital in labor should exercise equity and justice toward
the men whose toll and sinew produce that wealth.
Cheers He differed with those who said they should
trust TO legislation their object They were
bound that there no legislation again
them; but legislation for the operative 10 fix for him
the hours Of labor the maximum minimum
OF wages n snare and a farce tApplausel They
did not require 10 resort to legislation They should
trust 10 their own energies-their dignined and
TO the Legislature whose sympaihics not with
them; for the question OF nbridgcment OF labor
entitled by right and Justice This wns not question OF
legislation for the whole matter in their hands
II was for them TO work out their own salvation This
was thor work. and they alone must do It, They had
the sympahies Of oil true men, but action for them.
selves s.aua. - -s.s-ssE-s
"s ss pssc: ~o1a S9 from nh, ,% a 6 s
A list Of vice presidents and secretaries was then
read and adopted.
the movement was next read, and, being submitted,
was adopted by reclamation.
DR.: ROBINSON was the next speaker He thought mat
employers should prefer 10 have good days work done
In eight hours than TO have II better done in ten.
Let two shops start on q contest-one to work Its en-
ployes ten hours the other eight and the result would
prove that the eight hour would turn out much
and better work than the ten hour lsborers The
dculty which stood in the way OF operatives in Eng.
land IL vin
the hours Of labor that they could not bring the
ballot box "a bear Here they could and they should
ercsc the great power that would aid them In attaining
their object He did not with the speaker who said
that they led no legislation In the matter They did
qurc logsls' and they should return the Lcgsla
turc men sho would support them in this movement.
Cheers The sborng classes required eight hours for
sleep and eight hours for social and intellectual enjoy
mcnt and culture and they would freely give eight hours
70 remunerative labor Al present Il impossible for
the aboring man, the mechanic and the artisan pay
that attention 10 the education and culture OF their young
children and TO tho well being OF their families which
these great duties required. II impossible for them
70 develop their own talent and abilities while $50 many
hours OF the day were devoted TO labor The
ton was in perfect working order and he hoped that II
would speedily succeed in securing the desired object
Mr. NEAL next spoke. He said the great opponents OF
the movement were men who could TO great extent
control their own time as 10 business. There was fear
and labor That was not They had inscribed on their
banner the sentiment that the interests OF capital and labor
were identical. enc argument against the eight hour
the ratio OF wages must be reduced But he denied that
IT labor governed by the supply and demand, then
when there a surplus OF work, wages increased.
Working under the ten hour system day they worked
sixty hours week n they abored hut eight hours q
day, that would be forty eight hours week That
q reduction OF twelve hours, and this gave employment
70 additional numbers OF workmen- II one hundred
thousand laborers employed n eight hours,
that would give labor TO twenty thousand additional
mon Tho lsborng classes bore the brunt Of taxation
aud this was fact that operators seemed 70 lose yht
or Thelspcaker, In PLAN and convincing argument
advocated the night Of the workiugman 20 an abrdgc
Of the hours Of labor In couoluson he called upon
hem TO combine and organize for the purpose OF asst
ing the question: and a. their resolution said let go
ganixaton Look 70 the interest Of all and Zach Cas
all differences and chickering's ssdc Cultivate the high
instincts OF your nature Sssk the cause and effect OF
thess things and when che nna result In accomplished
there will be those In after years who will bless them
Tor their sotion 10 this great matter AppiauseI
Mr. KAaR addressed Ahe meeting IN The German Ian.
guage.
The object Of the movement was advocated by other
speakers, Who treated the subject ably and practically
lie pfoceedlnaa than hrnurhi Ia n close and the