New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-11
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.

| "Can the Hours Oh I'aVoi pV io"uVou
generally to Eight per day 7"
This question is one of the gravest OF the
many now soliciting public attention. IL
comes home to every fireside, while its decs-
ion must affect the whole vast fabric OF In
dustrv and Business. 1t is manliestly not
TO be answered OGhand, but requires calm
deliberation and patient scrutiny, as well as
thorough discussion. Let none be afraid oft,
for its proper consideration Will insure It's
correct decision. Let us all have faith i'll the
might of Truth.
We are among those who hope for an ulti-
mate abridgment of the Hours of Daily Labor.
Why not Formerly, nearly all who worked
for wages in cities toed eleven or twelve hours
per day. Now ten hours is very generally
accepted as the measure of days work; yet
nobody is hurt. Is it certain that we have
reached the limit of progress on this road1 step
into any foundery, any machine-shop. any great
mandatory, and note the infinity OF In
vcntions and devices whereby Labor has been
economical and its efficiency increased within
the last forty years. Go out upon the praires,
and note how the human 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. We are simply showing that there
is main question, and that it should be care
fully studied, be candidIy considered, before it
is decided
The current assumption that the laborer for
wages derives no benefit from the rapid march
of Invention is utterly fallacious. lie is ben
eftcd-signally benefted-by the necessary
chcapening Of the products Of whatever indus
try finds its efficiency thus increased. But sup
pose he should say, 81 prefer to receive my
share Of the benefit resulting from the march of
improvement in the shape of increased leisure
and opportunity for study ard reflection, rather
| than in finer clothes, larger house, richeriood,
more stimulants, &c, what would be the proper
answer!
We look with much interest on the move
mcnt for shortening the Days Work; yet the
argumcnts-or rather. the assumptions-oi It's
champions oi'ener repcl than tend to convince
us. Here is a sample. in manifesto recently
issued by the Journeymea shiMoiners Of our
City:
Eefo'-,5 That in justice to ourselves nnd TO onr iam
lics and of the im ovcmcni Of snch Intellect ~ God
has given US We consider eight hours iDf labor 10 De
fair aud Just division OF the tWenyio and We slail
use nl honorable means 10 obtain Legislative sane
inn etc Ia "A
R,soired. That ns the merchant and capitalist w"ik
but five six lours pr day $50 IL ot space o; une
accumulate millions principally by olr manual labor
We believe that the noble just and generous viii not
aud the proud oppressive and ungcnorous should not
| refuse to grant our iuft demands.
The old judge cautioned the young one not
to accompany his decisions by reasons, because
Judgment was often right while the judge's
reasons for giving it were utterly mistaken.
The former of these resolves cmbodie5 a simple
and every way proper demand, which the
second stuliifes by assertions which are widely
known to be false. 1t is perfectly notorious
that successful employers and business men
work too ntently. too constantly; and they
should be urged to shorten the working day for
their own sake and that Of tleir families, who
are too often deprived of their society by their
+ incc-sa absorbing devotion to mouey-making.
To tell these men that they work but FIVE or SIX
hours per day, a. an argument for short
, cning the days work of their employs,
is the very way to set them iufexibly against
you. If there be indeed merchants and CAPT
talists 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 accumulate millions" Ne
worked on the average more than ten hours per
; day as journeyman mechanic; yet we lived
an easier, less cxactng life than we have ever
done since; and such We believe to be O very
| common experience.
Here is another specimen Of Eght-IIour
advocacy, extracted from the platform of the
late great Workngmen's Mass Meeting in
+ Fsneuil Hall, Boston,
Resolrtd, That in the coming city election we will
ask but ono question Of all candidates viz: Wil YOU
If elected use all your influence 10 secure the Eight
Hour ystem for every labOrer and mechanic employed
b City of Boston by contractors otherwise aud
AT the rate OF pay usually allowed III the IenHour sys
Resolc,d That the great material advantage 10 the
aborer Of the Eighllour system H. that it II the only
way BY winch h.s wages ever be permanently in
creased WITHOUT increasing the price Of ne article pro-
ducedthGt this increase H. the labOTors wages viii be
at the expense Of the vast wealth OF individual capital
lists ana NOT at the expense Of the laboring consumer
that the simple Increase of wages means the first step
on that long road which ends at last In equal
81 distribution OF the fruits Of industry IN which the pro-
duccr anu the capitalist will be That, the vast
fortunes Of individuals must melt back into the hands
which produced them, under higher standard OF In
lligence 50 also must the abuses monopolies, and
l s1t