The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-10-05
THE NEW YORK SUN.
THURSDAY MORNING, OCT. 5, 1865.
The Eizbt Hour Question.

lut bOuF teN'es''
Aoo1R4spo ,DgsT informs us In two RACES o'
eo.nmuu'c l..on, tina, he ia dsplossed Wild our
remarks upon the eigh, hour system. we pointeo
out what we regarded as the true and only Ju-
diclous policy for the vorkingmen to pursue IN
ruspect TO the curtsimcnt OF the hours OF lsoor'
and at tho same time admonshsd them OF sucn |
dangers m We bclievei to he in The way oil any
other cou 60. Or corresooniont in'ers from hi'
faett ha. We a-e oppo-'l TO tho e.ght hour move
rroo, NV. wc dca,rc tno writer % the si.d leu'r
10 u-dcrs.sa nj & st ihe motto which he has seen IN
s.o-es-"wo study to plesss" Is not the motto Of
the SIS. We nei.her expect nor desire 70 please
eyerybody, for our IDEAS Of journalism lead us to
,alo position . peg higher than that which would
sirnply require "h'p--hurrah l"-for evoryning
that miyl, he proposed, whether good, bal or tu-
different The sur has for third II ,ce'try'
followed the policy q giving truthful and We'll
considered opinions, delivered from an mi arn'
stand. ut, and IL has no intention OF deyiAting
from that plsn nov. In respect 70 tic e.ght hour
uuosiion, our views arc founded upon long
experience Ia questions affecting labor' and
from TO logical probabilities IN the
case or err'apordent draws precisely tie
wrong iuferc-ra g. m or remarks Because We
mbinit,od viaI vc regard as tho only feasible
p,,n, Al ,hc sumo 'rns pointing out To danger Of
o,he- pl.rA he mu-g % the conclusion tha, we
arr ofpo,td totlo, ht hour increment, N'I''.
W. arc only opposed to making failure Of IL.
Do, our CORE pom tent, after having ventilated bis
diip ,ssirc proceeds 70 argue the eight hour qneH
ton for our personal cI.dcition. Aud this is the
way he does IT.
"fhold thu, ,h.'oiptt hour day will he IN sdvsn
.l.. lilo sNvi cd A. 10 eFnTlnWgrg a
vol AZ vorkinRmcn. I sdrnt that II viii cost the
employer more for labor but the basis OF ms CON
tracts being egh. hour labor BIS pr'ces n'il bs
oroporhouatey higher, his iprOfit Will he Al loas'
- l.nuaL and he will have 90 HuTerinicnt bis men
4 rso nours less than at prescnt will " unfste
- ska,nsw system IN The following way An owner
49, 10 . contractor " build store. IL oosi'
NySr cent more for labor in eigh. hour than zen
kour days; MS extra cost ttat itlls on tne Gun
pioyor he lays It on the owner he again ~ sly on
hta dry goods. groceries. hardware, or Whatever
he deais in, ard II taa,ly Jdlis on consurners rL1
by the bye ne mostly eOrkingmtn' and who IL
nlly, but indirectly, pay for lnoss OF our improve
mGnts."
We should have very little faith In the SUGGEST
Of the eight hour movement " It bad no Abler
champion than the writer q the above 70 recon
mend It. II, plainly admits ,ba. tho decrease II
production would AL at last upon csnsumer5, VII,
..To Inos,ly wor, ,lncn," and TIA. they woul'
have to pay ate OF incroaso IN everything he!
bought exaotl, proportionsio to the diminuton {
their production, By reason Of working eight hour
instead ~ ten II wo believed tho movcmen
would cntsh as much LOSE upon the workn
classes as our correspondent admits Il vail !
sssumins to advise the suS, wo should Oppose II
ole scheme without reserve. But wo thin
differently. And this, once iJr all,
sur Hew Of tie question; decrease in pr
Suction pecesSar ly entails increase OF coat
he consumc-. hut a worlsingman now is ab
70 10 as much work IN ton hours As no did half
century ago In fifteen, hr the rason tina: ii
progse. OF inyc lto1, and tho development
settles, have Increased bis producing capacity ,
mat extent Inyonslou SIN goes on. anl u
~orkinSman is in consequence enabled 10 produ'
more each year than ho did tho last. Now II b
sason OF this advantage man can do a. muc
sUrk in egh, no irs Al he has been accustomed !
% IN ten, why should he labor longer than III
AID eisht hoursf when those who find fsu
with the sus upon labor questions will sugge
IDEAS tina. are better than th5sa which wo sdvanc
se will be most happy to ADOPT them but tho
nust have more stable basis than tho srgume
our ceus1rious corresp 1ndent.