The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-06-29
The Eight Hour Movement.

Tho movement which bias boen inAuzur.iod in
this city for the purpose Of reducing the time off
days labor 70 eight hours 10 ono which cannot be
forced forward rapidly without endsngering iA
chance Of success. IL 10 something new, an inno-
va,on on long established usage and Whatever
the meri, or The iustics OF the proposition, II will
naturally be received 81 FIRST with ds,rusi and OPP
position, as 10 the case with oil radical reforms
The movement has a. yet taken no decided shape
no settled plan has boen formed for Its attempt
ell ution,--snd ais quite as vol that none Of
the suggestions made up 10 ibis time have boon
adopted. Tho idea 81 appealing 10 Congress for
the passage ofs iii making eight hours legln d.
msto days work throughout the whole country, 10
hardly worth noticing, for Congress has less power
70 regulate the hours of labor, than those who
would sign such petition. The plan Of appealing W
the Legislature for law TO requisite the matter In
this State, Is ennted 70 little NOR. consideration
although II Is not calculated 10 efect tho desired
end. Ths, body unq1es,iOnstly has the power To
pass an enactment making eight hours
legitimate days labor, but what then
Suppose . favorable Legislature has been secured,
and that bill has beon Asse1 declaring that eight
hours shall I've = lawful days work, what 10 the
practical eGecIt II employers refuse 10 recognize
the policy, n for any they are syerse 70 It's
provisions, there Ia no power N compel them TO
sccedo 70 H. aud tho whole question returns 70 its
| starting point. Legislation cannot govern the r.
| lstions between capital and labor, and those who
arc Interested in tae success Of the movement,
should take this fsct into confederation. No legs.
lsuve enactment can compel . manufacturer "a
4 - -.
| ther bis objection TO them IL founded upon theiI
mech snicsl Abity tho rate 81 wages or the number
| Of hours that are 70 constitute days work. TIT
whole subject therefore II dependent upon the res
pectivs interests Of capital and labor and In ihii
| light II mus, be considered. The worklngnon, in
seeking 10 accomplish this reduction IN tue hours
u labor, must necessarily secure the concurrence
u employers, and there are only two possible way
by which this eau be done hrst by persuasion, se
cond. by coercion. The results u the various Goa
cis between and labor both In this countr!
and Europe, prove ths, the arst-pamed policy II
alone consistent with the interests OF labor for ~
attempted coercion " capital tho part Of labor
should be rssor;sd to only In the most aggravated
| cases Of injustice Now, tie Old ten hours system
WAS Introduced by . cooperation Of labor al
capital because IL was thought that the polIc.
would be mutually advantageous II WAS N
vorsingmen who first suggested II, and by setnn
the benefits before their employers and by put
holy agiiAtIng the question IN friendly spin
employers were led TO believe the system goo
one, and hence adopted II. The movement Il
closing the stores 81 seven o'clock in the evening
could not have been successful without the willin
| concurrence Of employers Tho true policy 10 ptlI