Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-11-11
Hearing On the Heurs Of Lab bsr /.
Prom the Boston po<t.l

rom the Boston Poet1
The hearing before the commissioners on the
hoUrs Of lsbor was resumed NJ the Stste Houee
iasi eN enins, II being the fourth meeting held
Ch he srbrct
hessrs. Ilden, Wright and Smelling, Of The
C nm sescn. We're present.
lie President announced that the workers
IN ieStheT and other textile fabrics would have
ne Irefsrsnee of q bearing, although others
VI u!o rot hr exclude q.
BAL. }. B. Ham, Of Last Boston, q boss black.
tEEE, who had adopted the eight hour systfm,
taio thai iong experience had convinced him
tfhi ihr zen hour systrm was OF more ad van
lese TO beth employers and EMPLOYEES than q
longer nEmbSr OF boGrs of labor. Under his
rlseuce there wat more punctuality observed
UEUer ihe zen hour rule than the eleven hour
rule, and that as a general rule the hands were
EOt profitable as those who worked ten
EouIs. His experience in Boston since 1900
narrated. Previous to this { me, how
ever, re hsd labored for several years by the
cay, working thirteen hours day, and during
shat time he keenly felt the disadvantage OF
Icing deprived OF leisure time IN which 10
cultivate bis mental faculties; but since he had
wCrkCd only eight hours day, be had i'm
proved hIE spare time, and was now, conse-
Guenily, stronger in both mind and body. He
cCEfd1nIIy asserted that The man who labored
oniy CiFht hours day could in The long run
aCd ss much capital 10 has employers cofers,
. :ECst who labored ten hours, and in his opin-
u u wJ I'D be better for Massachusetts II the
s'it Ei hour tysirrn was universally adopted,
iUL only III point of wealth, but intelligence.
sL'ri lours better adapted a man for his work
! IN lCDC hOurt. lie 16Oueht a EPneratiOn OF
:r;urTS could work fifteen hours 10 moro ad-
Iau:are than a generation of mechanics could
IN hours. In answer 10 a question of one OF
'Ic { CCnmIssioncrs, Mr.. Ham was Of the opin-
ion Ihat The reason why large number Of
working men iDdUleed in the habit of using to-
bacCo and ardent spirits was occasiOned by
physical exhaustion and oveTwork; that they
Ecmetgnes fonnd H. necessary 10 do this in
order TO stimulate them TO other necessary du-
ties.
Mr. Joseph Hosmer, OF Boston, shoemaker.
sal oil GnfV he
desire an eight hour law. They all worked by
the piece or hour and had reduced the business
10 a science. Men in Lynn. he said, worked
from eig ut 10 thirteen hours. The number Of
hours worked by them depended upon their
pecuniary circumstances and the state OF the
business. He thought a carpenter would do
ms much work in ten hours in twelve. A
man. he said, should be paid according 10 sis
ability. Dictaticn among shoemakers would
be odIous. Every man ought 10 be left 10 do as
he pleased. He thought the eight hour system
WIS applicable TO certain specific trades which,
worked at tregularly, had a tendency TO exhaust
tie physical system. IL workmen were en-
couinred 10 save portion Of their earnings,
IDsu ad of spending them for narcotics and
other stimulants he Thought the remedy for
short hours would be arrived at. II the eight
bour law would elevate man, he was in favor
OF II. but every man must preserve his own in-'
Giyiduality and manhood-iourneymen well
bosses. The eight hour system, he said, had
It's advocates among those who were in its Sc
crets and who wished 10 control matters by
what they call n moral force Members OF
societies, he said, refused 10 work with those
not assoc lated with them and struck for higher
wages, and employers chose te employ such
men.
Mr.. G. 7. Crane, President of the State Oar
penters' Association of Massachusetts,, denied
that this course was pursued.
In conclusion, Mr.. Hosmer said 10 the COM
mittte, that 20 far as the shoemakers were con-
cerned they desired TO he at liberty TO do as
they pleased, TO adjust the pay TO the amount
and character of the work performed. He did
not know but what this rule might be applied
10 other trades. Capitalists and legislation
often combined to effect the prices Of the labor
ing classes.
Hr. Ira Steward, Of Worcester, said the shoe
makers were the poorest paid class OF mechanics
in the State, and thought the reason OF this was
because they did not combine in the form OF
trade unions 10 protect their own interests. As
an instance Of this in contrast be referred TO
the caulkers, who receive 81 and IS per day,
and who had their trade unions, thus pre-
venting capitalists from combining against
labor.
ID. +. Drake, of Boston, harness maker, eaid
that the body of men he represented preferred
the eight-hOur system. Day workers labored
ten hours, but those who worked by the piece
worked more than eight hours. The best work.
men received SO a day. Those who worked
the least number OF hours were the most intel
ligent men; this was a characteristic which he
could not fail 10 notice.