New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-08
TIE EIGHT HOUR MOVEMENT



c,p. Tn n certain sense VIC expect but very httle |
a., LEGISLATION in aid Of the EyhHour Systems ou' the
,te we DO expect OF the importance to US that lew
hure dollars would be in the hands Of manager like n T.
sieWar for instance when about TO commence business no"
many wealthy men have affirmed tha their great difficulty was
20 get the first thousand doars That secured as base
NJ onatons there was little wish for in the hands Of an
excellent manager Even Archimidos must have fucrum
upon which place lis ever before lie cogd move the world
Ewe call tie first few hundred dollars en very small sum
spon which frane or TIE fucram upon which
the lover must Be placed before the weight moved an insg
nfcani affair may in tie call the little egis-
on necessary to secure the Eight Hour s. stem matter oil
small moment.
Give us all We ask for 'o-9ly IN the way OF legislation which
all we have right d.mand, and the number Of workers
Who tomorrow would Il employed upon the Eighi-llour
system wond DO only very small Of the whole
Der employed Bat that small woad begin to Illus
Lrae practically philosophy very difficult 10 understand
eaes yOn make the matter study long enough 10 master s
subject theoretically. Legislation VIII give US PHILOSOPHY
seachDg by example" AuOng molern devices for reach
g teaching the minds OF the young system OF OBJ
iect Lessons" by Il which the rudiments can be
learned without knowledge Of the alphabet In this way
something Arithmetic Geography aud Philosophy may be
easily impressed upon the mind Of child while at Play with
cut taxing its physical energies.
We ask people living the Portsmouth Charles
and Brooklyn NavyYaIds and around the Springfield
and Waertows Arenis shall have chance to observe tie
praoca operation Of the Eight Hour system upon the work
men employed therein Fulton first thought and talked. His
reasoning interested very very few The success Of bis
boat steamed up tie Hudson converted al upon its
banks and thus h scen taught ty example Tho peops
aid not ak; they and eyej Bot blessed is the
who can say t,-lay used hear Fulton tax, and his
philosophy seemed sound
Before the Editor of the TRBUNE be induced to bring
eli his bear upon every to Sc
cure example he get the idea the great central
,deo the shOrtTme movement which is material the fact
shat only through reduction o. hours wages increase
equal distribution of that which
isbor produces
Iorace Greeley should announce himself satisfied OF the
Of this claim that single fact would constitute an
epoch Then would call upon tho National
Government teach this philosophy through the example a
forded by its employees in the Government works
No who loves his could resist the temptation to
announce so important truth We understand the facy Of
assuming that lie who pants tbs aid gathers field OF
sorn is entitled 10 sry and ersy l OF IT," We know
that mere muscular a would create mach wealth
that some must mako thinking and eEperm eang teaching
and writing going and coming, speaking and singing &c.
specially and that lie wOrll is the richer as well as
better for IT, While eagerly say this part Of gos
mel we insist that che plants ts and gathers field Of
corn BARNS as much lis ageas who take it from his hands
and that the true question for you 10 ask is; why
Cont he get Tell Of gea, natural law which governs
DO that lie who wtrxs hardest and orget upon the most
dagreeabe empl ymei tie least They get the least
generally bn there something wrong in such SYSTEM
Every man who industrious and frugal ought t. have in
days Of railroads steamboats, palaces and eranaries
enough self and family of comforts edscation and in
nuence why is that such is not the easel We don't
ask shall give cent Of your accumulation to those
who have none as seteme o! q Get oil you can
possibly and spend s. wisely may te But we do Insist
that the time m to Look the question fairly in the
ee-confass d the muscular industries are not prop
s rewarded study the laws which govern
wages Men say tat wages governed by the law Of
amply and demand They by tits that where there
uoh 10 do enough to do IT. that The price
for 90 up employers will overbd each other
IN their eageRes TO hep and where there not much
20 VII underbd each other because they must
Aas employment and thus bring the price Of labor down
But why is that hare employment Because
they would sar1e death they did lot have it, Because
they poor Then why not say ia the fewes pos
sible that brought SonH from time to time
because tie working classes AZ poor When you say 70
pOor hard-workng man. "Sir your governed by
the law supply demand lie don't know what to say he
can see no point 10 nert knows that something
vrong-ha his dlsiry and rugay ought TO secure morei
and yet you state ough, be satisfied and he
satisfied 1t very convenient way OF meeting those
Who are receiving for they mysfed and
generally say nothing But just dep tie expression Of sup
ply and demand" end tell bin that Lis wages ioD simply
because poor and be viii be pretty to reply with the
spestion, Their, why am poor :"
very troublesome inquiry for those who want to get rid of
spch
Hall tie meu in certain trade comfortably and
amply provided for that Of them compelled by want
their p0Yertl-t0 Insist AT
prices became and all could be made
that bad policy 10 accept Of employment at
fnced wages thea wages would not fall although the cup
ply Of workers that trade much greater than the
demand" Under slch circumstances it would be simply
matter Judgment aud discretion who Ler any Of them
ally demanded empoyu ent
They would lie I'll IL erty sct With reference TO their
future well tier present necessities. They could II
shey would say each other II wait for work until
times good again VheE employers afford TO as
much they did before shall have made much money
% WORK imme il:ely loo wages; for when
wages brought they do go up again very
that reduct OF wages "a dull times simply
production which l. to l,t org after dull times
have gone by AL at may lose By doing nothing for
three months be made by tie increased earnings Of
single year following In wri what is tie OF our
taking Is months to that which in l2
"Snppy and demand clnIot rng down the Of men
Who can thus &C. nd tall have both the and
sense not to demand" employment when cannot be had
without reducing wages; for it will not pay.
Many workingmsl is ready to say, well could live six
months without demanding labor"
Yes bat they forget very important fact that all who
90 their kind Of work not in this conditions and, in
reminding such Of their forgeuness TO the real
.snss Of the law of supply and demand" far it
relates To the price Of human labor.
'Suppy and demand" Speaking through low to the
Industrious and saving workers. Thou shalt love thy
peghbor myself" and that # they will not they shall pay
material penalty There is probably material well
moral penalty attached to violation Of every
God practical well imeni6l; and until all tie
naiions learn this they must have and debts ard
sAoera The dirt OF tie uans Loyel is the iasma Of
the rich mans parlor."
The relation OF igi Grant and generally wretched
workers to who could live six months Independent Of
by following