New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-08
EIGur.IunIn LOGIC.


We print herewith a second article from Mr.. Ira
Steward commenting the Eight-IIour limitation.
We must not be understood as opposing that limta-
ton because we cannot concur in the views where
with it is usually commended. a good measure may
be supported by very lame arguments. We do not
believe that reducing the hours Of labor to eight per
day would secure to hired aborcrs, any more than to
those who work in their own shops their own
farms fuller recompense for their labor than they
now get and yet we think a reduction Of the usual
hours Of daily labor desirable and ultimately practical
BILE If there be any who imagine that there would not
be rich and poor, thrifty aud improydent comfortable
and needy, sober men and sots spendthrits and mi
sers milionaires and beggars under the Eght-llour
rule, we are not in accord with them.
As Mr. Steward has not seen fit to reply TO our for
mer observations on this theme, We will treat his
views with like Differences making our own sugges-
tons independently-as follows:
l. Wages depend on capacity. The man who
handles pick and spade on the Pacific Railroad (for
instance) earns certain amount, expressed with
rough accuracy in his wages an inventor or engineer
who should show how to save O0JO,0 900 days work
in building that road would probably receive $1,000,
900 therefor: and he would have earned this truly
as the picker and spaler would have earned his 81 or
81 per day. Capacity measures earnings. The great
first cause of there being many distressed needle
women is their doing such distressing needle-work.
II. Let two men, with their families. settle on some
else uninhabited island in the far Pacific and let them
be equal in all external circumstances A. being more
energetic, thrifty, proydent, will accumulate mple
ments, seeds, products, which b. in time will need;
and. when he does need them, he will offer A. n
consideration for their sale use; thus 81 need
seed-corn; you can spare some; will give you five
pecks next harvest for bushel now" and it will be
right and Just for A. TO sell the offered terms. If
b. sees fit instead to say, "Give me bushe Cor a
pecO of seed-corn and will work day for you in
planting il will be right for A. to accept the offer if
he sees fit. And thus AS first saving gives him
start which will (unless their dispositions change)
tend constantly to increase the disparity in their rea
tive possessions
ILL., Rude, repulsive work is often paid less than
other and more agreeable empoymcnts because II
requires iooer order of capacity, and there many
who can do this who cannot do the other; while there
are few who can do the more agreeable work who
could not also do the more repulsiye if they chose.
Thus, good matchmaker or engineer commands
better wages than good ditcher or hostler: not
because he is richer (or he may not be but because
his work demands a rarer faculty and far greater
devotion of time and talent to acquire a mastery of
We lack faith, therefore-utterly, absolutely
Mr.. Stewards conceptions of the necessary or natural
results Of reduction Of the hours of Labor to eight
per day. We hold that the laborer if he produces
less than now, must receive less for his abor-noi
necessarily lower money wages, but smaller alloi-
ment of the physical comforts of life. But this doe
not prove that he will not be benefited; for he may
often live rugally enjoying more leisure and OPP
portunity for mental improvement and be decidedly
the better for it, We wish there hundred
workers for wages who would try the experiment
AS to reducing forthwith tho hours Of labor in Gov