Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-05-24

prominent advocates, has declared
that it viii pass both Houses Of CON.
| srs4sl
a meeting of persons Interested in
the question was lately held in New
York, ct which Mr., Greedy appeared
as an earnest and jealous advocate
Of the great idea that the day for the
workingmen should be divided into
three equal parts-one devoted to
labor gapotherto rest, and third tc
recreation and improvement. But
Mr.. Greedy remarked that the OBJ
ject could not, in his opinion, be
gained by Legislation. The opinion
thus expressed is the more remarka'
BILE for the reason that it is the only
occasion upon which that gentleman
has expressed a doubt as to theprac.
ticability of doing anything by law
| What Parliament could do, according
to the old adage, is nothing to what
can be done BY Congress, in the be-
lief of Mr.. Greeley. aa4 49, r.
All the laws in the world will not
shake or alter the rules of demand and
supply Labor can be, employed and
paid by the hour as well as the day.
The results and products oflabof
regulate its price. The system
sought for can be adopted voluntarily
by any one, with or without the aid
Of Legislation. But, if production
should be necessarily diminished by
reduction of hours of labor, upon
whom does the loss fall4 Certainly
it tails upon the body Of the commu-
pity, Of which the workingmen CON-
prise the major portion. An increase
of price follows the dimunition of
supply ofcommoditiesnecessary for
general consumption. lS3tF H99
It may be doubted whether more
than eight hours of labor is proper
for the human constitution. Physi-
ologists say it is not. But this will
depend partly upon the mature Of
the employment and the physical
ability and habit OF the individual.
And, at the same time, it may be ad-
mitted, that with eight hours of Ia
Dor the world may be kept in motion.
But the workingrnpn Of the country
are laboling under grievances which
the eight-hour rule will not remedy.
Increase of wages has not, during
the last fonr Or five years, proved a
remedy. Journeymen mechanics in
ourlarge cities represent that increase
Of wages, since the currency began
to,depreciate, has not benefited them
at all. In New York city, for in
stance, house carpenters have had
their wages raised to five dollars a
day, and they say they are not better
off than when their pay was, in spe-
Gle times, half the amount or even
less. ts a."aFs
At the present time labor is in
ample supply aud in excess OF de
mand, in consequence OF the cessation
of lwar.. Wages are stationary orde-
clining, and the cost If living re-
mains the same. No wonder that
the workingrnen strike. They don't
strike at the right object, for they
do not seem to recognize the real
cause of their trouble It lies en-
tirely or chiefly in redundant and
deprecated paper currency, which
embraces to an intolerable extent the
cost Of living The prospect of the,
working classes and of ali persons of
moderate means and fixed incomes,
in this respect, may be slowly i'm
proving, but for long time prices
will be sustained in proportion to the
amount of currency afoat, and till it
begins to undergo sensible diminu-
ton. @ saa.aH
A reduction Of the currency, ad-
/ L