New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-26
The Eight-Hour Movements.

To ne Editor Of The " Y Tyibune.
SIR: have just read your reply to The NeH-Iorh
World, in its editorial upon the eght-hour movement
From the commencement Of your notices OF the eight
hour movement you done full justice TO the idea that
inventions ultimately to labor and you
have refused deal In the insulting charges that worAgmen
would abuse the leisure afforded by the eghhour system
Thanks for all this But why my dear Sir viii you continue
20 ignore our reai claim which is that there will not only be
very much wealth produced the eghthour system but
that wages can never be increased without increasing the
price the articles produced until he hours o. labor are re-
dncsd.
How often have your reader. observed The London Tme'
in quoting American opinions and indications entirely gnor-
ing The TRIBUNE and its half million intelligent readers and
quoting Tie York Herald This just fair as for you to
argue as you upon the movement and assume
that wages be reduced the hours OF labor are reduced
Our very claims upon point that reduction OF hours
an increase OF wages carefully suppressed by all the op
position press II Is this idea-that OF increasing wages
which will arouse the day abores to vote in favor OF
Eight Hour nominees truth, they have right to
know IT, and those who oppose If they would be air ana
candid should ard the point nsteod OF ignoring It,
In talking with intelligent person who is not afraid to
confront novel theory is safe TO put the case thus The
great material idea Of the EghHour movement is more
rapid production and equal distribution Of the fruits Of
labor"
But Of this the masses and believe very e' They
can conceive however RACES for day labor being increased
e and happens to be truth in the case We make
prominent There will yet be Experimentation OF Labor
and is fruits has been in America of political rights
but the road which up this long The way to
reach this result viii be found only very gradual but e1
ceedingiy simple The result then to look for in
ducton Of increase OF and at the same
time cheapenng Of the results Of labor Gradually the
wages system will fade out. until at last every man viii re-
ceiye all earns and We shall grow-not jump
into cooperative industry and capitalist and aborer will be
The first thing to BE- done in the examination OF theory
the solndness the first point that reducing the
hours increasing wages" or course hers limit to this
theory 1t will say that will increase their
wages per By adopting the EghHour system
that had beetry the oDehouraday plan; and to antc
pate all the which dngenuous aiul opposition may
suggest would extend this protest beyond your tine
20 read We claim that reducing the hours Of labor down 20
O certain unknown number viii wages. and that;
below that unknown number the Of production will be
so diminished higher wages will be impossible and we
arc very that the EhHour safe TO commence
upon.
Now the first question to ask in testing o.
our great claim what it that the price Of labor in
the present agei We ay it is the habits customs ways OF
living &c. Of the people.
John Stuart Mil says page as vol D. mo remedies for
loo RACES the smallest chance OF being ecacous which
do not operate on and through the minds and habits OF the
pie"
Long hours OF labor upon hard and dirty employment cause
loo habits and customs hours upon clean employ
men bring up the habits and Of the employed and
this Is why 1t true as general rule that those who work
the hardest longest upon the most disagreeabe oecupa
tions get Inc least pay.
As sure workngmen allowed time to stop and run up
their habits customs the fortunes their labor has
created will melt back hands and the first signs that
thaw has commenced will be in the higher wages they will
receive
This working through natural but simple laws to bring
about the age when
"Trni and Corn. 10 e.sh man born.