The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-08
The Labor Problem in Process OF
solution.

The Legislatures of Illinois and Missouri, re-
spectively, passed laws at their late sessions
making eight hours in the absence of any
contract to the contrary, a legal days work.
Had these laws been left quietly to go into
operation, we might perhaps have seen prao-
tical demonstration of how far the eight-hour
system was demanded by or adapted to the
real interests of industry. But when the time
came for them to go into effect, it was found
that there was in Chicago determination, on
the part of the leaders and more reckless
participants in the eight-hour movement, that
that feature of the law allowing special con-
tracts to be made for any other number OF
hours than eight to constitute days work,
should not be allowed to operate. Accord
ingly, a mob of eight-hour strikers roamed
about the city, driving honest workingmen
from their toll, and compelling many indus
trial establishments to close their doors. A
general riot was feared but, owing to the
prudent preparations of the authorities to put
it down, did not occur.
In St. Louis better order was preserved.
strike of large numbers of the workingmen
occurred, and is still prevailing, but no dis
order has been committed. The workmen in
that city have expressed by resolution will
lingness to accept a reasonable deduction"
from former wages, under the proposed eight
hour system.
From the developments in these two Cities
it is found that some of the workmen insist
A.. Al. of LII -
out any reduction from former pay. Others
are willing to accept nine hours pay,sat the
old rate for eight hours labor, and still others
have accepted reduction of wages proper
tionate to the reduction in the hours of labor.
On the part of the employers, it is found that
some are willing to accept eight hours as a
days work, with a corresponding reduction of
pay, while few have compromised on re-
duction of wages somewhat less than the pro-
posed reduction of time. The great mass of
employers, however, insist on ten hours labor
as days work. This is especially the case
in those large establishments where heavy in
vestments in buildings engines, machinery,
ETC., have been made, the proprietors of which
declare that they cannot stand the loss in pro-
duOtiOn by the lying idle of the mills for one
fifth of the time even if wages were proper
tionatelY reduced. Rents, insurance, and in
terest on capital are the same for eight hours
work as for ten, and diminution of produc-
tive capacity by the stoppage of work during
one-ffth of the time would result in losses de-
structive of the business.
On the whole, the tendency seems to be to
settle down upon the basis of paying accord
ng to the number of hours of work done.
Establishments that can get along with eight
hours work, and workmen who can afford to
be idle one-ffth of their time, will probably
do so; but in the great majority of instances
the old rule will continue.
1t is to'be observed that in this contest
really but small fraction of the laboring
people OF the country are engaged or inte-
rested Farm laborers, all laborers bv the
week, month, or year. and the great army of
skilled workmen who labor by the piece, are
not interested at all, or very remotely. in
this question. The industrious and skilled
workman is anxious for such scheme of labor
as shall allow him to receive the lust reward
OF his skill and industry. But work bv the
day or by the hour puts the lazy and indus-
triOus, the taithless and the diligent, the
clumsy and the skilful, the slow and the
quick, all upon leVel-and the tendency.
by taking away the stimulus of fdiscriminatino, 9,
reward, is to bring all men down to the
level of the poorest. Take hundred hands
all working together by the day, and paid the
same wages, and the constant tendency is IN
approximate the standard of labor for all 70
the performance of the slowest of the lot. and
as, in the long run, the pay of labor must be
regulated by its productive capacity; the ten.
denoy, also, is to reduce the pay of all to the
standard of the lowest and least productive
Hence, every laborer of industry, zeal, skill
and ambition prefers to work in such way
that these qualities shall be Of some use t,
him.
There is also on the part of thousands AM
tens of thousands of workmen in this countr,
the laudable ambition to better their lot, t.
rise above the condition of mere laborers, an,
become themselves proprietOrs, combining il
themselves the character of both employe
and employed. Now this class of men ar
interested more than all else in accumulation
in laying up that first increment of capita
which shall form the stepping-stone to
higher condition. They are not interested i
a limitation of the hours of labor, especial
in reduction which must inevitably reduc
the rate of wages. Their first lookout is t
,uorl, In sucb a wav as will make their in