Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-07
The WorLinsmen of Chtc.ro.

4
OF Chicago receive no sympathy. Th.
Illinois Legislature having passed Law
legalizing eight hours as days work fol
mechanics, o.take effect on the 1st inst.
it appears that the workingmen, or a
1least a large portion of them, were de-
termined, to, have the efficacy of the Law
tested. .On the part of the employers there
was a -disinclinatien to have it tested. HaG
there been perfect willingness on theil
part to allow the law to go into effect
there would not have been that lawlessI
mess on the part of laborers of which com.
tplaint is made by Republican journals-
While some Of the laborers have undoubt.
Iedly been guilty of irregularities, or Of
tue violation of law, they are by no means
the only offending parties, nor should all
manner of maledictions be hurled at them
Labor to-day stands at disadvantage with
capital. Does capital refuse investment 10
Government securities when the Govern
ment is reeling and staggering and in
danger of overthrow, unless exemption
from all manner of taxation on its invest
ment is given it, the Government complies.
Is workingman drafted to sustain that
Government in the field, he has no other
alternative than to comply. Does cotton
manufacturer, or woollen manufacturer,
or an iron manufacturer, imagine that the
Tariff is not sufficiently high to give him
"the protection he considers necessary, he
posts off to Congress and generally gets
approXimating the Tariff he asks for. Re-
monstrances from, workingmen,- that ttey
cannot stand the Increased burthens thai
such legislation will throw upon theiI
shoulders, is disregarded. They are moi
consulted about the matter of taxation Oh
the salaries of officials. Their duty, ae-
cording to Republican journals, is to labor
from early morn to late at night to keep
body and soul together. They should be
thankful that they have something to dc
at a pitiful compensation even. The
hundreds of millions that are now
annually required through taxation
to carry on the Government, are
wrung in great part from the toll of the
this country feel that they are oppressed.
They have an idea that if they,were required
to toll only eight hours day their condf>
tion would be bettered. 1t may not be; but
this can be ascertained on trial. and if that
trial shall prove that instead of eight hours
conducting to their well-being, it is nothing
but a vexatious hindrance, they will not be
slow to have recourse to the ten hour sys-
tenn. It is perfectly right that the laborer
should endeavor to get as much compensa-
tion for his labor as possible. The ecapital-
ist does not make his ventures without ex-
pecting adequate returns. He don't pro-.
pose to work for nothing, nor anything
like it. Why should the laborer be asked
to do otherwise? Capitalists are not in the.
habit OF voluntarily advancing the pay of
their workmen; but they usually ask them
to work for the lowest figures possible, and
unless the workingmen act in concert, they
will have exceedingly great difficulty in
getting theirwages up to keeping them
up to paying point.
Some, we see, have taken to computing
how much the workingmen of Chicago
have lost by their strike. Ill-timed COM
miseration. Why, if they were so con-
siderate as to the losses the working classes
would sustain, did the Republican partisans
allow the country to drift into war and
into these times, when every industrial
pursuit is oppressed! Manufacturing
establishments are not run for the benefit
of the working classes, as appears to be in
Situated They are run for the purpose
OF making money for the stockholders
or owners. Without an expectation
of making money, they never would be
gun-would not be prosecuted, Seldom
is there difficulty with workingmen, il
their pay is adequate and prompt. ''The
laborer is worthy of his hire,p is declara-jt
tion of scripture, and if all sorts of busi--
ness shall be prosecuted with this fact in
view there;will generally be little trouble, |
and if the employers of Chicago had given |
aid in putting the Eight Hour law into |
effect, we are satisfied there would not have
been what's called ''rioting'' on the part
the workingmen of that city. ,7 III i