The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-29

receives for DAVIS labor OF ten or tweise S6es>.
fixing only the length OF days labor Th1
equality between the wages OF the employees
s WSen s, 30
Just and exp6dent as TO have been provided for by
iaW IN regard to employees OF the Navy Departments
and by departmental regulation In the War Depart
ment is a matter Of substance and not OF form.
This equality requires that the same worth OF labor
should be compensated In the public empioymen, at
the rates OF wages ID receives IN private employ
ment. IT. then, 1t Is found that the theory upon
which the act IN question was proposra anu r cT'
labor would be acquired TO the government . "
more hours Of daily labor IN the long rnn-s JUST
fed by experience then this rule Of eqnatty between
| public and private employment requires that the
eight hour day labor OF the government should b6
day labor in employment receives. IT. on the other
hand, this eight hear day labor o. the governments
- found 70 produce tess worth OF labor TO the gov
efnment than ten hous day labor produces 10 pri-
vate employers, the principle OF equality OF compen-
sation would be surrentsed u equal wages were
paid to unequal labor lfIhis disparity IN the worth
OF two different measures Of labor we're found 70
| exist, then the workmen IN private employment
would Justly claim that II the governments paid GER
tain wages for eiqt hours laborne shoud receive
higher wages for ton hours labor This increase Of
listed in private EN- pioyment the employees Of the
government wonld demand thiy new measure OF
ten hour labor base upon is being worth more man
be ENCOURAGED TO Else upon tie demands u
the other. That the essential clement Of this rule OF
crve the same wages in government AZ IN private
employment may be illustrated by mt Improbable
condition OF wages, while this theory otfawer hours
producing equal amounts OF labor with oA9er tlme
OF work Is being tested BY experience SUPPOSE
that there should be divided practice In private
| employment by which ten hours labor shouii re-
| ceive certain wages and eight hours sibor less
wages are fhe government eight hour laoercrs 20
receive under the statutes requiring or the DEPART
mental regulations prescribing equality OF wages be
| tween pubic and private employ menti tne private
wages for eight hours for those Tor ten hours ia"
Dor? Manifesty the government employers N the
supposed case would lind their necessary measure %
| equality in the pryata wages OF the eight h0uf
| labor. and not in the larger wages OF
| the ten hour labor. The conclusion, then.
to which come Is that the recent act does no. re-
qure that the wages OF the shortest day OF govern.
ment labor should be reduced in proportion IT, inc
hours OF labor and that the act as little requires tlrat
the wages OF the shortened day should be ~ large ~
the wages of the longer day OF privae employment.
In this silence OF the act Itself on the measure 81
wages while 1t speaks only OF the hours OF labor tne
departments are lett to the guidance OF the RUE OF
equality OF compensation for equal worth OF labor III
| government and In private employment 10 may 90
| that the equality OF worth shall DC the
| eight hour labor for the government and should
be compensated as highly as tho ten hour labor IN
private employment 1t may be that the wages IN
the two eMpoyments should be in the proportion o!
the different hours OF labor: and, finally It may oe
that the true adjustment OF disparity OF value be-
| tween the two systems OF labor may be between
these two rules am disposed TO think that no bet
ter solution OF the question raised ny Tue passage o
! an act prescribing the length OF government day
| OF labor, while the private emplOyfnenLs are IT o
from any restrictions In this respect must be ount
in the substance OF the rule OF equality between gov
eminent and private wages, which is manhesuy
wise and ust. Whatever difficulty there may he III
app.yrg this rule is intrinsic to the SUBJECT ana can
only be met by experience.
Have the honor to BE, very respectfully,
WM. M. EVARiS, Attorney General.