The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-12

ANOTHER SraIEE AT Rock ISLAND Arse,
yAL.-The common laborers at the Arsenal
decline to work for 81 A day, and declare
that the eight hour law, if it was only intend
ed to reduce the price of a legal days work,
is a fraud upon the laborer. They demand
the price they formerly received, and they
ought to have it.
The Davenport Gazette of this morning
Cthe 18th, referring to the strike, some
days ago, says:
1t seems that at that time a committee waited
upon Hon. Hiram Price, and asked his opinion
in regard to the intention of congress in passing
| the eight hour law-whether the old wages
| were to be allowed under it or not He told
| them that the question Of wages was not con
| siedered when the law was passed. therefore 1t
would be hard to define the intention Of congress
| on the question Of wages, unless the motto ISL
lenee gives consent should be made to apply to
the subject lie advised the men to n to work,
labor eight hours each day--Scoopt reduced wa
ges for the present, and when congress meets
/ present their claims for the amount withheld un-
| der Gen. SchOfeld's decision.
We advise them to do no such thing. In the
first place they cannot support their fam
lilies on 81 81 day. And in the next
place they cant afford to be kept out ola part
of their wages aud wait the dilatory motions
Of congress for the balance, and pay lobby
men all they may get for working up the
job. ...
1 OF course this state Of affairs is not the
fault of Gen. Rodman He must obey or
ders from his suPerors. But we repeat
what we have said before, that it is folly for
any one in Washington to fix a uniform
rate for wages on all government works
throughout the United States. It can't be
done. The price of labor will be governed
by supply and demand, and if Gen. Rodman
wants laborers,or mechanics, at the Arsenal ,
he will have to offer just such wages as will
bring them.
LArER.-At 7 o'clock this Wednesday
morning Gen. Rodman, probably in order to
have an excuse for laborers to work 10
hours, sent word to the stone cutters requlr'
ing them to work 10 hours, and giving them
no information as to what pay they should
receive. They asked the privilege Of hold
ing meeting to decide what to do, and
we're denied the privilege Of holding any
meetings on the Island They all immed
atey quit work and left the Island, holding
a meeting on the grass, on this shore, where
they unanimously adopted resolution tina
they would not work but hours day, ant
would not 60 to work again until they knew
what wages they were to receive, A com
mittee was appointed to communicate thu
resolution to Gen. Rodman. Their actor
was perfectly orderly and respectful, an(
was right,
Neither Cen Rodman, the Secretary 0
{ War or the President of the United State
has any right to require one minute over
| hours day. And it is right Of the men Il
know precisely what they are to receive, be
fore they 60 to work. Congress has enact
ed that hours is a legal dayss work OIL
| government Jobs, and the President has ar
D proved the law. These men have rights un
, der that law, and their rights must be res
: pected. Difference in position, in office 0
out, deprives them of none ofthe rights G
d American citizens, or Of the respect due a
e American citizen. 1t is the right of tn
o United States officers to fix Just such rate
! of wages as they please, and it is the RICH
Q of the men to accept or reject them, Just e1
e sctly as they please, But it is not the RICH
J, of the United States to require but hour
for day s work, or to require any man t
work at all unless he pleases to do so !; nc
,e to require them to work without distinct
informing them what wages they are to n
ceive.
Of Eight hours is days work, on Unite
t. States jobs. Let the Secretary of War, {
E. Gen, R0dman, fix the rates of wages the
0. propose to pay for legal days work OF
rs hours, The men will soon decide wheth,
se they will accept the prices offered or no
in If the prices are satisfactory plenty of me-
70 will offer, IF they are not, then such pric
N will have to be offered as will bring Il
j. men.
r. That's the whole story, in nutshell, al
at the sooner the United States officers ar
ID agents recognize it, the better will it be
el all concerned.