New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-16


don, leisure for educational and moral culture. This
may be admitted but it Will then by no neaus
difficult TO show that il will not be- Except among
trained 5jGuos, though i1n are never too old 10 earn
1t is TO be more than suspected there is ttc scholastic
culture acquired by those whohaye passed their majority
and entered upon the active duties OF life, and moral cu
tuIe rs well religious finds It's nOblcst opportunity in
youth ana after That ITS best teachings on the sabbath
0dy VI Christian rest full day week or month at q
ne exclusively devoted to study by such as have the
WILL IN addition TO means and time, VIII be found OF far
value than the scraps Oi ume found on the cage Of
weary labor TO have anything done we'll u must ways
DC one thing az Tine Mathematics III broken doses
vs. confer few dement's ,,.,
fyesAths Of all our people, are too saEacous not TO
KNOW that deduction OF Two hours from their present
average time Of labor is to waste Oneifth Of life. The
salvage OF the day mus cut on on either SIDE in the fore
after part " tic day. or stitp snatched Il the mid
die at sutgy uOOu cannot be utilized II VIII not be de-
voted to labor OF any sort nor to travel nor TO study and
reading mental culture Of any kind but IL will be lost
N Incidence and recreation, waste and gossip harmless
or otherwise with greatly Increased temptation to pr0d
gdy and dissipation. FrivOlty viii dominate fru
CAVITY. Billiard rooms, baseball clubs aud groceries will
he furnished with new recruits Luciier VIII grin with
delight al tho prospect Of fresh battaOns Of lOungcrs
entering his service. Gaining sound culture for adults
IL SAD TO contemplate at Tia" same time the loss Of the
means by which the culture OF children might have been
assured The moral culture 70 De obtained majority
OF instances Will not De likely 10 be OF rejoicing
bat greet Surely will be vain to expect any notable
"sweeteuiug the breath of society"
The main argument put lOlih by te advocates OF the
eght-hOur law j. that much work can and Will be done
In eight hours as in ten or more This argument may be
said 10 rest Oh JdH rtNOm 70rS and II Will be safe 10
doubt ana even 10 dcny the assumption under most II
not al circumstances.
But our own experience at our navy.yaTds, armOry
and Public Printing Otice conclusiyey demonstrates
the failure of the system. Nowhere is any than
eght,tenths OF the former work done nowhere any
better work DONE and nowhere the idle hours turned
10 any moral profit. 1 have authentic proofs OF this
statement from quite q number OF these establishments,
which will snow To any Senator who wishes 10 further
satisfy himself the subject Hitherto statesmansmp
among all enlightened nations Of the world has based
itself the principle OF having all the people cOntnu
ousy and probably employed. But this latest exhibit
ton OF craftsmanship seems 10 he devised 10 curta and
limit the OF labor rather than 70 enlarge It's op
pOrtunltles.
Thanks 20 the opening which country has made
for labOrers from abroad fee from low wages the
ward OF English laborers has advanced at least 90
per cent within the last 20 years but Is even now much
less than half bushe OF wheat per day. While IN all Of
our wheat growing States IL is bushe or more and In
California 100 pounds OF wheat be had for 3d. where
common labofers obtain from u 10 " per day. and me-
chancs from " 90 20 g. moro thanOne 10 over three
bushels of wheat for days work.
Breadstus and far cheaper in this country
than elsewhere and the report- OF Commissioners Wells
last year showed the depression OF wages Europe
compared with the United States, ranged from
IS 10 48 per cent. The common labOreTs upon
the Mount Cents tunnel receive from France
but three francs day, or 90 cents. and the moro
important and experienced WOrkmen only four 10 five
francs per day but tho employed on the Pacific