Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-18
Workipsmen's Assrmbly-The Eight Hour
Movement.

Movement.
regular meeting OF the Workngmeu's As
sembly was held last night at the City Hall.
President Cook in the chair and Mr.. L. u,o
Murry Secretary.
The committee ap,oin,at n pat,tion 70 Con-
efess or the passage OF an act explanatory OF
the eieht-hour law, made their report and snb-
mitted draft of the petition. which had been
pIrsented to the Senate by Mr.. Connes' short
While previous TO its adjournment. The report
was accepted and he committee was CONTINUED
MIR. Flynn then called attention to the fact
that AT n late meeting Of tne Columbia Typo
graphical Union, resolution was adopted
prescribing eight hours a days labor, aud
under this regulation the printers had been
ever since employed. He wished to know
whether any other Trades Union had yet
adopted the eight-hOur system.
Mr.. Williams replied that the stone cutters
had also been working under the eight nour
rule; but that that day one OF the boss~s had
nonhed the Journeymen Of the employers WI n
TO renew the ten-hour rule the wages To be cor
Tespondingly increased. The price being nov
$40 per Gay, but that they would pay - tpr
ten hours.
Mr.. Watkins thought II proper that some
provision should be nade for over-work In
cases OF emergency: but II the ostensible obj'c
OF the employing stone.curters was to break
mp the eight-hour law he hoped their designs
would be frustrated. The printers were work
ing on the eight-hour system, but ST Il pro-
vision had been made tor extra WORK, and il
was not only quite frequent for extra hours 20
be put ID but compliment was implied TO
those requested 10 perform the same
Mr.. Taylor understood that the employer
who had been alluded TO as having notified
his employees of the intention o. the master
stone cutters TO go back TO the ten. hour rule
al IS per day, was Nicholas Acker According
70 NJ. AcK'r's say.so, ne had beer losing
money ever since he had been in business, aud
yet he was now worth upwards of S2l0 q -.
Acker. he said, could never be- a iourneyman
stone-eu because OF his incompetency, and
his whole career had been one of opposition to
the interests OF Journeymen stone cutters.
Now he wished TO break down the eight-hour
law but for one ne the speaker would usv r
WoTk ten hours day Tor ten dollars. The
whole object OF the master stone. cutters in re-
guessing two hours (as over work. at Il sro
rata increase was TO break down the eight
he ur ystem. and il the Iourneymen submitted
10 AZ upon plea OF emergency for WORK to De
completed u would all BE- emergency.
Mr.. lynn said his idea IN making the ia
curry was only to draw out information, and
he regretts d the introduction OF pc -sonaiities
Mr.. ROCKWELL also regretted the Der soual re-
marks VIII ch had bean INDUCED in by Mr.
Taylor, and If the desired point OF eight hours
could not be gained without such Iiugu ige
against employ ers, the subject had tier be
dropped. The "bosses' had aided the iour.
neymen stone-cutiers in their effort for Gig ht
hours, and not day elapsed after the law aud
been liked upon by the stone cutters before
every employer In town was paying IL He mad
perfect confidence 10 Mr.. Acker's integrity.
ne mao worked two weeks for Mr.. Acker and
had received prompt pay.
MI lay lor was about rejoicing. when he W rs
called to order. and the chair ruled In at per.
sonalities were out OF order.
An inquiry from Mr.. Flynn as TO the demor-
allied condition OF the carpenters OF the city,
and as to the possibility of the assembly refor m
ing them 30 that they might show some self
respect, establish permanent society and tx
upon an established basis OF work, brought
forth q protracted discussion, in the course OF
which this branch OF mechanical business was
severely animadverted Iupon, and the csrpen
tiers, as q class, were pronounced "scsliawags''
and the wish expressed that unless they soon
moved In behalf of their own interests and
city and give way to others.
The subject OF the stone cutters dill ultiss
was again resumed, when Mr.. Watkins d. fined
his remarks and said that II the object OF the
employing stone cutters In raising wages and
requesting tea hours work was to break dow
the eight hour system, he hoped it would be
resisted.
Mr.. Rothwell believed IL was the iutea.
tention OF the employers, but he could assure
his brother mechanics that the attempt would
not be submitted to.
Mr.. Taylor then reiterated his remark tn 4.
be had nothing TO take back. M. A k-r, he
said, had not only been ind ustrious Ia his ef-
forts 10 create discord between the en- III Jyers
and employees In this city on the eisht.hour
question, but recently, when the stonecutters
OF BaliiTore had been getting along SO ,rmo.
niously, he had gone over there and wora ed up
the bosses - such an extent as 70 create tor
Doil and dime nj ties among them.
Mr.. Watkins then offered a preawb'e aud
Resolutions, setting forth that as .sthe tourney
men stonecutters Of Warrington have adopted
eight hours - . days work, ot the rate q a