The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-27
TUm sDAY, APRIL 97, 1869.
TBE EJGBT-HOUR Law AND G0VERN-
MENT EMPLOYEES.


corstr,ctiop put upon the Eight-hour law passed
nv CONGRESS He quotes the views expressed by
various Senators when the law was under con-
sderation, to prove that they understood the real
intent and meaning OF the act to be- that all
Iaborers. workmen, and m echanics employed by
the Government should henceforth receive for
eight hours work per day the wages which have
heretofore been paid for ten hours work. But
he fails to make out his case The question in
dispute was referred first to AttOrncy-General
Eyarts and subsequently to his successor, Attor-
hey-GeDeral Hoar, and they united in the
opinion that an act setting forth that the wages
of Government employees shall be regulated by
the amount Of wages paid for similar work in pri-
vate establishments remains unrepcaled. The dis
bursting officers are bound by this law despite any
loose opinions or buncombe speeches delivered in
either branch OF Congress by spread-eagle ora
tors. If they really meant TO Ordain that the
Government should pay to its laborers, work
men, and mechanics as much money for eight
hours work rs other employers paid for ten
hours work, that fact should have been dis
tinctly and unequivocally set forth, and they
should have embodied in definite law the
opinions which, in Senator Wilson's Judgment,
they entertained. The late act of Congress said
but one thing-eight hours toll shall constitute
legal days work for Government employees. \
previous act, still in force, sad-Governmen
officials shall pay the ruling price for labor and
no more. The heads of departments being
bound to obey both laws, as well as they can.
have no right to ignore the old act. in the
manner Indicated before it is repealed by Con-
gress.
similar question has arisen in all the States
where Legislators have sought popularity by
passing eight-hour laws. 1t may be entirely
tbair MI tl,o
period of toll, and to enact that. in the absence
of special agreements, it shall be understood
that eight hours shall constitute II working day.
The authority TO do this is analogous to the au-
thority to regulate weights and measure They
may say, if they choose, that stick twenty
four inches long shall be called yard that
measure holding only quart shall be called
gallon. But il by no means follows that the
price paid for new twenty-four inch yard of
muslin shall be the same as that heretofore given
for thirty-six-inch yard Of the same fabric: or
that any law will compel purchasers to pay for
new so-called gallon of moasses. equivalent in
fact to only quart of the present measurement,
the same amount of money which is now paid
for the existing gallon: that employers will
willingly and necessarily pay for eight hours
work the amount of money now paid for ten
hours toll simply because Legislature or Con-
measured by an eight-hour rule.
Prices are regulated by supply and demand. in
spite of legal enactments; and it is folly or
worse than folly, to seek to delude workingmen
with the pleasing fancy that any action of dema-
gogues bidding for their sweet voices, or even of
the most profound statesmen will ensure for
eight hours toll the same amount of remunera-
tion which has heretofore been given for ten
hours work. II may be true that in individual
cases and in special pursuits. men by working
eight hours per day will accomplish much in
a week as if they had worked ten hours per day.
But this rule is by no means universal: it is
scarcely general; and there are many avocations
/ in which it is utterly impossible to compensate,
/ by extra exertion, for the loss of time.
If the laboring classes sincerely desire to have
the legal period OF toll reduced to eight hours,
let them be gratifed, But this desire is by no
means general. Those who are most pertina-
cious and active in their agitation of this sub
ject aim at the establishment of an eight-hour
labor system in conjunction with ten-hour pay.
This end is totally impracticable. Congress can,
if it chooses establish such rule in the Gov
ernment service, but despite the asseverations
of Senator Wilson, it has not yet done o;.and
even if the nation sets the example, it will not
be followed more readily than the other exam
of paying employees more. mency than they
earn.
Our Washington correspondent informs us
that good deal of Chnese thunder is being
manufactured at the national capital against
Secretary Borie and AttornGy-General Hoar,
because they have chosen TO adhere to the laws
passed by Congress instead of being guided by
the loose opinions of Senators. He states
that politicians 'regard Borles order as
great blunder and they assert that
if it is not revoked, it will tend tc
array the workingmen against the admnistra.
ton all over the country, and defeat the Repub
lican party a the fall elections" We entertain
no such fears. The day has gone by wher
Intelligent workingmen can be misled by such q
ridiculous clamor. The Cabinet officers have
simply discharged their duty, and nothing more
Congress might have ordained that workmeu
aud mechanics should be paid fifty dollars pei
day-but it did not, nor did il declare explicitly
HAT the current pay given in private establish.
ments for ten hours work should be doed out
to Government mechanics and workmen for
eight hours work. Such an invldious distnc-
tion is, in fact properly forbidden by law, and
no secretary has right to violate a statute for
the benefit OF any class, whether it be million
aires or mechanics.
If Congress has committed blunder in
negiecting to repeal a law which it does NOT de-
sire the administration TO enforce the error car
be corrected at the next session, and Senator
Wilson will find a legitimate field for his exer
tions in this direction. But it is vain to eXpec
President who has clearly announced his in
tention to execute the laws as they are, to set a