The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-12

the eight hour Law ~ drhned BY the man Met
rell, o. Vermont. he would compel men 40
work for pittsnce nhsGfwilI scarcely keep sd,II
and body together. May his memory be hAn6fd
down 70 pOsterity as an enemy tn honest
labor" I
No more convincing testimony of
the criminal indifference Of the work
ing classes has ever been evinced, than
the manner in which the action of MGR.
rell and his confrereS, has been RE-
ceived. Instead of presenting a paO-
test, under which the nondesCripte"
who now desecrate the Senate Chaan-
Der would have covered, the verdict"
has been received with an acquiesceEce
which is at once dishonorable and dis
heartening. I
We remember well-and so do our
readers-the enthusiasm at which tho
hour proclamation Of President Grsnt
was received. Yet to-day its prGEi-
sions are virtually rendered nugatcry
and the first protest has yet to- be
presented.
No we are not going 10 pettifog the
case of men who have not shown ishe
manhood to protect their own iD3er-
ests. We prefer to hew to the Inc,
let the chips fall where they may"
From the first passage of the eight
hour law, is was a selEevident fact That
every obstacle which could be thrown
in the way Of its successful operation
from the decisions Of Scho6elda-to
the "opinion" Of each understraEper,
would be pressed. Every officer ot;the
government, under whose supervision
its provisions were to be enforced twas
prevailed upon by brides or threaGs to
Obstruct its pathway, by any device
which capital, and hellish ingenuity
could invent, under the belief that some
philanthropic humbug like Sutaner
or MoTell would have an opportunity
Of proving the fallacy of special lSgis-
LgtiOn and that the "higher lawl' of
supply and demand alone Contrislled
the labor market, and thus give a Aemi-
official rebuff to all future movements
ola like character. In fact it had not
been in operation three months before
a hue and cry was raised that it was
useless for the government to attempt
retrenchment in one quarter, while a
needless extravaganza was encouraged
in another; and that less york hadbeen
accomplished in eight hours, undet the
eight hour system, that was forEaerly
accomplished in the same time when
the ten hour system was in aorce.
These statements, false and calumhious
as they were, were echoed ami re-
echoed by every scribbler in the!aand,
with a persistency which seemild to
stagger its advocates, and gull public
too ready to adopt penny wise and
pound foolish policy. During this
period of suspense what was the sction
OF the working classes? Whatssteps
did they take to prove their falAity-
to undo the mischief which SUCH re-
ports was surely accomplishing?
Here and there resolution was passed,
which amounted to the value IF the
paper Oh wh h it was written, and no
more; but The great mass of wcfking-
men equally interested with government
employees in its continuance AMI sue
cessful operation, scarcely ever raised
their voices against these wilf;l and
dangerous Misrepresentation. Ia fact,
the whole proceedings were fs4ce, or
rather deep laid plot to prejudice the
public mind against the system. !;
And this leads to the constellation
of another and most important
question. Why has no actiod been
taken on the proposition of the late
President Sylvis to establish a bureau
Of Labor Under its auspices rp such
reports would have been circulated, or
rather believed, because an official de-
NAL would have placed quietusi on the
whole scheme. Strange to say Of the
many practical propositions advanced
to protect the interests Of laboF-few
present the intrinsic merits or .advan-
tages of our deceased friends plan
"a scheme which has proved eminent
ly successful in the old worll-and
which doubtless would prove as effec-
tive in the new and yet none have
been received with such indifference.
Why, perhaps our Baltimore critic can
explain.
Workingmen of America, is the eight
hour movement to be killed in the
house Of its friends? Are you too
cowardly,t too subservient to demand its
agitation, its recognition, and enforce
mentF If the advantages predicted
from its adoption, were true III years
gone bye, are they less applicable to.
dayr BY no mean. You mus4 work
less and think more, if you expee. to oc-
cupy the position to which you aspire.
d. you realize this fact as you.9ught
We fear not, Int rest assured, it is
destined 70 triumph, in spite Of. the in
difference of those its seeks to benefit,