The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-11-02
How Many Hours Ought to Consti
tute Days Work?

This question has teen temporarily y
answered by the Trades Unions. We
say temporarily, because the public has
no guarantee that if the eight hour sys
tenn be generally conceded by employ.
ers, further reduction will not ultimately
be demanded. And it cannot be denied
that if every adult and youth Of sutfi
cient wears were an actual producer OF
something usefu! or pleasura6le to man
kind, the present average standard OF
comfortable living might be maintained
with much less than eight hours labor
per day from each person.
The suppo-ition that each healthy
individual, old enough to work, should
employ himself or herself in actual
production, involves a total reconstruc-
ton of society, the extirpation of drones
from the hive of humanity, in short, a
revolution of such magnitude that it is
well nigh hopeless, at least for centuries
to come, and will probably never be
reached without fierce conflicts between
vested interests and those who would
subvert them.
For the present, therefore, the daily
labor must obey the commercial laws
which regulate the prices of everything
boue ht and sold in general market, as
both mental and physical labor now is
There is, however, an unreasonable
extent to which men in exceptional
cases are made to labor, which, although
in accordance with the law OF supply
aud demand (ei-e the consent to exces
sive work would not he ootained) i,
still, because exceptional and excessive
a fit subject for reform, aud, if need he
for that wholesome legi-!atioa by which
cxtor,ion in commercial transactions is
controlled.
Two most prominent instances of ex
ccssive labor are to be found in the
English steam railway service, and in
the American street tramway or horse
railway service In both these in
most iXacting nature; so much SO, in
deed that it is difficult to conceive how
mcA cen be secured at the prices paid
e." the performance Of such work. That
me- iHve by misfortune, or by bad
habits, SO exhausted their resources that
tl.ey aTr glad 10 get even such employ
men; is not a moral justification Of the
greed thai willingly fatteus upon the
misfor'Ines of others.
One Dir. NJ. +. Bass has philauthrop'
icaliy srent much time and labor IN
investi eating the general condition o.
the einplayes under the railway man
agemen; ~ England, aud some facts
thus brought to light are published in
the issue q! Engiaecri'g lor Sept. lst
A mere glance at these statements viii
suffice fer oar present purpose.
Engine drivers a. they are caIIe,
in Engiah1. {" ensineers,' rs we cal
them IN America, are sometimes calle,
upon to perform % hours of continuous
labor, while guards often perform duty
from IS to 4G hours without rest. On
some occasions these overwDrked ser
wants do MT remove their clothing from
one weeks eii To another. Signal mer
are comn.o'.ly employed for Il consecu-
tive hours, curing which they have, a
! busy stations. no time to take food. II
addition 10 this, they are compelled onc'
| fortnight to work night shift, il
which thcir labor is prolonged to Is o
! 10 hnurs.
Such are few facts. Il 1t any won
der that such overworked eyes, hand
! and intell:gences sometimes err in th
performance Of duty. and tnat shocking
accidents occur as the result of thei
neglect o-Scientifc american.