The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-11-16
Eight Hours.
Mir James Aytoun writes to a late issue
II the London h, Hare AS follows

Mr.. James Aytum writes IA a late issue
If the London h., H,ce AS follows
maintain that no wurkmen should he
employed longer than il good for his
health. If this be done the laborer be-
comes permaturely Old and decrePid.
Besides, even during his youth he Is pre-
vented from intellectual enjoyment for
when a man is uverworked, when he leaves
off ne has no taste of pleasure IN anything
but stunulants such as smoking and drink
my The first question, then, is what
should be the number Of hours ot labor Z
That is "A question which should he determ-
med by "A council of medical men, VIZ, how
many hours can man of average strength
work without injury to his health am
convinced if this question w.ls put "a a
medical board the answer would be eight
hours day a. TIE most. was an employ
er Of labor myself for "A number Of years,
both as a coal master and a farmer, and
from my experience and observation !
know that every labOrer who attempts, or
is driven to work more than this, is sure
to shorten his life, or, at least, t. bring on
rheumatism, or other complaints which
render old age misery. have talked
with laburers As To- the proper duration 4"
work and the result t. which We came was
this A laborer should commence work At
: u clock, after having breakfast half an
hour before He should work till twelve
-four huurs) and then leave OF for an hour.
during which time lac should lunch At
un, he would recummencc his labor and
work until i've -four hours mure). Alter
i've, he would wash himself, 90 home to his
family, or his wOrkngurn club u he was
a bachelor, and dine like a gentleman,
having all the evening to himself "a read
or otherwise alnuse himself such IS the
manner III which MAINTAIN the laburer,
both agricultural and mechanical, should
live and work. OF course this mode Of
life could not always I've preserved. In
harvest time, fur instance, there would re-
quiz. t. he additional hours IF
toll But such syorts Of additional labor,
carried on for a short time. could 90 no in
jury, if it vas accompanied by moderate
additional Of food and Of beer
The question as 10 the amount Ut wages
cannot he settled by any fixed rules The
amount uf demand and supply If CAPT
tai and labor, regulates it and
tins Is regulated by constant
N va iing clrc INSTANCES But the dura-
uon ui the daily work might he settled, not
invariably but as general rule. Much
might be done ia tins respect by Govern
lnent 10y the men IN the dockyards. the
arseIals and other public works not being
kept employed more than eight hours per
day. This would give tone to the whole
industrial operations in the country, and
would induce mill owners and other private
capitalists To- follow the 1allpie vs. Govern
ment ard limit ta.-r YI aors w eight
hours y S,uj even 90 further
than tae. | so. 40 reason why all Act Of
Parliament should not be passed regulat
my the duration Of labor, and prescribing
the hours at which every factory should be
opened and shut. of course, such an act
could not be imperative in every case
There would he power given to the author
tiles to relax it upon cause shown. l do
not see the slightest reason, repeat, why
such an act Of Parliament should not be
passed. The capitalists, no doubt, would
say that it interferred with the liberty of
action. So said the American planters
when fine was proposed to prevent them
from walloping their own niggers. The
British Parliament has passed an act to tx
the hours of opening and shutting public
houses. Why, | ask, should not the same
be done with regard to factories and work
shops ! am convinced repeat, that long
hours Of toll excessive labor in shorts
infinitely more conducive to drinking than
the leaving open the public houses to
late hour Of the night. If We had House
Of Commons where the rights Of labor were
properly represented that is to say by
members selected from among the working
classes themselves on account Of their in
tellectual superiority bill such as have
skecthed would soon be introduced.