The workingman's advocate., 1872-03-09

,fri1e given by Mr.. McDonali)
FELLoM -WoRKMEN In entering the
list as a competitor for the prize offered by
our esteemed friend, Mr.. Alexander Nc
Donald. YOU must all allow that do 50 un-
der very disadvantageous circumstances
indeed. | think it amounts TO nothing short
III presumption to enter the competition
list at all. knowing, as do, that | lack the
necessary qualifications for being success
ful III writing an essay on any subject what
ever. and especially on subject fraught
with so much importance 10 the working
.lasses Of Great Britain. However, as |
deem il Il he the duty of every working
man. whether it hc with his tongue or his
pen. either to speak or to write, If his OBJ
irct be the elevation Of the class to which
X, belongs. Now, my object i'll writing
this essay tif | may be allowed the express
sion is exclusively for that purpose-try
my 70 stir up the working classes to their
interests. endeavoring to show the nccessi
ty there il for them adopting the short
tune system. that all the benefits likely to
accrue from such a movement may be en-
Inved hv them. | Will here take the hber-
II ~ stating that my remarks will chiefly
M. directed To the miners. for this reason,
that am a member Of that body, and by
practical experience know something about
the defects II their system, and the root
tr,,,, u-la,,..~ 4l.-s- l-.-e IL sFi 'si5 ana II
i be within the compass Of my power |
Nill try u point out a remedy for all our
existing evils
Fcllow-workmen, the subject IF tins es-
say Is Short Time and its Benefits a sub
irct that ought to be carefully studied
hy every workngman in the country, as 1t
mas particular bearing on their position.
And why Because they are the labor
uruducing class. and if they. by an over
production NJ labor, send more of the ma
terial that Is produced by their labor into
the marSlt than Is necessary to supply the
demand. the disastrous consequences Will
All back upon themselves. We are led to
reason in this manner from past experl-
cnce. Past experience has taught me that
whenever the market becomes uverstocked,
uD matter what the material is. 1t is less
,ned in value, and the Producres, As a CON
sequence. are made % feel its effects
Now. If this be the case. WLat ought to
be the position assumed ny the working
classes Of this ur any other country Still
keeping IN view my position, speaking IN
particul T to the miners. what, fe 'w-w"rk-
men. ought u III the position taken up hy
us, that the grievnus system of injustice
that has been 50 long IN operation against
rs may wv furcyec swept from the face Of
the ear,h buried in the abyss No oblivion
never more to he Tesuscltatyd tn destroy
the social. moral, and physical condition Of
the miners uf Great Britain Bat tu re-
turn q the law uf supply and demand, ana
as the regulation VI that ltw would have
t.tI
tend e. make it a, plain and As fnrcihle as
Wc can
1t Il ana has he4u An argument used ~
che capitalists. that the Law Of supply and
demand should, at all times, regulate the
wages Of the iabor-producing classes of the
country Nov. t this We make ~ demur.
Nay. We would rather give it our hearty
support. There are difficulties connected
with il. but we are satisfied the difficulties
could easily be met if the miners would but
look their position fairly in the face. l here
introduce the word difficulty. because the
miners have ever been surrounded with
difficulties. to them in appearance. insur-
mountable And why Becaus. they
never looked TO the proper source from
whence those difficulties came, AMI never
having discovered the channel through
which they flowed it almost amounted u
an impossibiity for them t. apply the prop
cr remedy III order to their removal. But
fellow workmen, the source of our cvlls has
been discovered aud likewise the remedy
and. if our evils are not removed. the blame
viii rest entirely with ourselves.
Now. tif | may be allowed t. express
Iuy opinion) regarding theroo from whence
unr difficulties have arisen, ! would at once
.av. they have sprung from the system of
working too long hours III the mines. Ii Is
81 well known fact that miners from time
unmemorial have been III the habit of " ork-
NV FROM ten tO fourteen hours day IN n
c,ld. damp. unhealthy mine and. ! am
sorry t. SAY. at the present time It Is still
the rule and not the exception. How long
it may continue to exist, time alone will de
termine, So long as they continue to pro
,luce more than Is really necessary To- sup
plv the demand, the consequences resulting
from such a state of matters will rebound
with terrible etFeyts upon their own posi-
tion. Low wages has ever been the result
Il long hours-this can be proven by past
experience, The miners, a. class, have
never been able to procure the very COM
nouest uf the necessaries Of life, either for
themselves OF those dependent on them for
support But further, long hours ruin the
miners constitutionally, rob them Of social
enjoyment. sink them in the scale Of moral
ity. and prevent them from enjoying that
sanding III society which would be their
portion il they had time for Improvement
Now if all this be the consequence Of long
hours, We are necessarily led to the conclu-
sion that the opposite will be the result if
shorter hours are adopted. We will now
take up the above mentioned items i'll an
orderly manner. and deal with them accord
ing to the best Of our humble ability
First, BY reducing the hours Of working
Ia the mines to eight hours day, we will
he able to regulate the labor markets, there !
bv giving us the power to command fair
share Of the profits arising out Of the pro-
duce Of our labor Prove all things, and
hold fast that which is good, is a divine
warrant, and ought to be put into practice
Nv every son Of Adams race, whether it re-
cards things temporal, OF things spiritual
Now, my position is to prove that the reg
ulating Of the law Of supply and demand
will give the miners more remuneration for
their labor 1t is put beyond dispute, for
it has been made apparent to the mind Of
every intelligent individual, that scarcity
of any commodity has always tendency
II enhance its value We might ask why
it is that gold is Of more value than silver,
and silver Of more value than iron. 1t is
lust because iron is to be found in greater
abundance than either silver or gold again,
siIveris not so valuable as gold, simply be-
cause it is more plentiful Gold is the most
of oil Y,afals aud haIiava for