The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-06-22

From the New YORK Herald, May I4thl
The Labor Movements-Recent Successful
Eight-Hour Strikes

The great question of labor. which IL quietly
biding the time to take its place among toe great
movements Of the century, is presenting Just
now several instances of the success which at
tends the combinations of the toilers. People
are likely 10 fall TO sneering when they see, as IN
Connecticut, Of late, that a Labor Reform candi-
date for Governor barely received n score or two
of votes. ana thar its candidate for President is
quietly snuffed out before be has time TO make a
stump speech. But the movement is not 10 be
SO easily disposed Of for ali tins. Ii stands at
present with its feet in the earth and its head in
the clouds, Flooding on as ever below aud It's
brain full OF vague Utopia above. AZ TO broad.
cieariy-deiued ideas, possible Of application, it
has none &c present which could take up and
rivet the attention of the whole people TO their
serious consideration. 4 great many lay this
want of coherent comprehensive plan at the door
Of its demagogue leaders but its real cause viii
be found in the condition of the great bodv of
labor itself. Like the Union forces in the begin
ming of the war, the army of labor is a badly
drilled mob, impressive only 10 numbers, and
just as little capable of taking or keeping q posi-
ton against such a wary. organized foe as CAPT.
tai, for they have not thoroughly learned the use
of their offensive arms, the 90 strike and the
ballot. In such a condition 1t is not wonderful
that frotiy creatures with a few catchwords,
such as equality, capital tyranny, revolution, and
so forth, should by their loudmouthedness be
taken for their leaders. The work of discipline,
however, goes on, and We are called upon from
time to time to chronicle the results of their
skirmishes with the enemy, recording a varying
success. 1t can be seen at once that the process
of organization, although limited to certain crafts,
whose membeTsa are concentrated In numbers con-
venient for the purpose, is rapidly spreading
and, with the present rate o. progress, il can be
easily computed that many years will not elapse
before the present 50 company" drill of the ar
tisans has expanded into the brigade, division
and army tactics on the most extended scale. In
other words, the successful strike of to-day of a
certain branch of labor will mean in the end
hotly contested, peaceful ballot-box battles for
the control of cities, counties and States, and
lastly, for the whole Union itself.
The New York painters strike of last week
for eight hours of labor and no reduction of
wages, was successful the carpenters strike,
inaugurated Yesterday on the same terms, will
record its full success in a day or two. The
bricklayers, il is understood, will strike next
week, with tle same object and with similar
prospects. 1t will be observed that these three
trades are at the base of the building interest,
and their regulation of the times for - striking"
evinces Il bold and carefully prepared plan. They
were aware that at the present season capital i'm
this branch is screwed up with contracts, and an
attack would cave it DO resource but surrender.
The eight-hom legislation of Congress proved in
efectual in controlling private firms, and now
labor steps in with its injunction and an under
standing is Instantly arrived at. 1t cannot be
denied that the Eight-HOur law, although obtain
ing legally orly on Government works, has had
considerable effect III paving the way for the
present spread of the system to private enter
prises. There is a certain fear among the weak
minded that, as labor learns its strength, it will
become SO Overbearing as to become a tyranny
upon capital but as labor progresses, it will
learn of itself the limit to which it can go with
out destroying its own means of existence. Cap
ital may grunble as the giant feels his power
and begins inelligently to exercise it; yet as it
is necessary that capital must exist and act with
a certain uncmstrainedness labor. secure in its
might, can only maintain its position Of watch
fulness and conserve the advances it has gained.
1t has much ground to recover get before that
goal is reached much drilling to undergo and
much patience to exercise. The late and pros
pective victories Of the building trades are some
thing for labor to he joyful over, though they
were simply achieved by Il number of men say
ing to capital, " We will work eight hours if you
wish but if you think you can afford it we will
not work at ALL" Capital preferred to save them
from the sin of idleness.