The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-04-20
From the Rome Rising Sun
The Eight Hour System.

A person named Kingsley, holding the
position Of superintendent Of government
buildings at Columbia, :. o., recently is
sued an order to the stone-cutters, and
others employed on government buildings
at that place, directing them to work ten
hours for days work. The result Of this
order was a strike ON the part Of the stone
cutters demanding the enforcement Of the
eight hour law, as passed by Congress. A
committee was appointed by the aggrieved
parties t. consult with the proper authori-
ties at Washington. The delegates waited
upon President Grant and received the as
surance that the eight hour law would be
enforced, and in accordance with said as
surances, this man Kingsley received an or
der on the 9th inst from the authorities at
Washington, TO reduce the time of employ
es On the Federal buildings, to eight hours
per day. This same superintendent, clothed
with the authority Of his office, assuming
the role Of dictator at well as a tyrant,
takes his revenge by refusing to permit the
strikers to resume work on the buildings,
and Senator Robertson, who, before the
war, is alleged to have been extremely ty-
rannIcal to his slaves, opposes the eight
hour rule, and says he will sustain Kings
ley in his infamous TRADE against the stone
cutters, and will degrade the dignity Of his
Office raising questions preJudIcial to the
cause Of the wOrkmen, alleging that they
refused 10 work with the negroes.
Representatives Hoar and Dawes, and
Senator Wilson Of Massachusetts,, are
urging a final settlement of the ques-
ton at the Capital, and propose to present
bill for all lost time in consequence of
the strike Mr.. HOar nobly maintains the
opinion that the men should be reinstated,
and is working vigorously IN their behalf
We trust thai he will insist upon their re-
instatcment, and if unsuccessful, attach
/ the blame where 1t belongs, that the people
may know who among the public servants
dare to use the power gwen them by the
| people to Cypress the labOrer, and encour-
aye petty tyranny to such an extent as to
| bld defiance to the laws enacted by Con
gress. 1t Is time that the public insisted
that the laws be strictly enforced, and the
man or men who willfully violates them,
brought to the bar Of Justice, and receive
the punishment due criminal.
If the eight hour rule is unconstitutional,
/ it should at once be wiped out Of our Stat
ute BooAs On the other hand, if it is con-
sJItutiOnal for Congress to pass law detH-
ing the hours constitutinga legal day work
ON all public works, the law should be en-
forced, and the man who, through political
favorItism, has been placed in position over
his less fortunate fellOwmen, position dis
graced by his incomPetency and harsh treat
nent Of the workmen, refusing to abide by
said enactments, should at once be dismiss
ed from public service, and held up to the
scorn of a law abiding people.
We believe the eight hour law to be Just,
and the public officers AS much bound to see
that it is strictly enforced as the many other
acts enacted by our Legislative bodies And
III behalf Of the thousands of workingmen
N this country We demand the enforcement
of the eight hour law on all public works,
and the dismissal OF all such men as super
intendent Kingsley. 1t is time that the
wUrkIngnen Of this country resisted all
such lmpositions from whatever source, and
give those public paupcrs who live by
bleeding the public treasury, to understand
that they could 20 thus far and no farther