Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-27
Eight Hours.

various Industrial establishments OF this cOun
try?
That important question is suddenly precipi-
tated upon us, and should be met calmly and dis
p'ssionatelyand decided az near right as human
reason Though, at the present time, and
for tho past few Years, we have been prospering
greatly in many of our industries, that very fact
should make M move cautiously and wisely to
lnSne it's continuance. A row OF bricks are
uatily thrown over by slight stroke on the end
nue, Fni IL tho Eight hour law ID rushed ia with
nut regard to circumstances, it will be most
ikuly TO produce sagnatOn in business and
fail Of ltH object, when more gradual move
meut with favorable circumstances, would result
differently.
Very many Of our manufacturing establish
ments, II Lot all ia lttOn and wOolena, of tho
New England S,atos are running eleven hours,
with Weud1lt Philips and Henry Wilson, two
great advocates for the eight hour law. in their
midst. unable to get them to tho ten hours vet,
alult in the Aldddo States, ten hours has been
established in that business for about twenty
years making ruinous competition against
our manufacturers who yield to the ten hours
under the impTe-siOn it would soon be general.
In this they have been disappointed to their
cost. 1t Il fair to presume that they " II not
shorten tho time again uull II IL tu.ly establish
cd ia the leading manufacturing States East.
All arc deeply Interested in the progress Of
society to a happier condition Ghat ID supposed
to he,) less work and more leisure, but IL that
really the fact Docs it not depend entirely on
how that leisure is spent Saten fluids some
mischief still for idle hands to do" il Just az
true now as ever. The devil is quite lively yet,
though some Of our liberal religious friends
,hiuk his end ia rapidly approaching
II is greA. mistake for any set of men to
suppose that they can permanently establish
less hours for work or more wages just by the
demanding Of It, uuless many other causes are
work ng with them. They can take the rough
way Of striking aud stopping the work, but they
cannot start 1t again. Either the employer or
tho employed can stop the work, but 1t takes an
AGREEMENT OF both parties to start it again. This
mode invariably results in great loss aud much
i'll feeling, aud rarely succeeds.
What CAUSES interfere at this time with this
reduction in the hours Of labor?
Take the class engaged in building and pre-
pairing the material for the same; also, those
constructing railro Via. There seems to be very
httle to dl Getty prevent 1t in this large depart
meut Of labor.
Take the Iron business in all OF its depart
ment.-thnt H. the ore, the limestone, and coal
all IN the earth, aud produce the Pig, the rail,
tho bar the boiler and boat plates. Many of
those ale Low imported in large quantities from
Europe with the tariff as 1t has been. The tar
III has recently been reduced ten per cent. to
take effect this next July aud Agurt. Any in.
creased cost. or even the present cost, will check
the business to a greater or less extent.
Take tho building OF machinery, tools and
iron ships. Take the cotton, woOlen, eilk and
other m.nuiactOros, and the Same IL true OF all
these a. OF noarly every branch Of industry that
is carried Oh in this aud the competing cJuntries
with whom wo trade. To prevent these from
inter fennE we must get some kind OF a4tlhiuese
wall between us aud them, either higher tariff
or something that will answer the sams purpose,
or get the wOrkmcn IN those countries to act III
accord with those here.
Ii these circumstances cannot be brought
about, the result Will be that these Industries
| wdl Oe prJatrlte1 IN this country, and bettured
| thele. and will consequently reHot on the busl-
nesses not directly affected, such as house buid-
ing, raluoad bnilding carriage building. NC. ,&c +,
and result in failure to accomplish the object in
view, and at tho same time produce Ill feeling,
rlotng aud suffering to fearful extent.
| The parties who stated this recent movement
| in New York, passed. come reEolu ions, amongst
| which is tho following =" ResOiCed, The reduo-
| ton Of the National dobt, Hte Htdiaeadnce Of q
| han tariff and the establishment OF the eight
| hour law thrOu5hJu the United States And
then With the TACT staring them in the fact, OF n
| recent reduction IN tariff. they start this move
ment, At the same time seeming to recognize tho
Necessity of high tariff to so with 1t. II seems
| to me about Us wise as John Browns attack on
slavery at larIer's Ferry.
| As machinery is improved, we can provide
more comforts aud even lnNures, with less
| labor less time; but this end Will be accom-
| plishod with greater rapidlty If HteH ,dere I'M
| p,Orpd also. The writer has often observed
| that some men Will do much moro thah othels,
| with less labor, simply because they use more
| 6,diRs-brains not stupified by drink. No coun-
| try ia the world Presents such opportunities
| Tor industrious, sober wOrkmen, who use their
| brains to improve their condition. We are sur
rounded with examples OF this in Wilmington
| Unul the cost of labor in other countries Is
very much increased, the eight hour law cannot
be established in this without tarlh on those
| things produced in the competing countries
Brains, clear sober honest brains, 10 what are
| wanted to enable us to 30 for AlOse measures
that will in-urs the greatest good to all, mar
mun!zing the confi, thug ineres =, nd comOii II 8
| luose elements of improved machinery, We.
managed by which tho greatest results can be
| obtained with the least LABOR. Then the hours
may be reduced, or the wages increased, from
| what they now are aud about IN proportion, II
| We do not want to add to or crafty more OF our
| desires The sewing machine was means that
might have been used in saving vast amount
| OF lime. but 1t has failed in saving any because
| more stitches are wanted in the clothing. ANY
| one who is content to use cheap food and CLOTH
| ing, walk instead OF ride, can secure these re
| aHirements now by two or three hours work pei
| aay Twoniy. hve years ago the comfortable
| homes. the qnailty and variety of food aud hanu-
some cohihg, the facilities OF travel, the daiiy
papers, &c, &c., were not enjoyed to the extehl
tney are now, and It is fair To presume that an
other twenty-five years will add still more to the
elioyments OF life. Be not impatient, but make
haste slowly then it will be more certaln' -