The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-22
THE LABOR QUESTION.


Capital Thre atencd-The Internationals
to Take the Subject I'm Hand-The Lee
gality OF Eight Hours Labor To he Es-
tablishcd-The Position of the Gas
STRIKERS.
Labor Is again preparing to array itself against
capital, and there Is good reason for expecting q
repetition Of the scenes oflasr summer. The move
ment this season seems to possess more thorough
organization than ever before, and the leaders in
the enterprise appear quite confident of ultimate
success. meeting OF tradesmen and mechanics
is called for this evening, and the recent gas
strikers will doubtless avail themselves Of this
movement to further their cause. The cigar
makers, the quarrymen, the street PAYERS and
many other branches have already united in spirit
with the gas men, and, although they have not
stopped work, claim to be in perfect sympathy
with the eight-hour movement. There are always
two sides to q story, ana the capitalist claims for
himself and his interests some consideration. The
mechanic has the undoubted right to say
whether he will or win not WORK the pre-
pensation. But when he takes it upon himself to
prevent other men from performing his work. after
he has LETT 1t, the striker becomes an enemy to
civil liberty and can be dealt with only as an out
law As II 1t were not enough for HIM to dictate
the number Of hours which shall constitute days
a few weeks, fxes his own rates OF pay as well as
the class Of work which he win perform.
LABORERS NOT POORLY PAID.
The lOudest complaints come from men who re.
ceive from So SO to 81 for ten hours of labor. They
claim that they are forced to hide away in garrets
and cannot sufficiently clothe or feed their fam
lies No class OF professional men are on an aver
age better paid. The boOkkeepers have never re-
sorted to strike, yet their wages range from $25
to $50 per week, upon which they are expected to
dress respectfully. Yet many are married and live
comfortably upon French flats. The great reason
class oflaborng is indicated by the unparalleled
prosperity OF the drinking saloons In the neigh
bOrhoOd of large manufacturing establishments.
THE GREAT CAUSE OF TROUBLE
1t is q lamentable fact that from onethird to
onehaf OF the money paid out to the lower classes
OF labor finds Its way into the tills OF the liquor
dealers. The saloon keepers In the vicinity OF the
New York gas works are very anxious Tor the
men are not spending any money. 1t is asserted
by the men now on the strike that the petition to
the company to have the old employees taken back
several cases offers OF money were made TO the
men II they would sign the petition. The strikers
repudiate all connection with the document, and
declare that it did not originate with them.
THE GAS STRIKE
Is yet an unsolved question. Many men who claim
to be possessed OF positive Information assert that
the employees OF the Mutual and Metropolitan gas
companies win join the movement before ten days
The Manhattan seems to possess the confidence OF
its men, AS q reason for this 1t may be mentioned
that this company pensions Tor life all those VINO
have grown too old in its service to work, or who
have by accident been disabled
THE MEETING THIS EVENING
at the Germania Assembly Rooms, the Bowery,
Will De largely attended by laDOrlng men OF all
classes. 1t is called by the Federal Council of the
International Workingmen's Association, and in
their card direct appeal Is made to the members
OF all the various trades OF the city. The first OBJ
ject OF the meeting is declared to be the employ
Ment OF the best legal advice. A test case will
then be brought before the Supreme Court OF the
State to ascertain the amount of protec-
ton which Is to be afforded to those who
come within the Eight Hour statute. The
OF the employees on the Harlem Railroad
is admirably calculated to afford the desired oppOr-
tunity. These men employed in sinking the tracks
in the upper end OF the city receive one-haf OF
their money from the city and the other from the
railroad company.
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW TO BE TESTED
The statute provides that all workmen in the
pay Of the city or state shall only be required TO
laber eight hours per day. The Internatlonals are
determined to ascertain whether this statute is to
be interpreted in favor OF the aborer the CAPT.
talist. II neither the government nor the State
laws to be interpreted enforced in the inter-
ests OF the working classes, the Internationals
threaten to turn all creation over and have new
deal.