New-York tribune., 1873-05-29
LABOR MOVEMENTS.
THE BOSTON EIGHT-HoUR LEAGUE


BOsToN May 2S.-The Boston Eight-Hour
League, at it's meeting the Meonian to-day discussed
the following principles and resolutions:
The labor movement deals with the poverty OF labor
ers a The great question s how can wages be
wages will be the inevitable result opportuni
ties aud institutions for the masses Laborsaving ma
chinery is largely the product OF high wages EIpen
sve machinery will not pay ts cost OF construction
and management where low wages prevail.
Rapid and cheap production Is the result OF labor
saving machinery. The result OF days labor In
America buys more than the result OF the same amount
from less hours reduces the cost of production The first
step toward cooperation is to render cheap labor dearer
The conditions which will make cooperation universal
will hft the standard OF general intelligence and com
forts far above their present level that fraud oppres
son intemperance, pesulence and war will be impos
sble The important fact In social science s that
eight hours means higher wages or less poverty -,
The resolutions anticipated that the votng power OF
the masses will be openly or coyery assaled III the
next Constitutional Convention win propositions 70
qualify suffrage, increase taxes reduce the numoer OF
officers elected by the people ana that an arsocray OF
wealthy Republicans and democrats VIII start IN tnese
tons incorruptibe legislation less violence crime and
misre reduction OF hours OF labor wherever puphc
opinion and legislation can properly interfere
The resolutions were earnestly discussed by George
Mcneil Ira Stewart, j. H. Jones' and Messrs Hinchclin
Hinckley and Pettigew and after few minor amend
ments they were adopted. Edward Atkinson, cotton
mill agent who present listener, was called to
the platform aud opposed the statutory regulations Of
labor except they controlled the work OF chill
dren and those under State guardianship.
A SPENT STRIKE.
The jOurneymen carpenters agitation was
marked by no further effort at organization and no in
crease of proportions yesterday The non-socety men,
who were jugged into leaving work. either by encour
aRemeut or intimidation OF the society members are
finding out their mistake, they get no material aid
and very little comfort from the organization wheboth
the .hops they eftther places having been nled
and the eighthour establishments where they seek
work are closed against them The foremost aim OF the
hole demon stration been to the employers
from apy combined effort TO break down the eighthour
svstem-an effort which the workmen are constantly
dreadinp-by driving the nonsocety men 20 the stand
ards of the societes thus cutting of the source OF
sunnlv 10 which the bosses would look In case they
should bring on strike by extending the hours The
Conference Committed, which has been working for
compromise between employers and employed by absn
doning the eighthour system. is still unwii-
ling To disclose what propositions have been
made and what terms rejected though their
efforts are dashed fby the attitude taken by tho
society journeymen last week. holding out for eight
honrs or nothing Some OF the employers state tnat
thew would agree on basis OF nlae hours, ana olnu
themselves as association TO abide Dy ~ ior the h
Ave years. Tho journeymen say that the elghthouf
agitation is not unweleome 10 inc enpoyers, a. ~
the trade and the possibility OF general suike tney
can extort higher rates from contractors. .S.,.
The working carpenters have frequently stated tneh
determination TO force the planing mills throughout
the city adopt eight hours but neary All OF tne mem arc nc
strike or demand for a reduction OF hours DepoSSes
striving excite strike have visited them but tnus
far without success