Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-20
The Eight-hOur Contest.

EXPLANATORY ADDRESS OF THE BOSS BRICK
LAYERS.
The Master Bricklayers' society of this Dis
uicto on Saturday published an address in answer
70 the previous address OF the Bricklayers'
Union.
The employers state that they have formed an
orsaniZstIo for mutual protection, to give
stability to the hours OF labor, and encourage
capitalists to invest funds in building up and
identifying the city; that they are DESTROYS of
protecting the journeymen and laborers alike,
the latter not being able to stand a reduction OF
wages, while the bricklsyers are able. A re-
duction of wages they do not propose but do
ask that ten hours shall constitute days work
and will resist the eight-hour law. In enuncia-
ting some OF the rules of the Bricklayers'
Union. which they characterize as "tyranical,"
they allude TO the decree restricting each boss
TO two apprentices; the establishment of eight
hours for labor on Saturday without CORES
ponding reduction of wages; the adoption of
rule TO stop work An hour by shutdown, and at
terwards fixing their wages at $3.50 per diem
Tor ten hours, and subsequently raising it to IS
per diem. The action of the journeymen in the
fall OF last year fixing their pay at 80 cents per
hour Is also alluded TO az having been satisfac-
tory TO all, but now further aggressive measures
are about to be taken, which the employers in
tend 10 resist TO the end, and ask the co0pera.
ton Of the citizens in establishing permanent
bssi OF hours and wages, so that they may know
how to contract for work.
REPLY OF THE JOURs.
Inc Journeymen's Union committee have
answered this address by publishing "a declare
ton OF rights" They say the rule established
building, as the rate of wages is reduced to the
rate per hour of last year. IT bosses were iusti-
NED IN securing contracts last wear, when they
paid - per day OF ten hours, they cannst con.
sistently refuse to employ journeymen this wear
at - per day OF eight hours. They state that
the increase Of wages from say to So per day
was occasioned by majority OF bosses paving
that rate before the Union enacted it. Thew
charge that the bosses (who complain OF the
oppressive rules OF jourDeymen) sought TO i'm
pose oppressive rules, and they cite the resolu
DECLARING q diao =
one boss shall not be employed BY another
which they assert is an effort to revive the
Engllsh system OF master and servant. TO the
statement that the hod-carriers are not able to
stand the reduction OF wages they reply by ask.
ing II the bosses did not pay hod-carriers less
than 50 per day since 1870: and If at all times
the wages OF the laborer does not increase in
ratio to that OF journeymen? They state that
the apprentice law was passed when a majority
OF the bosses were members of the Union, and
without the rules profitable" apprentices
would have been employed by the bosses
to an unlimited extent, at q pittauce per
day, to the detriment OF the Journey
men and the building community. They
further state that 1.-The measure OF eight
hours on Saturday was inaugurated by boss
then member of our union, now of yours, and
was engineered by him successfully and caused
strike on the Treasury extension and involved
the journeymen in pecuniary loss. The reso-
luton of 80 cents per hour, passed in 1873, was
agreed to TO suit the convenience Of two members
existing difficulty; our inability to labor ten
hours when the days were only eight hours
long and the bosses sought to reduce our
wsges 70 three-quarter time, after laboring
uurng the long days OF summer, because We
COULD not control the risings and settings of the
sun 70 suit their ideas of loss and gain This Is
one reason Why We deem eight hours necessary.
~ .nough We may be an inharmonious body
nase conclnded that the Adoption of a uni
win IN ~, fesGlatng the hours Of labor to eight,
VII, IN tne future, obviate the difficulties made
oy tse bosses during at least one-third of ths
-
IN conclusion, they declare that they will mot
sacrinee this, question of principle. D"'
TEN HOUR JouRNEYMRN
The journeymen who favor fan hon.s
days work, called meeting for SATURDAY ~
X p. M, at Trades Union Hall, corner sth -
4 streets, but few reeponed, only some twaIxs
or hfteen gathering on the pavement outsias
and no attempt was made to hold the m ssfine'
MKssRs. DUNcANsoN BROS. would cali the
attention of our readers or those in want of
comfortable home Of their own, to the sale OF
two nearly new frame houses on north L street.
6efW4QU 4fh N ~ a.,