The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-08-14
FROM CALIFORNIA.
Eight Hours for a Days Work.
ny GEN A. NJ. VIM.

To the Editor # TVS WopKlSeNAS's ADVOCATE
In the ADVOCATE Of July 18th, see a
letter from your correspondent, "Obser-
yer, written from st. Louis, July 18th,
IN which he lays down some wholesome
doctrine lie asks, why is it there il such
a stagnatlon in business at this time Of the
year, when all should be in its glcry, and
answers the question thus because We
work too much, too many hours IN the day. y
The whole sum and substance Of the prob
lem is thus summed up in a very few
words.
IT l. NuT POSSIBLE
~ consume all the people can make with
the splendid labor-savlng machinery now
IN use, If they work ten hours per day.
They rattle along at railroad speed for six
months, then, finding they have on hand
more than can be sold, they must stop the
machinery and wait for sales. The manu-
facturer cannot continue to make more,
HIS CAPITAL Is DEAD,
for the time it is on his shelves or in his
cases he can buy no more raw material or
pay Workmen. There being no demand
for the goods. the supply for workmens
wages and other expenses is cut of. The
mil l. still fur SIX months, the machinery
Is rustlng. the interest on the money it
cost the owner is lost. The men who
work for a living are the consumers, but
now they have no work,
NOTHING COMING IN;
even bread and meat is scant Injuries
must be dispensed with the children must
@ barefooted tn, ~ife must % with half
the dresses, and remain at home for want
Of good clothes her old frocks must be
cut up TO dress the girls the fathers
clothes must make the boys pantaloons
auj jackets, while the wife must put patch !
upon patch on the husbands pantoloous
to make them hold out till he can get !
work and buy new dressing material for
his wife and children
THE OWNER BoRRowS MONEY
on his stock IN hand, the interest eats up
his profits, and finally he sells at a ruinous
such articles are made. Had he worked |
his men but eight hours per day, they
would have he'd time To beautify home. /
kept il III order, and learned the art If |
cirjji-0t,o,, for the man Who works all |
day is no better of in social point of
view than if he had been raised in the |
woods, where even dim light Of intelh-
gence never shines.
TIE NANUFACTURER
now starts his mill again, he counts his
loss ia interest the cheap sales he made,
the time lost Ia waiting for them, and in
Jury To machinery all this he seeks to
make up of his workmen. They must
work for less price, more hours, and take
their pay N store goods at an enormous
profit ID the merchant and corresponding
loss "a the men who are doing the work
SUCH Is THE RESULT
Of trying tn a. too much, trying to get
rich tuo fast. while every mistake Of the
kind renders the condition III the capital
list and the wurkmeu worse and worse every
year. But capital Will not study the IN
terest oi the workihgIuan any more than
than they 40 their machinery F; each must
do all the work they can at the least pos
sible cost II Is human nature concentra-
ted into the almighty dollar. If the young
men would have time to breathe outside
Of the shop they must agItate the question
Of short days and more time to acquire in
telIgence.
THEY MUST UNITE
and demand certain hours for labor
they must fix the time for dinner, and the
time to quit work. As soon as they do
this, and make It a national custom, all
other rules will conform to that one
They must lay aside all petty jealousies,
and labor for the common good Of each
other, if they wonld succeed in the end.
LOOK To TIE CENTENNIAL
for the time to make the day of labor but
eight hours let the mechanics Of every
city in the union Be ready for it; let them
parade Cd that day in frll force, with
bright regalia, and banners bearing Eight
hours for labor, eight hours sleep, and
eight for recreation" 1t must be one
grand National movement, nothing short
~ that viii answer the purpose. The old \
men will see a lion in the road. but young
men can drive him out of their path 1t
they will