Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-05-13

secure early closing. And, remem-
bering that this iS to be decisive
effort in this matter, we make our
appeal to ycu personally, my miner
friend to you, my laboring friend /;
to you, my preacher friend; to you,
young lady, middlo-aged and old. In
the name cf humanity We come in
the name of our common heavenly
father We approach you VIII you
not come and by your voice and sup
pert set the glad seal of aucceSs upon
this effort to lift ourselves above our
present condition? That which
promrta this appeal TO the better part
of your nature, my friend, 10 not a
selfish motive as q few casual thoughts
upon your part will sustain. Also
the peiniciou3 effect of late hours
upon the moral and physical man will
be made manifest as you think more
deeply upon the subject. From our
buqiness we retire at once 10 sleep;
hence the last thought is OF labor and
our first consciousness in the morning
is of labor. All through the day,
without any interruption whatever, it
is work--when not physical then
mental. The sun through with his
daily course retires from the sky and
we behold only his reflection as per
chance he sleepeth. But the sales
mans work ceases not with the de.
parture Of day but far into the shad-
owy hours of the night he continues
to labor, for what? "Thc bread and
meat that persheth." Not moment
to enjoy the society Of the home cir
Gle in fact, "at home stranger.
Not one in which to satisfy the possi-
bic innate craving or aspiration to
know something outside and beyond
cur own sphere, compelled to sacrifice
the desire to occasionally mingle in
some social gathering. No time TO be
alone in which we may uninterrupt
edly express our gratitude and ap.
probation Of our daily blessings
What sad state Of affairs Is not
the pulsation Of your manly heart in
harmony with the vital question now
at Issue? Will you not lend your
aid, your voice, your influence, my
brother in order to consummate this
effort Of early closing2 Where shall
we look to-day for parallel case in
the great element OF labor? Surely
not at home, and, we are assured, not
abroad. Our miners have felt the
pernicious effect Of "all work and no
play" and to-day arc making
praiseworthy and noble effort against
this very same imposition, We know
how you have struggled, and the
mighty effort you have made in tie
past in order to reduce your hours Of
labor. Now, as then, we wish you
God speed aud that success may
perch upon your banners" In re.
turn we ask for your sympathy, your
support and voice in order to syste-
meti2e the salesmsns labor. The
majority Of our merchants are perfect
ly willing to close, and we believe
that these who are little unwilling
at present will yield when they find
that this movement is in favor with
the people. How much better we could
| perform om daily duties if we were
privileged to look forward to the
evening as our own Could We not
work harder and be more effective in
winning trade to our respective
houses had we the consciousness that
when the evening shadows began to
fall we would be free Let us hope
that all our merchants and the people
will see the wisdom OF this movement
and kindly Gcquiesce therein.
CLERK.