The Labor enquirer., 1885-02-28

W nat r3lDoQ AL our 10QuDsl10U9 SHQ b0lt.
made mon from the dust and scum Of
the earth3 knowledge. Then Why mot
educate our brain IS well - our muscle
For in knowledge there Is power.
RlsHr HoURs.
From . WaAdsrers
Editor Labor Enquirer:
CHICAGO, Feb. "a, 1885.
Ileft Boston on the evening of Janu-
Iary ~, for New York City by rail and
boat, Istaid in Boston IS long Is I
could stand il. Itwas too old-fashioned
aad antiauated to saitne There seems
& Iszy s;a =
ststes consider the working people
of New England. the most oppressed
people in the United States.
Arrived in New York City on Sunday
morning, took in the town as bese Iconld
during the day, and left on the night
train of the West Shore road for Chicago.
/ left Boston with the thermometer forty
FIVE degrees above zero and arrived in
Chicago with the thermometer twenty
two degrees below zero. The weather
has been terrible cold for eleven weeks
without cessation, and the snow is four
feet on a level in the city. How | wish |
was IN the beautiful climate Of Denver.
Tomorrow evening Emery A. storrs,
will lecture in Central Music Hall, for
the benefit of Typographical union No.
16. His subject will be "reminiscences
of the late campaign" which will be non
political. Our union has two large
burial lots, one at Rose Hills cemetery
protestant and oneat Calvary cemetery
(catholic). The proceeds of the lecture
will be used in erecting monument on
each of these lots. The hall in which
the lecture will he given is, / think, the
largest in the city. The indications now
are that the house will be crowded, as a
large number of tickets have been sold.
The tickets are 25 and 80 cents. The
trades assembly are helping US to dis
pose of the tickets.
During the past six months | have
taken particular pains to sound all wage
workers / came in contact with, in the
territory lying between Denver and Bos-
ton, having stopped in numerous cities
between the above points, on the eight
hour question. Almost everyone who
I Iquestioned is in favor of eight hours
for days work. In my opinion the
only immediate relief for the wage
workersis TO reduce the hours Of labor
from ten to eight. It would undoubted-
ly put nearly all, if not all the men who
are now idle, at work, and it,would give
those who are now working ten hours,
the needed rest which their bodies re-
quire, and give them more time to study
and inform themselves on the evils Of
the competitive system; leaders in labor
matters, trade unionists, Knights of
Labors and labor papers ought to agitate
the eight-hour question to its fullest
extent. We cannot get everything all
at once, but we must 60 step at time,
and the reduction of working hours from
ten to eight is, think step in the right
direction, and one that is now in the
power Of workingmen to demand. After
we have got eight hours, and everybody
is put to work. we will be in better con-
dition to give time and money to edu-
eating ourselves on the evils of the COM
petitiye system.
The Trades Assembly meets the first
and third Sunday of each month. |
want to suggest to you that if you will
send me % copies of The ENouIRER 1
will distribute them to the assembly at
the next meeting. There is no labor
paper here of any consequence. and it
or may possibly get you some sub
scribers. / can assure you some of the
delegates need labor paper. ! leave
the matter with you. Ifyou think it is
not good idea, then don't send them.
Give my regards to the boys.
W. F.
His Sentimental Philosophy.
L'r1 ~ d d