St. Paul daily globe., 1885-12-20
Practical Suggestions From Laboring
Man on the Position Taken by Al
derman johnson.
Rev. J. L. Scudder Thinks His Critic of
Last Week Was Inclined to
be Hot.
Laboring Men on the Eight
Hour Question.
Trades and Labor Assembly Proceed
tngs--Numerous Discussions OF
Pertinent Topics.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
On Pertinent POInIs---AId. JOlHn
sor..s pnsiIiGs AnasXZed.

On Pertinent POIRTs---AFd. john
sous,s Position AnaiyZed.
To the Editor Of the Globe:
Your paper of the 18th inst. reported
Aid. johnson as having said THAT the
elght-hour resolution iii adopted, | sup
pose he meaut) would prove an injustice
to The taxpayers and, in his opinion, the
question is something outside the province
OF the council" l wonder if he was IN
earnest or only ''funnin.' can hardly
convince myself that a legal lumnary, an
embryotic statesman, one VINO mas had time
to study and had the benefit OF good men-
tai training. could give utterance to such
twaddle Who are the taxpayers anyway?
Is it not a fact that every prudent and sue
cesSful business man figures rent. gas, clerk
hire, interest on capital invested, pay for
his own services as director or manager, a
sinking fund for contingencies. insurance,
advertising, taxes and profit on his goods
when making the selling price? Are not
the wage-slaveS the largest consumers of
commodities which are necessary to sustain
life? Therefore are they not the largest
taxpayers and as taxpayers would it be an
injustice for them to say to the city en-
ployes eight hours is enough for
a days work for you? Emphatically no..
1t is not outside the province Of the council
to say what the hours OF labor of its en-
ployes shall be any more than 1t is outside
their province to say how MANY dollars
they should receive for ten hours work. 1t
is not a difficult question for one to under
stand who thinks more of man than money.
~
The council committee, who had under
consideration the motion of Aid. Gibson,
reported substantially that. while they
were in sympathy with the objects of the
notion. they thought its introduction or
It's establishment at the present time mex
oedient. | deny that it is ineXpedient.
Any measure which is conducive to happi-
ness is eXpedient and should be introduced
md enforced at once. The city can well
afford to shorten the hours of labor for its
employees. as it affords them time to i'm
prove themselves mentally, thereby making
them better citizens. 1t would be great
boon for more than the city employees
as it would enable them to do
their buying earlier than usual
and thereby give the overworked clerk a
chance to get off an hour or two earlier. 1t
would be a good example for other employ
ers. 1t would give leisure for reading, re-
fiecti0n, recreation and rest. 1t would
bring happiness and measure of content
ment to them. Ingersoll said, "NOw is the
time and this is the place to be happy" So
please. Mr.. Aldermen, give us a small in
stalment for Christmas present
~:
Our philosophers are somewhat to blame
for the action of the committee, as one of
them said that 1.-The assembly was some
what in doubt as to the legality of the
eight-hour system" Why should it be
doubted9 A little reflection would have
shown that the council have as much right
to reduce the hours of work of its em-
ployes as to increase the salary of its
officers, which they have done several times.
Another of our philosophers, one who is
generally very clear headed, said, in con-
versation with me on this matter a day or
two since. that if wOrkingmen wanted to
shorten their hours of toll they would only
need to refuse to work longer than they de-
sired.
In the first place, in order to attain suf-
ficient unanimity for such an action
thorough system of agitation.
organization and education is necessary.
In the second place, the workers would
have to lay up sufficient to maintain them
selves and families for three or four months
at least, which is almost impossible at pres
ent rate of wages. My philosophical friend
holds that employers have no right to reg
ulate wages or the hours of labor" With
that agree, because if we concede their
rights to regulate wages and hours of labor
we admit their right to the exclusive own
ership of the means of life, and that means
serfdom for the toilers. Admitting that
we have right on our side, would it not be
foolish on our part to refuse to take small
installmant of justice in the shape of shorter
hours? To receive that to ask for it.
would not sanction the devilish competitive
system. hope our philosophers will not
be so fast next time when Aid. Gibson's
notion comes up. P. w. B.
Minneapolis, Dec. 19.