The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-06-27
THE HALF-HoI ii MOVE.
The Subject as Discussed La,t
Evening.

Somewhere about fifty of the en-
ployees of the business houses of this
city, met in Calder's Hall last evening,
to take into consideration the practical
bility of obtaining Saturday holt
holiday. s
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. Royal Barney, and Mr.. H. w.
Naisbitt was elected chairman, and
after considerable skirmlshing, Mr..
Brown accepted the position of secre-
tary.
In taking the chair, Mr.. Naisbitt said
| he presumed there were many
differences of opinion as to the
best method to be pursued in
order to attain the result desired.
and he hoped for full and free discus
sion of the subject by. the gentlemen
present. He had his own ideas of what
should be done and what should not be
done, but would defer an expression OF
them until he had heard from some OF
| the others.
Mr.. Barney thought the division-if
any occurred-Would be as to the best
day to obtain half holiday-as to
whether it should occur on Wednesday,
Thursday or Saturday. In the east and
in England some branches of trade
granted the employees half-holiday
in the middle of the week-say
| Wednesday or Thursday = while
others had granted the respite from
labor on Saturday. Experience, how
ever, had proven that Saturday was
the most popular, at least among the
employees, and he believed the senti-
ment among those present was IN favor
of the last-named day; the question
was, can we get Saturday, and if not,
what day will be most convenient for
our employers? Wednesday or Thurs
day afternoon would certainly be pre-
| ferable to no holiday at all.
Mr.. H. j. Walk would prefer Satur
day; that day has many advantages
over any other, at least in so far as
those present are concerned. He gave
his experience of the holiday movement
in different parts of England. In Lon
don the dry goods stores close at pm;
if there is any obstacle in the way of
obtaining Saturday, he thought it would
be advisable to ask for some
other afternoon. He thought that
if the half-holiday could be obtained
on Saturday it would have the effect to
keep at home many who now desecrate
the Sabbath by INDUCING in outdoor
pursuits, such as fishing, etc. He
hoped the desired end would be at
tanned. ~
There being considerable difidence
manifested among those present in ex
pressing their views, lin order that
ecision might be arrived at, Mr.. Bar
ney moved that it be the sense of the
meeting that Wednesday afternoon
should be the time asked for.
The chairman. Mr.. Naisbitt, was IN
favor of Thursday, because it had been
his experience that that day was the
dullest of the entire week, and, as a re-
suit, the services of employees could be
more easily spared, and with less
inconvenience to the merchants and
other business men.
Mr.. Fields said Wednesday appeared
to him as being better day; great
deal of country produce was always
brought into town on Thursday.
Mr. Bosch thought it would be adj
yisable to, at least, try and obtain
Saturday.
Mr.. Frank did not see any reason for
asking for holiday in the middle of
the week. Saturday was the only day.
Thought that a half-holiday would be
beneficial both to employer and en-
ployed.
Mr.. Duke thought that even if the re-
quests OF the gentlemen present were
not granted now, discussion of the
matter would not do harm. The mer-
chants would lose nothing by allow
ing z half-holiday on Saturday, and
that day was certainly the best for all
purposes.
The chairman then made quite a
lengthy address, in which he referred
to Sabbath dissertation, intellectual and
spiritual faculties, the hours of labor in
| England, how the members should
spend the holiday if they succeeded in
obtaining it, etc. He thought it would
be impossible to lnaugurate a general
closing on Saturday, as great many of
| the smaller stores took in more money
on that day than during any three
others. Foundries, factories. whole
| sale houses, banks, etc., might close,
but it would be almost impossible to in
duce many retail places to put up the
shutters.
Mr.. Frank thought Mr.. Naisbitt
had wandered away from his SUBJ
ject; thought everybody had a
right to enjoy his holiday or his Sab
bath as he chose.
Louis Bamberger made few remarks
that were highly appreciated, suggest
ing that, in view of the TACT that the en-
ployees were asking the employers for
something, it would be well to ask the
| latter what day woald be most conven-
lent for them to grant the wished-for
/ respite.
| After more skirmishing a committee
of five-Messrs. Alder, Bosch, Barney
Rogers and Naisbitt-were appointed
to wait upon the merchants and ascer-
tain Their views in regard to the matter
under consideration.
A Prospective Out.