St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-28
ONLY EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
Another Essay on the DesirabilitY of Short
ening the Hours of Labor
Gossip Among the 3IilIers and Lumber.
men of Minneapolis

Various answers are offered to the ques-
ton as propounded. But moments rehec-
ton is, it seems to me, all sufficient to con
vince any thinking man Of what the causes
Of these things are. Consider the privileges
available to the workers, as compared with
those of the employers.
The mind of the employer is absorbed in
the thought Of how he can best make his ends
meet. so as to accumulate or declare larger
dividend on his sales.
AHmen can advance in that direction in
which they more particularly apply their tai
ents. The workers are compelled 10 medi-
tate on the prospects of bread for tomorrow,
and as TO whom or where they may serve as q
means TO procure il, and to make the matter
worse, the hours Of toll are increased at
every opportunity
Not content with this, the extra time
schedule is introduced and the emplOye kept
at work many times from twelve to fifteen
hours per day, practice largely prevalent IN
factories.
Is this right2 Should not the workers have
time 10 read and think as well as work! Can
they understand their condition unless they
investigate it! Naturally not. On tee con-
iect they are to the caprice of their employ
ers; and to successfully cope with this ca
price they must understand the merits of
their position, If possible, IN detail. No
suitable remedy can be applied TO any case
until It is first understood, and it ought TO be
the workers privilege as well as his business,
in a country like ours, to understand bis
troubles and establish a suitable remedy for
them. To do this he must study and have
time to do so.
Then this question naturally and of neces-
sity resolves itself into one phase, except in
30 far as other movements may be coupled
with it to the furtherance Of that end,
namely,
THE EIGHT-HOUR QUESTION.
AS time advances we lean more and more
the necessity of advancing with it. Less than
half century ago men worked at mechani-
cal callings in this country ''from sun
tin sun, and had no thought
Of its ever being asked that ten hours should
constitute q day work. But the time came
when it was looked upon wrong agains
law as well as against decency to require any
man 10 work more than ten hours for a days
work at any mechanical occupation.
As times in those days, coupled
with conditions, necessitated the
shortening ofthe hours Of toll so they do to-
day. Let US suppose, for instance, that there
are 6. 600 600 adult workers in the United
States, and each Of them working ten hours
every day. Then suppose that the hours
we're shortened to eight. In that event there
would be place furnished for the employment
Of FIVE operatives where there are four now
employed, thus making instead Of G,000, coo
1900 900 employed.
This is a fair view Of the matter, although
not one that takes into account how many
there are employed who are kept working
more than ten hours per day.
presume it is safe TO say that by
RESTRICTING THE HOURS OF Toll
to eight, and compelling the abandonment of
the extra time schedule there would
be work provided for at leastt
two and half million more operatives than
are at present employed in the states.
During the panic Of 1873 and the idleness
brought about by force as well as by will,
our tramps-or more properly our idle citi-
zens-never numbered more than two and
half million. And in mentioning tins
matter it is well to remember that the tramp
fcourgc was not the result In full Of enforced
idlcncss, and even admitting that it was, the
remedy proposed in the eight-hour scheme
would have provided work for all those two
and a half millions.
The employment Of more men or opera
tivcs is not all that there is in this important
question The adoption Of the system will
tend TO act as an agency Of edihcation in the
matters Of intellectual Development, ~ well
rs in the development of the physique, As
result OF more recreation and rest from over
work.
Il viii also tend 10 advance wages for
where there is a demand for men 10 work
there is always rise In wages.
The good influence of fair wages and the
bad influence Of unfair wages are felt IN more
ways than one. Tue business man is always
most prosperous where the workingmen are
most prosperous. This is q matter Of neces-
sty as the laborers are vast majority Of the
consumers as well as producers; and one OF
the fundamental ideas Of our government is
that its legislation shall be calculated 10 pro
mote rather than retari the Interests Of its in
dustrial cusses- Ia other words, that the
Interests ui-thc many shall be furihered il
needed by the sacrifice Of the fcw--a prin-
Ciple that has been l1meutab!y ignored By all
ot our legislative bodies for years past, aud
one that must ere long receive It's just share
az recognition in this country, or chaos will
d. the result. The patience 81 God viii not
endure forever.
THE WAGE QUESTION.
Men argue that there would not be as
much work done in eight as In ten hours by
worNmcu were this law 70 prevail, aud hence
loss 10 the employer from the fact that the
wages asked for would De the same per day
IA under the ten-houg system. We cannot
answer that better than 90 saT that men al
WAYS have and always will get as much as
they can for work done or services rendered,
aud this "a a matter Of no importance as
touching the point under consideration, and
ought not TO receive any attention In the
premises Workmeu ought 90 aim at short
euiug The hours OF toll regardless OF anything
touching the matter Of wages. These things
always have and always viii reach their
proper level as a necessity, not brought about
bv any theories or arguments, but by the
force N circumstances.
Let me say In conclusion that It seems 90
me that Sc should have au eirht-hoUr sys-
tenn In this country. aud indeed, must Of
necessity have 70 ere long Il Is but just,
aud In accordance with the laws OF God, Of
nature and og humanity As true IS it is
THAT cXiCcucies make men, so true IL is that
they make conditions, and one OF the ex-
igcucics Of tde axe is shorter hours OF toll.
10 a-itatc educate and organize IS our mode
of procrdu-, In this matter, for il is only by
education tbst We can ever hope 20 succeed.
Education is the mighty lever that moves all
cuuQuests, ana will continue 70 do So until
the cu3 lf time.
Then let Us educate aud organize first, and
sftcruard accomplish action through that or
CRDiratjou as an Instrument Ii xe inquire
into thc affairs Of any particular brsuca Of
industry, SIC Gud organization paramount
AMI tacr, Is no just reason WHY The working
mer should not be organized as vel as any
Others. /, Is as impract!cab'e 60 think that