Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-02

AneOutiN lntIOuuCtu III inc uOuce "
representatives by Geo. w. Julian OF In
diana and Andrew jackson Rogers of New
Jersey at the next session Of congress
the measure slightly amended, was rein
troduced by n +. Banks Of Massachusetts
aud became law. Committees repre-
senting the trades congress, the govern
meut printers and other workmen were
active in urging the measure. Among
those so prominently engaged wer,
\ Richard +. Travelick Of Michigan, now
chief organizer Of the Knights OF
Labor, George L Mcneil OF Massachu
sets aud Alexander Troop Of the same
state and now United States collector Of
! internal revenue. The workingmen have
complained Of constant attempt Of the
administration officers OF the United
States to eysde the simple and plain nro.
visions OF this act. In every branch OF
government labor, except the printing
office at Washington, the officers in
charge, whether civil, army or navy, have
attempted TO execute the law according
to their separate views of political econo.
kmy. The effort has been steadily made to
reduce the price Of the days
/ labor by the ten hour sys-
TEN and measure. President Grant
felt compelled to issue proclamation
ordering its enforcement upon the
plain Interpretation that the regular rate
Of pay IN all trades and occupations
should be given for the government day,
| legally made eight hours. The law was
Systematically violated during the adj
ministration Of President Hayes and Gar
field, but was enforced by President Ar
thur. IL Is rigidly executed by the pres
ent administration. Hundreds Of suits
have been instituted in the United States
court of claims to recover the 20 per
cent. deducted by the enforcement of the
ten-hour rate from mems wages. Several
cases have been decided favorably by
the court Of claims, and have been sus-
tanned on appeal to the supreme court Of
the United States. No appropriations
have as yet been made to pay these claims,
which amount In all to about So, 600, 900.
The printers and other employees of the
government printing Office were left I'M
disturbed in their new privilege during
President Grants terms. At the time OF
the passage Of the eight.hour law, com.
positors In the government printing office
were receiving "a day for ten hours
work II was decided In their case that tney
were entitled to the same rate for the
shorter day. During the administration
OF President Hayes, congress, apparently
for the sole purpose of nullifying the
eight-hour law, changed the printers
rates from 81 day 10 forty cents an
hour, thus reducing pay for eight hours
to $500. The public printer, ever since,
except when work is very slack, has com
PEELED his artisan force TO labor ten
hours a day, and often longer. one
chief object of the workingman in seek
ing employment among larger body of
men. The eight-hour rule is that OF d.
yiding employment among larger body
OF men. The administrative hostility AT
the government printing Office has COM
pletely nullitied this object by refusing to
allow the use cf "suba," or the employ
ment of an extra force for extra hours
required. A bill is pending in the pres
ent congress restoring the old rate of nav
and providing for the employment of an
Increase of force for all labor recurring
longer than eight hours day for each
person.
While the agitation for the federal
elSht-houf day was progress
log, the movement was actively
discussed in New York and Massachu-
setts' In New York the elght-hour meas |
ure became a state law. The leaders Of |
the elght-hour movement in Massachu-
setts were Ira Stewart, who gave his life
10 the cause, George Il. Mcneil and Alex
anqer Troop. The Evening Voice, issued .
Ut Boston IN 1865, was brilliant expo
nent OF the eight-hour rule. Generally.
however, the elght-hour movement re-
celved but little encouragement until the
of the federation of trades in
1881. Mr., Samuel Gompers, in an accom-
panying article, takes up the history of
the movement from that date.
SAMUEL GoMPsRs.
DIT, 1ompers Is president OF the federation
VI organized trades aud labor unions for tho
purpose OF securing an eight hour dav He ia
also president OF the New YORK statS 1,raSo 80
assembly; This Is an historical and argumenta.
i've article and ie the official statement of tho
As follows: 'N' -" "iites
IN discussing the question OF the re-
luctlon oil the hours Of labor, some care
must oe exercised TO prevent the confu-
'lon OF the movement for the reduction.
thu the question as to the advlsability of {
ts inauguration. shall conflne myself.
1lter lew Introductory remarks, to the
iGestioh OF not only the practicability.
Iut Tue ACCESSIBILITY in the reduction OF l
.he hours Of labor. - /
Inc movement for the reductjon ne tha {
hours OF labo. has had its origin. for ali {
1ractcal purposes of this discussion. in I
hnsianu somewhat more than one hun. I
lreu years ago, with the conpre. a
'atlon OF large numbers OF labor. v
rs IN factories, workshops and mines. a
u was transplanted to this countr0 NOT 4
y reason of any desire on the mart NJ Il
nose who favored the reduction of The I
lours OF labor but was natural ont. p
'roWth OF circumstances and conditions h
ike those that gave life TO il in that Z
ountry II we view the movement Tor v
ne reduction OF the hours Of labor in ali O
tAses ana the country in general, we will Il
hu that there has been a constsnt C
uoush possibly an unsystematic move, "
lent, looking towards that end. And
'nlie lhe movement for the rednction az a
le houls OF labor TO that of EIGHT ner Il
g! now seems to be the burning question "
l tne honr, yet many and many IN efyort u
as oeeh made through the country IN re- ii
uce 'he hours OF labor, which culminated "
4 tue great movement in 1872 10 accon. A
nsh mat purpose, aud the adoption nv Il
VI seuersi government and by many AZ r.
VI s'ate legislatures Of the eiobt.bonr 81
,VIA'uay Ior all mechanics and Iabnrers Ii
government employ. al
:, ''n tne industrial crisis or manic ~ hi
go, the labor organizations If no /
, ',o We're almost swept out of ex. m
,tan, aud for at least seven wears the a
lsei!isent discussion and concerted nc. II
~, 70 further this movement were nre. NJ
onsea' with the revival of the In. bt
hor OF isl9-s0, the organizations OF II
Y, 20 saSs signs of new life, and ell
movement to reduce the hours be-
cal i"oor again called into prac. pc
'ss, oPeIeuoDi so that at the id
ID Tahor me Federation of the Trades hi