Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-05-13
The Eight Hour Movement.


The Pennsylvania Farmer, published at
Meadville, has the following to say of e
new labor troubles that are at presC t
agitating the whole country;
There is much agitation throughout the
cities of this country upon the question
of eight instead of ten hours constituting
days labor. In some places the system
is about to be adopted The important
question to be considered is whether that
Is the proper thing to do or not. Is it the
best thing for the laboring class? Viewed
on general principles we don't believe it
is. No man can do as much work in eight
hours as he can in ten hours, and no em
ployer can afford to pay as much for eight
as for ten hours labor The tendency
during the past few years on the part of
employers generally to reduce wages,
upon the plea that their business does
not pay, is proof that if they get less la
Dor they must pay less money. In some
cases the claims of the employer may be,
and doubtless are, groundless, and made
for the purpose of personal enrichment at
the expense of labor, but such cases are
largely in the minority. large majority
of employers of labor have been paying
every cent they could afford, and many
have paid more than the profits of their
business would justify, till failure has
overtaken them. These are unquestion-
able facts.
In majority of cases, the workman
who performs less labor must expect to
get less pay, and the percentage of labor
ers in this country who can afford to do
that is not large. A large majority of
ybs, 1,,s 1aI,
try are not millionaires. If they are, or
anywhere near it, their plea of capital
depressing labor is without foundation.
The facts are that very large majority
of the men of this country who live by
selling their labor can barely live and
support their families on the pay they
receive for ten hours labor a day, and
they can't afford to reduce their earnings.
The plea that shorter hours or labor
will give more opportunity for recrea-
tion and refinement isn't applicable to.a
very large proportion of laborers. To
such as will use the additional spare
hours that way, it will be a blessing, but
to the larger proportion who leisure
hours are now spent in loafing around
places of questionable reputation, and
spending the money earned during the
day is beer guzzling, the additional hours
of liberty from labor will be a curse of no
small magnitude.
That part of the laboring element of
this country which is continually kicking
for more pay, generally least deserves
what it already gets. The scabs, bum
mers and botches are generally the loud
est in their clamors for more pay and less
work. What they get is mainly fooled
away i'll cumming brawls, and the height
of their ambition is to fool away more in
the same way.
The workman who has the welfare of
his employer at heart, takes an interest
in his work and is faithful to the end, sell
dom makes much complaint He is salts
fed, happy, saves his earnings and builds
up true happiness and comforts in his
home. To him a reduction of hours is
ployed. The lamentable feature in his
case is that he is sometimes compelled to
suffer for the wrongs of the worthless
class who possess no merit worthy of no
tice. and who, the less leisure they have
the better they are off.
If a reduction of hours will give en-
ployment TO many who are now idle, and
thus enable all to live and provide the
necessaries and comforts of life, the
change will not be without its advantages.
But if it simply makes more time for
spending that which Is earned, the results
will not be very beneficial. In any event,
the correct verdict can best be arrived at
after a trial.