Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-05-13

WHILE the strike OF the llelSnl-
h andlers in Chicago has proven a
failure, other work people have
gained the desired concessions, until
it is estimated that there are over
twenty-five thousand of them at
work under the system of the eight
hour-day. In its inception the strike
was for eight hours work with ten
hours pay, but in only compara-
lively few cases have both demands
been met. 4 compromise has been
effected IN many cases giving the
ten hours pay for nine hours work.
So far as this movement has entered
into the sale stores it is of little con-
Germ tosthe public further than it is
an inconvenience, but it will prove
a detriment to the establishments
adopting it, Notwithstanding their
notice to customers to please accom-
modate them selves to the new hours.
The uncharitable public has an old
and well formed habit of seeking
rather than granting accommodations
in making its expenditures which
will assert itself in this instance. If
the system is commendable to the
sales houses, the only way in which
it can be made operative is by uni
versal adoption. Where the system
has been adopted in manufacturing
establishments the employees have
generally accepted as compromise
a corresponding reduction in pay
Even in that case the cost of manu-,
facture is increased, for the manufac,
carer in order to turn out an eQua
amount of goods must add facilities
increasing his capital investment OIL
plant one fifth. But while the wage
workers are now exhultant over
what they are pleased to call a vic
tory, it will not be long before the
decrease of wages will be felt among
them, and they will agitate increased
pay, and in the event of their success
in that movement the cost of manu-,
facture will be increased one fifth or
twenty per cent. There is much
more justice in a demand for better
pay than for fewer hours. We have
heard much of the poorly paid labor
ing classes, and if they need better
pay they should be willing to work
as many hours as the people who
consume the goods they manufacture
No farmer or country tradesman or
artisan thinks of working less than
ten hours and the majority of them
toll twelve and fourteen hours pei
day. Upon these and the city work
men themselves the burden of the
increased cost of manufacture must
fall.
In certain occupations which arr
unhealthy and cut short the lives o
their followers the reduction in hours
is just and humane, but in the case o.
masons, for instance, who work onl..
portion of the year and who's
work is healthful, the adoption c
short day is not the best use OF tn
precious time allotted them. 1t
argued that the shorter days viii
give workmen time for self-educa
ton and improvement, but unde
the ten hour system aspirants wit
will have accomplished all tn;
the advocates of the new system hoI
for. The additional leisure Wi
doubtless be improved by the bett
classes, but will afford the Socialls
opportunity to fan the flame of ana
chy andmake thespirit of unrest mu'
more troublesome among the ign
rant classes, who will devote the
time to idleness and to trumpins
imaginary grievances. However,
the introduction of the eight-ho
day would enable them to do t
weeks business and pleasure duri'
the week, and do. away with
wholesale dissertation OF the %
bath in the way OF base ball gan
and beer garden picnics, i wot
bring about mutual benefits appro
mating the burdens il intilcts.