Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-15

hut We must not forget tnht IN many
places the 10 hour plan has not been adopt
ed yet. II may do very we'll for an or
SANITATION which looks after the interest
of but one craft or calling to neglect those
who stand most in need of help, but
knight of labor must never close his ewes
To the wants of the humblest of his fellow
creatures. The very discussion of the
sudden introduction OF the eight-hour plan
injured business, 50 much SO that In many
places men were reduced 10 nalf time or
thrown out of employment altogether
Millions OF dollars worth of work was left
undone because of the uncertainty in re
gard 10 taking contracts or making en-
gagements to perform work. Never was
il more clearly demonstrated that IAN in
jury to one Is the concern OF alln than in
the movement | am speaking OF. The
house builder, through uncertainty as Ia
how many hours of labor his employees
would work for him, made no contracts
to erect buildings and the
carpenter was thrown out of employ
ment The man who made the window
glass the man who made the nails-in fact
every man or woman engaged in the
manufacture OF articles which 90 10 build
or furnish n house-sU"ered through the at
tempt TO enforce thu e. hour system on
MAY |. The move was in the right direc-
tion, but the time and circumstances were
not suitable. Before the eight-hour plan
is adopted the knights Of labor and the
trade unions of America must lay aside
gether. name day on which to put the
plan into execution and adopt the plan of
action, which must Ice gradual and such
as Will not mfiict injury upon either en-
ployer or employee. The plan presented by
Mr. Norton of Chicago to the special SEES
sion of the general assembly at Cleveland,
is good one in nearly every particular,
and If the worklngmens organizations
agree on putting II into practice, such n
plan can be carried out without jar or
! friction.
Before a short hour system that will he
Of any benefit TO mankind can be in
augurated, the relation which the work
man bears 10 the labor saving machine
must undergo radical change shorten
! the hours OF labor under our present
! system and the streets will not be emptied
of their idle thousands more machines
| will be erected and more children called
| into service TO feed them. The assertion
! that the advocates Of short hours desire To
/ stop production Is false. IL is TO make
| production gradual, healthy and have il
] keep pace with the wants Of the consumer,
/ keeping all men employed, so that dleness
Will disappear and the producer remain n
] consumer TO his fullest capacity, that we
! desire n shortening Of the hours OF labor.
! Visit our large and small factories and
/ YOU find that the mechanic Of the past Is
| but the feeder of the machine OF the
/ present. We already hear of machines in
/ course OF perfection which will set type
and mould cigars faster than human hands
/ can do the work: and electricity will soon
! take the throttle lever from the hands Of
] the man who runs the locomotive The
| day will soon dawn when those agencies
will he doing their work, and when that
| day does come the mechanic. now so proud
! of his calling will stand face to face with
! the alternative OF asking for charity or
| the adoption of the calling OF the street
! scavenger. When that day comes the
man who now seeks 10 array labor against
/ labor. in asserting that the - day man
should not move IN the same society
/ circles with the man who works for 81 IA
! day will either seek To crowd the 81 n day
/ man out Of his place or accept the crumbs
of charity - sustain life History Will
repeat itself and the fight for existence
| will he waged with unrelenting fury.
| What j. the remedy, The machine must
! become the slave of the man. instead of
! keeping the man in attendance on and
! subordinate 10 the machine. \ plan Of CO
! operation through which the workman
/ may control the machine he operates must
/ one day supersede the present system. To
properly map out such plan requires
more time than have had or am likely 10
! have at my disposal. | can only cooperate
| with Others in the work.
The thirteenth article in our declaration
| Of principles reads: The prohibition. 10y
law. Of the employment OF children under
! ID years OF age in the workshops. mines
! and factories" The end sought for in car
rying this declaration INTO effect Is not
| that the child may live in idleneSs; il is
not that more adults may be employed IL
! is that the child OF the poor man may
| be enabled to acquire an education 10
equip him for the duties which will in
J future fall upon him rs man and citizen.
! We cannot afford 20 pass this question by
! and legiSlate on some simple question of
! trade discipline. THE question of child
! labor and education i the most important
/ that can come before us now or at any
other time. With an education all things
! are easy Of accomplishment. Without it
! hope itself almost dies and
! liberty l. farce. In our organiZa-
tons OF labor-and II has been
so from the beginning-we take up the
| work OF reform when the subject is
/ advanced in years. The new member must
| be above rs years before we can admit
| him. We attempt TO drive from his
mind the false ideas gathered in from the
workshop, or, possibly the street corner
/ His habits are formed and the work that
should have been begun at : years we
take up at ~ or later on in life. To at
| tempt 20 settle 50 intricate a question as
| the one we are graphing with. or 10 sue
cessfuly solve the question. is task so
! difficult that ! do not wonder that men
| drop ont of the ranks of labor organiZa-
! tions discouraged and hopeless To make
| the necessary progress we must begin with
! the child and soc 10 IL that he has an edu-
/ cation. II the principles of the knights
/ Of labor are right-and few men question
/ them-we should teach them 20 the young
! II should be part Of the duty Of every
! assembly TO ascertain the number of
! children who do not attend school in its
/ vicinity, learn what the causes are. and
take steps TO have them attend school.
! The sword may strike the shackleS from
the limbs Of the slave. but il is education
/ and organization that makes " him
! free man. He Is still slave. whose limbs
| alone have been freed.
| OF what avail is II TO say that are
! laboring to establish system OF co-opera-
/ ton. when that which is most essential To
/ the success Of cooperation II lacking \
! business training ls necessary to success
/ fully carry on n cooperative enterprise.
| If the management Of the large or small
| concerns now in operation in this country
| were turned over TO us to-day. we would
! but run them into the ground, for we lack
! the business training necessary TO success
! fully operate them. Our vanity may
/ prevent us from acknowledging this TO be
true, but we cannot deny il. IL is through
no fault Of ours that IL is true, but If il
continues IL will be our fault
! | ask that n special committee on educa-
ton be appointed 10 prepare and recon-
mend 10 this general assembly plan for
the better education OF the American
/