Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-19
THE DISTRICT AND THE EIGHT.
HOUR LAW.
A Letter to the Commissioners from q
Committee Of knights Of Labor.

Messrs. p. T. Bowen, Willard F. Hobbs, Chas.
B. Smith, L. NJ. Herbert and II. G. Trader, leg
islative committee of District assembly, No GO,
yesterday sent q letter to the District Commits
sioners as follows:
"We have been directed by this assembly to
request You to direct that eight hours shall be a
days work for employees OF the District of Co
lumbia. On investigation we find that the
municipal act of January II, 1866 (Webb's Dr.
gest, 23o) declared that for laborers employed
on corporation work eight hours shall be COM
puted a days work, and the act of March 81
1867 (Webb's Digest, 459), enacted that the
pay of laborers of this corporation shall be not
less than 50 per day These laws were con-
tinued in full force by section 81 of the Re
vised Statutes of the District OF Columbia, and
We unable to find that they have ever been
repealed or modified expressly or by implica-
ton. Ii are correct, the present maximum
| of time and minimum OF pay are eight hours
and 81 for a legal days work within the limits
| the Revised Statutes of the United States
makes eight hours II days work for all labor
ers, workmen and mechanics employed by or
on behalf Of the government OF the United
States. We think it requires no violence OF
construction to make this applicable to the
District of Columbia. Congress is our sole egis-
lature. The President is our chief executive.
All OF the money tor our expenses is appropri-
ated by Congress. One-haif Of IL Is paid from
the United States Treasury. We certainly have
u government here. We as certainly have no
government by 0r OF the people of the District
IL U
the United States under which We operate,
what is it? Ii our laborcrs on public works are
not employed by or on behalf OF the govern
ment OF the United States the letter and spirit
OF the law must endure u greater strain TO make
it appear SO than to sustain the view We have
expressed. The general movement Tor short
hours is meeting with widespread success, and
the demand is being conceded TO those occupa-
tons where intelligent and experienced organi-
ZatiOn does its elective work. But the moral
and economic considerations which the
movement is based demand the shorter day as
emphatically tor the poor, ignorant and disor-
gaDiZed workmen, VINO are unable u grasp Ii,
AS for those who can enforce their demand.
We therefore urge you to establish the rule
throue hout the District of Columbia which has
already been declared right and eXpedient by
national, state and municipal legislation, ana
which is being demanded and conceded by
public opinion in all Industries where IL is APP
plicable. We beg TO remind you that the COM
petltive system, which forces private employ
ers however generous and honorable, to secure
labor at the lowest attainable rates, has no APP
plicatiOn to public employment where the pro-
motion of justice is the only aim OF govern
ment and the only apology for its existence. Ii
eight hours q day is as much as q man ought to
work, and TWO dollars as little as a man ought
to support a family on, the government be-
comes an oppressor and wrong-doer when 1t
exacts more labor or gives less pay.
This organization already embraces large
portion OF the Wage,earners OF the District OF
great extent paid from money taxed from
them. We are unanimous in our desire that
our servants shall not be employed more than
eight hours per day and shall be paid enough
to live on.
Int the absence of any law the Commissioners
have power to make q days work OF any
length they may DESIRE. Ii there is no law Oh
the subject we do earnestly hope that you will
fix the day by an order in analogy TO the
national law and the laws OF our organized
trades already in force or about to become SO.
But we adhere to the view that the laws we
have specified fix the legal day for public en-
ployes throughout the District OF Columbia at
eigh hours, and the wages within the limits OF
the city OF Washington at not less than two
dollars per day.
We trust that you will take steps speedily to
enforce the law. We are the more anxious that
you should do this in order that tie incessant
perversions and violations OF the Law, by those
who are charged with its execution, may no
longer invite and excuse laWessness on the
part of those whom We are seeking to educate
and elevate by peaceful and lawful methods.