Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-22
FOR EIGHT HOURS.
the WOrkinEmanss Side or am Inter.
esting Question.
SPEECHES BEFORE THE FEDERATION OF LABol
MR.. BOWEN ANSWERS STATEMENTS BIZ TIL
MASTER Observation-Disclosures ny MEssRs
EMMoSs, FoGG AND OYSTER


especially with the questions involved by the
eight hour rule, which the building trades pro-
pose to enforce In this city Monday, May Sd.
The principal address Of the evening was made
by Mr. Paul I. Bowen, who analysed the short
hour problem. Labor, he said, was essential to
existence; capital to civilization. Yet, as labor
| Is performed in the United States, it tends
! rather to shorten existence, and capital is SO
| employed that it is rapidly bringing about
| destruction Of civilization. There were mill
non OF men in this country out Of employment
to-day, not for lack OF capital or of raw material
Improperly owned or ds,r,buted This RiIion
OF men had to live and are living upon q por.
uon OF the earnings of the men at work. Every
gay they worked ten hours a portion Of what
| they produced went to support this million OF
unemployed men. The remedy proposed was
that those who worked should work fewer
nours. In other words, as they had to share
too, with these idte men. The WorKingmen Of
! this city had determined to apply this remedy
mere. Mr.. Bowen analysed what he called the
METHODS OF BUSINESS MEN
who took advantage OF the market and put up
prices and rates of interest regardless of those
whose contracts would be affected. Such men
had not the slightest consideration for any
other mems interests or contracts. He con-
trasted with this the methods which, he said,
| the business men had followed, giving long and
fair notice OF their intention 70 work only eight
builders had made contracts on old figures II
they had secretly resolved upon this move
Monday morning May Sd, they would have
had what they asked before shutdown Of that
day, because the contractors would have to en-
stead OF meeting their fair notice with equal
fairness, had let months go by, and then mad
eareS Of that iSe1 res;S and de-
movement. The lesson the contractors
| had taught the workingmen was that they
must not give notice of such movements until
1T raS tn fore
Notwithstanding this action of the contractors,
Slr. Bowen said, he was confident of the sue
strong enough to be fair and still get what they
| asked. He did not see why the contractor
should stand between the workingmen and the
crease in the cost of building the contractor did
not have to pay, but the man who built the
tractor got his commission all the same.
by. the contractor was that he
of contracts on the eigLt-hour basis and having
secured himself, now proposed, by crowding
men back TO the ten-hour day, to double his
own profits. In answer to the statement by
boss builders that the movement would induce
a large number of mechanics from other places
to come 10 this city, Mr.. Bowen said that If
in favor OF the movement, for it would be in
their interest. If these men did come they
one would have to build the houses. They need
have no fear, however, of such an influx OF
people, for in all other large cities where COM
petent building mechanics were assembled the
same rule would be enforced, SO there would be
no special inducements for these mechanics to
come here. The workingmen were told also
that II this rule Is enforced
RENTS WOULD BE RAISED
20 per cent and real estate values would be
increased. If were certain rents would 60 up
20 per cent, every landlord in this city would
favor the movement and give money to aid it.
He wished that he could demonstrate to the
follow the eight hour day. He believed real
estate owners would ask for six instead of
eight hours. Money would be put into houses
and the mechanics would have to be imported
to meet the demand in the building trades. AS
to the statement that the movement would
stop building, Mr.. Bowen argued that there
was an abundance of capital seeking safe in
vestments: plenty OF vacant lots, and that
building materials were cheap. All Of these in
They need have no fear that the eight-hour rule
would check building. 1t could not, unless CAPT.
tai cut It's Own throat with suicidal intent The
an interview with THE STAR, had explained
the situation when he said he had refused
enough work to keep him busy the whole year.
Why had he refused this work? If work was
stopped it would be because these middle men
have refused to perform their function in
society. If the contractors believed that such
dire consequences as they describe will come
TO the workingmeu, why did they not
workingmen learn a lesson nom e exner,enc se
Ii they are beaten down by a combination of
contractors, the workingmen will never be sat
isf1ed until they try the same thing again. Mr..
Bowen argued that the business men of the
city should, in their own interest, uphold this
movement. II it was true, as contractors claim,
that q house now costing $4,000 would cost
$4,000 under the eight-hour rule. the business
man would be benefited. Would it do the
me good to have the capitalist save
destruction of property, but Off
DIFFUSION AND DISTRIBUTION
through the channels Of trade. The business
men of Washington would certainly, in the
end, reap benefit from the expenditure of this
men should be with them instead of being
against them, as they generally are. He ex-
planned their position, however, upon the
borrowed capital were in the power of the
banks. Investors, however, need not tear any
such such increase IN the cost OF building. as had
20 per cent that had gone to the middleman-
the wages OF superintendence, as political
pense, the mechanics could save to the investor
The workingman no longer needed the middle
man or contractor to organize them. They mad
organized themselves for protection, and now
they were organized for effective work. They
could dispense with the services of the middle
man. That meantcoOperatiOn. The working
men had not intended to bring about co-opera-
ton SO soon; they We're contented to wait for it
In the future. But If these people saw 1it to
lorce II upon tnem' the workingmen were
Mr.. Bowen argued that the workingmen had
never YET ODt2ane0 any cement rom the so
called
PUBLIC OPINION.
They had never done anything that public
opinion, as voiced by the Metropolitan press,
approved of, except to surrender. Until the
public came to their aid with money and votes
the public had NO right to ask them to recede
one step. When the public did justice and
stopped wrong and oppression then the work.
tnginan should begin to yield to public opinion
The public sympathize with the scab who
takes The strikers place. but has no sympathy
at all for the honest wOrkingman. Still. when
the striker goes back to work and the scab is
discharged. no one ever hears any further ex-
that the scab's real friend was the striker
whose place he took. The competent working
man urged that the million men out of work
should be put TO work, and proposed to do 1t by
looping off two hours from his own days toll
and giving 1t TO the workingmen. The public
did not love the W0fkingman. Whatever the
workingman had TO do, If he wanted it done ct
all, g must do it himself
Mr.. RICHARD EMMONs
spoke at some length regarding the agitation
which resulted In the enactment OF the eight
hour law by Congress. He took issues with a
correspondent OF THE STAR. who alleged that
wOrkingmen were likely to abuse their leisure
by spreetng. This, he claimed, was not borne
out by the facts. Still, II IL were true he would
like to ask whose business II was. Such prae-
tees were by no means confined TO the working
class. 1T w0rkingman was found In condition
In which he saw q Congressman on the street.
the other day, the cry was "Ah, he has too
much time; let's put ID hours on him. he
was not there to encourage such practices: IL he
could, he would make every workingman