The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-04-30
HON. WIN. f.. NIBLACK THE
FATHER OF THE EIGHT
HOUR MOVEMENT.
Extract Of q Speech Delivered BY
Colonel j. B. Maynard, April
g. 1886.

M Wcetiux iike tules ueiu uuutT tue
auspices Of the Hendricks Club OF In
diana. In which Democrats heartily join,
land when the theme IL the relation Of
lthe Democratic party to the labor In
Iterests Of the country, il occurred to me.
that, as the demand is that eight hours
should constitute days work, II would
be we'll to give history Of the eight
hour movement, and just here desire
to say that ii IL of Democratic origin.
Having had occasion TO examine the rec
ords, found In the Congressional Globe.
December IL, 1866, part I, page 40
the following:
| Mr.. Niblack, by unanimous consent,
Submitted The following:
u "Itesolved, That the Committee on
Judiciary be instructed to inquire into
the propriety and expediency Of proyi-
ding BY law for the adoption Of what Is
known as the eight hour system Of la-
Dor In all matters and places to which
the jurisdiction OF Congress extends,
and to report by bill or otherwise"
The question was taken and the res
olution agreed to.
In q conversation with Hon. VIM. +.
Niblnck, now Chief Justice OF Indiana,
and Democrat who has the confidence
OF his party in Indiana, and men Of all
Judge Niblack, the following historical
facts bearing upon the cight-honr move
lment in Congress, we're obtained.
"The abolition Of slavery and other
incidents OF the late civil war;" said
Judge NibIack. gave new impulse to
the labor question, and so, when Con.
Igress assembled in December. 1865, II
found some labor organizations in Wig
orous existence in the District Of Col
} umbis. where many labcring men Of va
rious classes are employed by the Gov
ernment. was early invited to attend
a general meeting Of those organizations
amongst whom | had several persona
friends, and 10 participate in its delib
lerations, an invitation which cheerful
Nv accepted. was much interested Ia
what saw and heard at the meeting
land came 10 The conclusion that what
lever the practical operation Of the eigh
hour question might prove 10 be, th'
time had come when the friends OF IN
movement were entitled 10 = hearing
before the legislative tribunal Of th
countrv. SO on the 1lth day Of Decefn
her. 1865 which WIS early In the session
III introduced ia the House Of kepresen
tatives the resolution which you hav
! copied.
.The resolution was adopted by IN
House. II az once attracted the atten
Ition Of the labor organizations all owe
1.-THE country, and The workingmen Q
y Washington gave me q serenade th
second night after the adoption Of III
. resolution, and bill giving effect 10 m
? resolution with my assistance wa
passed and became law
That bill declared eight hours to be
slday's work BY any one employed by tn
United States Government, which va
las far as Congress could go.
That law is still in force, although
% has generally been disregsrded BY thos
a-lin power at Washington. So far. ther
las any legislative action is or has bee
Involved, Judge Niblsck is in fact II
: father Of the eight-movcment, hi
. eresoiution, which have read, being th
first thing on the subject introduced int
any legislative body in this country.
What OF this eight hour law, which
claim. bv the testimony have read, ant
which is irrefutable, 10 Of Democrat
origin2
Is il in the interest Of the workingmel
(. or the United States? Is II in the interes
lof eociety! III.
The Democratic party would have id
men employed. That is in the interes
lof society that means peace and pros
lperity. Would the cight-hour law b
lpromotive to that end? Suppose, TO
instance. that there are 100 men idle i
your city, and that IN enterprise de
mands that IL shall be accomplished Il
I60O hours work. IL eighty men are EN-
lployed. working ten hours day, the %
viii be performed In ten days. But
leiQht hours be made . days work, the
llOO men fluid employment-a gain
ar!ltwenty men ~ that is 10 say, twenty me
In this case obtain employment under 70
. Eight. hour law, who, under the ten-hou
law remain idle.
81 Il ie not required to multiply illustrs
sItions, since Il becomes mathematics
lcertainty that for every four men wori
ling ten hours day, by reducing II
hours to eight, room is made for on
7 more man. II this eight-hour move
Imeut should be so extended as 70 includ
1.-The entire Republic, Il would probabl
make room for million Of idle and eeC
idle men to obtain employment, and %
grand movement for the amelioration
workingmen is Of Democratic origin.
liz Democratic policy. and is In oil n
J. qsrds in accord with Democratic primo
ples. C.,
You will remember that Judge MI
1llack said, In the conversation which
: have had the pleasure Of repeating Q
this occasion, that the eight-hour -
q vearx aqo. .has been generally disr'
garded BY those IN power at Washing
lton.S
!. Now ask. who have been In pows
:" lin Washington twenty Of the twent!
lone years since the eight-hour law ~
Ienactcd ? The suswer Il, the Repuol
|can party. The Republican party Writ
ally snnulIed the law-made y des ,a
letter refused to obey Il, aud compcalc