The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-17
The Peace and Prosperity of
the Country at
Stake.
The Vital Importance Of the
Eight-Hour Movement
Explained.
Appeal to Mercantile Glasses to Aid in
Its Inauguration by the Furniture
Workers. Union, No. Is.

to create boom have most s!gnally
failed. The mercantile agencies each
week grind out long lists of dismal fail
ures. The telegraph flashes to US daily
the history of strikes, riot and blood
shed. New York, Chicago, Milwaukee,
East st. Louis, Denver, Texas, Oregon,
Washington Territory, London and
Brussels have all been heard from. The
whole mercantile world is like city
stricken with a fatal epidemic with
which the physicians are unable to cope.
| Our boards of trade seem to be unable
to find a solution, and things are grow
ing from bad to worse. The only steps
taken in the matter have been to in
crease the police force and arm them
with rifles. This is but aggavatlng the
disease and adding to the burden al.
ready too heavy to bear.
For every effect there must be
cause. The question then naturally
arises, why is it that such an unsatis-
factory state of things exist ?"
There are, of course, several reasons
for instance: Railroad monopolies and
usurous money Lenders, who divide be-
tween them the earnings of the farmer,
leaving him no surplus with which to
support himself with the comforts and
luxuries of a civilized life.
Secondly-The contract convict-labor
system, competing directly with the
honest artisan and placing the profits in
the pockets of the contractor, with little
or no benefit to the state.
Third-The importation of coole
slaves, who are non-consumers of the
goods they create, and who deplete the
country by sending heir earnings to an
alien shore.
Fourth-The Introduction and use of
labor saving machinery in all branches
/ of industry which has dispensed with
thousands upon thousands of skilled
workmen and thrown them out upon
the streets TO beg, steal or starve, thus
rendering them utterly poweress to
purchase what the machines can pro-
duce.
These are some of the causes that have
lead to the present unfortunate condi-
ton, but it is with the last proposition
we have to deal, Wis: the machinery
question, and its effects upon trade,
showing how it can be controlled by
mutual agreement between the emploYe
and employer to the benefit of both.
The three first causes mentioned in
this article will have to be dealt with
legislatively, but the fourth, which is
quite as important and which is prob
ably more 80 than any Of the others, can
be settled between the manufacturers
and their employees themselves.
1t will be conceded that the great
mass of citizens composing the indus
trial class, are of course the great co.,
sumers of products. Now it naturally
! follows, that when any number of these
consumers are thrown into enforced
dleness by the adoption of improved
machinery, they cease, in great meas
use, to become consumers, and unable to
avail themselves of the benefits that
science, as represented in the machine
that displaced their labor intended they
should enjoy. The result is, the tene-
ment-house rookeries of our large cities
are crammed with id!ers and thieves,
and our highways sWarming with foot
pads and tramps. Com6ettion is so
great that manufacturers are obliged to
employ coolie and child labor in place of
white adults. No community can be
safe or prosperous while these blots
upon our civilization exist. Nature
having provided an abundance for all, it
is the duty of society to see that each
has according to his deed and his need.
We, therefore, implore all good patriotic
citizens, who have the welfare If the
country at heart, to cooperate with US
in our honest and urgent endeavors to
ameiorate the present deplorable condi-
' ton of things.
Foreseeing the events that are now
upon Us the International Furniture
workers union and also other branches
J of industry several years ago suggested
!, the adoption of the eight hour system,
irrespective of wages, being content to
receive eight hours pay for eight hours
, work, the, object being to reduce the
hours of labor and thus absorb the
, workers on the outside and give en-
ployment to ali in the trade. Obstacles
' to this really self-sacrIfcing and lntelli-
gent plan have been manv. The CO.
| operation of the employers has not been
/ cordial, although there re1many noble
exceptions, besides which there has
been the ignorance and selishness of
q the workers themselves to contend with.
l 1t will be readily seen that if the
e hours of labor were shortened in con-
It formity with the increased capacity of
1t improved machinery that all hands
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