St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-14
EIGHT HOURS.
How the Movement il Regarded in
MinneapOIiss--Var Opinions.

MinueapOIiss--Vari Opinions.
The GLOBE on Friday published state
ment of the arguments advanced to prove
that a reduction OF the hours of labor from
ten to eight will act benefcially not only
upon the condition Of the wageworkeTs. but
upon society at large. The four leading
claims made may be succinctly stated as
follows:
First-The reduction Of the hours of labor
will require a proportionate increase in the
number OF men employed, aud viii thus les
sen IL il does not remove the competition
among workmen, which competition Is now
admitted by all 10 be the sole cause OF low
wages.
Second-The reduction of the hours OF
daily labor will proportionately decrease pro-
duction, and the employment of a greater
number Of men will relatively increase con-
sumption. thus destroying the bugaboo of
overproductlOn which now aificts the dab
blers IN political economy and trightenS so
many well-meaning but unthinking people.
Third-The reduction OF the hours OF daily
labor, without decrease of pay, is a neces-
sary consequence of invention and improved
methods OF production.
FOurth-The reduction OF the hours of labor
does not necessarily involve dminution of
the gross SECRETARY product, as 1t will put at
work those who are low wasting their time
and wearing themselves out unprofitably
/
employment the whole year instead Of work
ing by hts and starts. as so many branches of
industry are doing now.
IN MINNEAPOLIS.
The movement will be confined in all
probability 10 the building trades. The
StonecutterS have already secured the re-
duction, and the bricklayeTs, carpenters,
plasterers and painters have in their re-
Spective organizations resolved upon max
ing the demand, and through the Trades
and Labor assembly have established an
eight-hOur league, which will thus embrace
a majority of the wOrkmen of these crafts
in the city. who will be backed up also by
the influence and Endorsement of the DOW
erful Knights of LABOR, and other sympa-
thiZers with the cause.
The Minneapolis workers are to act IN a
still more reasonable spirit than those of
Chicago and other cities who insist that
there shall not be any reduction in pay.
Here the men will concede reduction in
wages and will not demand ten hours pay
for eight hours work. Already several
concessions have been granted by employ
erS. Col. Nj. w. Glenn recently voluntarily
made the reduction 10 the men employed in
the Minneapolis Boiler works. The John
OTth Brewing company has also voluntarily
reduced the hours of its men from fourteen
10 ten hours. The Minneapolis Street Rail-
way company has also indicated a DISPOSE
ton to reduce the hours of its drivers from
fifteen hours to twelve.
A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS
were had with representative citizens, in
order to test popular feeling toward the
movement, and upon some of the leading
labor topics. Mayor Pillsbury said he was
opposed to the contract system in public
building; also to convict labor. He was
uncertain, however, as TO whether or not a
reduction to eight hours should prove bene-
fetal or not. In milling it will prove i'm
practicable. If the men will employ the
two hours given them in intellectual i'm
provement good will no doubt result. The
only question is, can contractors and en-
plOyers generally pay the same wages for
eight hours as they paid for ten hours
labor? If it can be done then the problem
is solved.
Aid. Downs. who is a leading contractor
and builder. said he did not think the re-
duction will increase pauperism or crime.
Few industries involving out-Of-door work
can be prosecuted more than five months in
the year. There are many men now work.
ing ten hours a day who can scarcely make
a living. 1t would be an almost uneXaIn-
pied hardship 10 reduce their hours unless
the remuneration Is left the same.
Charles Morse of Haglin Il Morse, the
builders, said: L do not think the reduction
to eight hours will embarraSs building OPP
eratiOns, as there are plenty of men and
more are coming all the while. The pres
ent labor agitationS may accomplish good
and may do great harm. 1t all depends
upon the men themselves whether they will
be governed by the dictates of reason or
not.
TWr Al -
hour movement is all right, and that it can
be carried out if employer and employee are
willing to meet each other upon fair basis.
Labor-saving machinery has taken the place
of thousands of men. and how are these
thousands 10 get work unless places are
made for them?
c. Nice. Reeve, manager of the Hard
wood Storage and Manufacturing company
Il think the principle Of the eight-hOur all
right. Eight hours work day is sufficient
for any man. / think. too. that the arg IL
ments in favor of the reduction are quite
reasonable as far as they apply to those en-
gagged in working at trades. 1 don't think
though, that the rule can be applied to agri-
culture and some other branches of indus
| try. As to co0pering, we employ $50 men,
$50 of whom are paid by the piece. If our
men desire to reduce the number of hours
to eight am satisfied.
DON'T CARE TO SAY.
o. A. Pray-I have given the subject
some though but am not ready to say any
thing for publication in the newspapers.
regard this general agitation throughout the
country as exceedinly dangerous and as
very Injurious to the workingmen them
| selves. However, L don't care to say any
/ thing to-day.
IN FAVOR OF 1T.
AID. c. c. Hashow OF the Variety Iron
works. think the movement is all right.
] and that the men should be allowed TO work
only eight hours il they desire. am in
favor of the reduction.
THE CROWLEY CASE.