Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-07


isfue Of the paper. AZ we cauuot nn1pftAhe %
supply back nnnlbers-@hD. bAIhlih
non. BYRoH N. cuTcHKoN
I'M. cnteheon IA a member Of congreee from
Manistce, Mich, and lawyer OF cons'perADl'
motel
believe, az general statement, ~
shortening the hours Of labor, ana yet !
do not believe that any absolute and
universal rule can be laid down. The
great difficulty IN regard 10 the question
~ labor at present IL that the supply OF
labor ii Ia excess OF the demand with
existing hours OF labor, there 10 not work
enough for the workers But ~ our
efforts 10 give employment 70 our large
industrial population, we have produced
In excess ofour capacity for consumption.
This congestion Of labor and production
can be remedied IN two ways, nrst 20
diminish production by shortening the
hours'of labor, and second by Increasing
tho demand by providing new outlets Tor
our production.
The remedy most Immediately ayalla-
BILE IN the shortening Of the hours OF
labor
There may be cmployments--as farm
lna--ln which IL would not be practicable
10 reduce the hours OF work 10 eight, or
even ton hours think that ten hours
should DO the limit Of time that men
should be required 10 work except con-
gressmen--thcy are expected 10 work
about fourteen hours, and II they do
what their constituents expect from
them, they will barely get through with
less.
There are many light omploymcnts In
which one might work ten hours day
without dctrImcnt, and many would de-
sire to work the longer day for the sake
Of the greater earnings through which TO
supply the needs OF their families.
Bnt In heavy and cxhausting employ
ment Ia mines, other shops, mills, fur
n0ces, factories, ! think that man
ought to be able TO earn living by eight
hours Of actual labor In twenty-four
hours
think that our many factories are
making great mistake In running the
works 30 many hours day as they do.
They are depressing the price Of their
commodities and producing glnt In the
market, and making no gain common
surato or compensation for The evil Yet
! think we must eventually recognize the
truth that "hoursr and price of labor
must he controlled mainly by the law Of
supply and demand, which Is superior 10
all congressional or state onactments
JANIS RgDPATn.
favor the eight-honr work day.
Whether IL will increase the cost OF pro.
duction, / don't know and don't care
The cost Of production OF goods IN OF IN.
nnitcly less importance TO a democratic
civilization than the moro equitable dis
tributIon OF wealth, leisure and Intel
lcctual advantages. Better dear goods
than cheap men. The most important
products OF republic are not Its manu-
features but It's citizens Long hours
make shoddy Americans,
MISS KATE FIELD.
On general ~ inciples favor the eight
hour word-day, but there are possibilities
TO bo considered. with present wages and
unrestricted immigration, will not the
labor market be even more oyerstockod
than nowy Eight hours OF severe mental
or bodily labor are all that can well be
given out Of twenty-four Nevertheless,
where IL the man or woman OF great
achievement that has not for long periods
given many morey
Emphutlcally wOrkmon need greater
leisure for seli-lmprovemcnt, but the alb
sence Of desire will remain lamentablo
fact in the majority. II fewer hours OF
labor mean more hours Of loaiing and
dissipation, the change viii be fraught
with evil.
non. FRANK LAwLER,
Mir. IAwlcr T. member OF congress from Obi.
rngo, llt oNprehidont OF the ship Carpon
toTH' and ship CnulkoTs'asaOclAtlOn and u Nom,
her Of tho house labor committee,
II the eight-hour system was IN prac
tioal operation In the United States i,
would be the means Of putting to worl
the million and half unemployed men
II would give the country better edu
Gated class OF worklngmen, and maxi
the country more prosperous In every re
spect, Tho best argument that can b,
used In favor OF the eight.hour work dal
Is found IN the fact that those who worl
the iewest number OF hours are Away
the best paid
REV, ROBERT CoLtlER.
| favor the elght-hour work-day.
REv, II. nEBER NEWTON.
| shall speak as one Of large com
pany, thoroughly in sympathy with IN
general aims of labor reform, inclined h
the workIngmcn's side of this particular
convinced OF the physical and monta
benefits TO be expected from It, but no
satisfied as TO the economic praotlcablllt,
or oXpodieucy OF this measure AZ th
present time, recognize that this eight
hour movement Is by no means, as ord
narlly supposed, u brand.new movement
Through generation past, there has beel
going ON In England steady agitation II
the direction OF diminishing the hours o
work The fau Gus ten-hoUt law teoorde,
the hlgh.water mark OF ltho arst grea
stage Of the movement IN England Thi
was followed by the ondeayor To roduc
the time OF labor stlll further TO min
hours. In our own land, fora generation
past thorc has been steady move toward
Diminishing the hours OF labor In factu
rios, Massachusetts led OF IN accom-
plishlug the reduction to ten hours w
have forgotten, in the rapidly o
life In New York, the strlk
OF 1879, In which 10000 mel
were engaged, seeking the reduction OF
days labor 60 eight houre. The labor or
carnations OF the country have been m
oreastugly drawn In this direction Leg
islation IL an inevitable Indication of IN
growth Of public sentimtnt--aud legisla
tlon records an agitation upon this Ques
ilon which SO long ago as 1868 had beet
powerful enough TO procure the passag
81 the United States act covering tho na
tiOnal navy-yards and arsenals and u,
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