Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-23

and we know not what serious consequences
will flow from this exhibition of violence.
Now, such actions as these even though the
perpetrators OF them have a. grievances, will
never commend themselves to thinking and
lsw-abiding citizens and therefore will not
settle, either directly or indirectly, the great
problems OF labor.
Neither does solution OF the matter lie
along the path of the so-called "eight. hour
law" In England, by a statute Of 1895, "It
was required that from the middle OF March
to the middle OF September every laborer
and arthcer was to be at his work before
o'clock in the morning, and he was not to
depart until between Z and in the evening +"
This requiring Of fourteen hours service a
day was more than any human body could
stand aud be in health and strength. But
the law in most Of our states making a days
work consist Of ten hours, Is nothing but fair
and just A man in health ought to labor
for ten hours daily, and il his toll bo under
proper conditions it will elevate both body
and soul. But what would be the result il
suddenly eight hours should become the rule
for days work instead of ten Some would
have us believe that they can live as comfort.
ably by working eight hours a. they can by
working ten hours for the same wages In
the language of another, Whenever the
eight-hour rule shall be applied to all branches
VI luuuSlIls Oub VI Two tuluRs must result,
either the workmen must do teu hours work
in eight hours, which they have no intention
Of doing, or the cost OF all products Of indus
try will be enhanced some 20 per cent with.
out any increase Of means to purchase them.
Working men must, therefore, demand and
receive 20 per cent. more wages for day OF
eight hours than for day of ten hours, or
else deduct 20 per cent. from their purchases
Of food, clothing and shelter Intelligent
workmen understand this, and some Of them
have the frankness to admit that they will
hrst establish the eight hour rule, and after
ward demand more wages. But they fail to
perceive that, since whatever they consume
is product Of labor, prices will advance as
wages increase. Working men want cheap
rents, cheap food. and cheap olothing-not
cheap in quality, but in price. The eight.
hour rule would make these dearer. For ex.
ample, a builder will contract to build a
house for $4,000 if mechanics will work ten
hours day but IL they and the producers
Of material will work but eight hours day,
he will demand $1,000. The capitalist will
not build unless he has fair prospect of
rent that will remunerate him. He will not
let $4,000 house for the same rent as 81
900 one. The capitalist will lose nothing,
but the tenant will pay 20 per cent. more for
his shelter. SO the ect OF the eight hour
rule on the cost Of food aud clothing would
be similar TO its effect on rents" | cannot
see along this line permanent settlement Of
the question at issue.
Moreover, the solution OF the labor problem
does not lie in the reduction Of labor saving
machinery. This has wonderfully increased
during the last one hundred years Some
have thought that this is the cause OF dissat
isfactiou on the part of laboring men. They
themselves feel that machines have taken the
place which they once occupied and 10 ma
ohinery has supplemented human labor. This
ID true in a sense but to me il is q mark Of
progress, and not of retrogression. What
ever advance has been made here has been Of
help to the laboring man in making that
which he uses cheaper than under the old
methods of manufacturing. The purchasing
value of his wages Is greater than in the days
Of far less machinery.
This will suffice for the negative side OF the
question. Let US turn to the consideration Of
the other side.
2. As look along the vista Of the future,
believe can see some lines OF action which,
il carried out, would solve the great questions
at issue between the laboring man and his
employer.
(G) The two must come into nearer and
more friendly relations. You say this is
truism. Very we'll be it so or not, it is
truth. King Solomon said He that would
have friends must show himself friendly" II
this proverb is applicable anywhere, it is to
the workman and his employer. In the Ian
guage Of another, III employers would feel
and manifest sympathy for their workmen's q
troubles and scknesses, take an interest in
their welfare, rejoice with them that rejoice
and weep with them that weep, and treat
them as Christian men should treat human
beings having the same sensibilities as them
selves and moving on to the same eternal des-
TIMES, 1t IL quite possible that the envy and
hatred which the poor often bear toward the
rich might give place to loyal and kindly sen 70
timents. An author who has made a study
| Of the relations between workmen and en-
ployers, says II heard printer in great
publishing house say, We seldom see the pro-
prietor, and he never speaks to u.s. heard
master machinist, who employed many men
and boys, say that be did not know the names
or the faces of his apprentices. l heard coal
miners say (and fear with TRUTH that the
operators would be more distressed by the loss
of mule than by the killing of man.
heard gray haired forgemsn say, I have
given the strength OF my manhood to this
forge, and now | am turned out like a broken.
down horse to starve." Now this is by no
means the universal state Of things but ii
shows tendency of the age. On the other
hand, am glad to call to mind Great man.
ufacturing establishments in this country in
which the aged and disabled, the widows and
| orphans, are not driven away to starve or to
seek refuge in an almshouse. They are hu.
namely cared for; and the men in such places
work cheerfully, and strikes are not thought
| Of. There is no secret shout this it is sim.
ply grace instead of greed-the grace of Chris
tianity instead OF the greed Of msmmon."
(J) Some form of CT operation will be need
ed in the future between labor and capital
BY this mean a system whereby the la boring
man may not only receive his wages, but in
some way obtain dividend from the net
profits of the business in which he is engaged
l cannot now enter into any lengthy discus
sion Of cooperative industries. Suffice it to
say, many Of them are in existence in France
and England, and few in the United States
They have proved their value in every case
where they have become permanent. The
Paris Il Orleans railroad company in France
is good illustration. That company en-
ploys more than 10, 900 hands, and has prac
ticed proht-sharing for 40 years. One of the
latest attempts Of this sort in our own land is
the Peacedale manufacturing company in
Rhode Island. At the beginning of 1878 the
proprietors Of this establishment laid before
their employ e5 q scheme whereby, in addition
to the regular wages, the workmen should re-
ceive a pro rata share in the profits accruing
after interest and profit on capital had been
BASNtANAs Aho RAuh uho ooeu NOAhluB WIN
partial success. The first year there we're no
dividends to the hands the second year
! dividend of per cent was declared; the
third year per cent the fourth year (lSSl,
when the price of wool was high) only per
cent; and the plan is still 1882 in operation
The superintendent Of the factory says 1--WE
believe We can see an increase of care and dill
| igence and yet this increase is not as great
as it should be. But the object to be attain
ed in preventing waste and in encouraging
conscientious work is so important to the NOR
al, as well as the material, good of the com
munity that We decide to persevere." This
man has sounded the keynote of the value of
such system. Anything that will make
honest, conscientious workmen will tend to
diminish evils concerning labor and capital
II man has some personal interest in the
result of an undertaking he will most srdu-
Ously seek to make the result a success. The
true aim, therefore, of cooperative companies
would be to make industrial and moral worth
not mere wealth, the true standard of indi.
vidual and national greatness.
(c) We must secure the laboring man from
one of his greatest enemies to, day, viz the
intoxicating cup. l remember that when the
labor troubles broke out in Cleveland, one OF
the first public acts of the mayor was 10 issue
proclamation closing every place where Ii
| quor could be obtained. The mayor OF that
| off rannnnfgaA A. L..