Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-30

reason OF forcing the uumo mScnlnery
lie idle oneffth of the time. Who is
be charged with all this proposed increase
cost Of the product?
By what super human power shall v
force the consumer to pay for all this
And, may ask, who are the ultimate col
sumers in American The wage worke
certainly is g factor in ultimsts eonsumI
ton equal to his factor in production.
Now, II you undertake TO reduce tn
nours OF labor by Law or by any othe
means, you decrease in the same way To
production, and you in the same way rails
the price Of production. What we want ii
this country is freedom. There is no couu
try that exists on the face Of the earth ths
needs so little legislation or so little regu
lstion as this.
What We need in this country is, ths
every man should be free man; and thai
he has right to work as many hours a.
be pleases; that he has a right to employ
as many men as be pleases and as few ss
be pleases, and for the time that ne
pleases.
In this country every man should con-
slider himself entirely discharged from the
responsibility Of force and be free himself,
to assume upen his own shoulders the re-
sponslbilities that rest upon him as q man
AS s man living IN q free country, and
that he may stand up before the smoking
mount OF his own conscience to read Its
laws there, and not be trammeied with re
gard to any force outside or inside OF the
State, except so far as is necessary to pre-
serve the community from aggression and
sll violations Of Law.
The eight hour movement, 1t sanctioned
By law, must apply equally to all industrial
pursuits, and cannot % enacted tor any
special industry or class; therefore, any
formal action upon the subject by this Ar
bitrstion Board at this time, | believe to be
uuWise, and to attempt to clothe such &C
tio1, With apparent authority, BY formal
resolution, would be cat bald farce, and
could not in the remorest degree be claim
ed as an award of al inter State Board
representing the employers and employed
in the coal producing regions OF i've
States. So far as the eight hour law OF
Ohio attempts TO regulate 1t is purely
local State question.
The business we represent is now great
" depressed, and nearly every coliery, oy
reason Of ths susll demand, a0d conse.
uuent low price, is forced to remain closed
q great part of the time, and while II Is
fact that the larger part of the wages are
pad By the ton, yet the eight hour move.
meut, at ten hoars pay, would increase
the cost OF day isGog t2 prohibitory hg,
ure, aud compel many, If Bot sl TO snli
greater idleness. Only the most favored
collieries sFa nov making any returns 70
the operators, the entire revenue derived
passing directly to labor.
[ believe We have no authority, as :
Board. to take action one way or the other
upon such question, any more than ths
wage worker in 3 msnussctory OF this city,
nov under contract to work ten hours tor .
given cum, would have ct this moment TO
stop, without previous notice, and prop SO
by force TO shorten the time 70 eight hours
TOR the same money, rs hitherto received
for ten hours, in utter Disregard OF the con
dition or exigsnciss of the business OF thai
proposing 10 rednee the OUT
put and increase the cost Gi lH product
70 a figure above scale Of prices 0StSin
able. the obtaining OF which would depend
upea other and deeper causes tnsu pertain
to its WORKS and ius payroll
What is true Of a msnCtactesy Is equally
true in mine 70 the extent OF ssded c?st
for day labor and entorGsd iGtenesa OF the
machinery and the capital Invested.
IF the eight hour movement be put IN
force ID OHIO, aud not in her sister States,
then Ohio must fall behind in the compet'
hive race OF this eoEn.Iy, for ths reason
that her product would decrease ~ yosupe
and increase in first cost The same ruie
would apply to the United States a!th her
industries weighted down with eight hours
for DAYS work, and wages increased t~en-
ty-Gve per cent, Whiie the other nations
Of the world had unlimited hSlrs aud much
,;psller pay. -.
The products of our u manufactures woE!d
.emaiu dust-coVered, and UnsoId IN the
Esrshouses OF the world; because such ar
,icles voulo BE- placed side by side with the
,ame class Of goods from the workshops OF
,Iksr countries oferod at lower prices.
Everything except the price being equal
Who shall command that the EoodS OF
greater cost shall be purchased oy the con
sumer because from lsId where only
eight hours wss required for 9 day 5 work Z
The lsborer is fairly entitled to sush pro-
lection, as shall secure to hiHl, the full en-,
ioyment of his fair share Of values, crested
m mart. by his labor. The demand for fs'r
wages for fair work is JUST. Reason must
settls questions between EN-
ployer and employed, sud regard the
eight hour agitstion, IT tGis timO, not only
ill-rimed, but unfortunate tor ths ,Fsge
worker. | do not believe the msjority oi
the wage earners of Ohio, nor even large
mart Of the minority, can afford the exPer
msnt OF rigidly enforced eight hour move
uent, dictated by either law or torcs, oe-
cause the 6rst thiRg encountered would oe
a corresponding reduction Of pay, Involving
an economy IN hVi0g Of an eqdel PsF cent
TO the shorter hours, or failing to accept
that horn OF the dilemma, and expect,
inc psy for two hours daily OF idleness, ana
meerinC disappointment IN that regard a
strike might be rssarted TO. That Woa,G
fail 10 settle the questieG, Sh..s 1t would
40 great injury to his former employees, bis
family aud himself
He could not, legally, deprive tbs en-
pleye7 el his right TO control his own
works, and to atrsSet to take the risnt
from him By force, would Eignr Sc wrong
but would make bi% o violator OF lag u,
An that any nan ssR stei9 sRd al
that pu Sfe Justice can sc-eHa'e h'a, - :
fair opportunity. There always na- 'se'
aud al ways viii be, the necessity of hard
work, aud il will be Eorss than folly, for
any man to deceive himself with the no,
tion, that play can take its place. Leisure
must always remain q luxury, and at the
personal expense OF him who enjoys 1t
beRsvs in the principle Of Arbitration
Of differsuess between employer aud EN-.
Move. when the same can IS hSS ss fam
iIy affair, before lockout or q strike, and
not after yards, but success will only be IS
sursd when both recognize an award Is
bipding in the strongest bands OF honor,
and uhils capital needs the cooperation OF
labor, Il also Supplies the sineWs to the
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