The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-06


preparations had been made to put the plan, If
1t can'b called a plan, into execution. These
are the reasons why l opposed the movement on
May |, and for these same reasons do still op-
pose it.
"A reduction of the hours of labor is neces-
sty, and sooner or later must be had but we
must not forget that in many places the ten
hour plan has not been adopted yet. 1t may do
very Well for an organization which looks after
the interests of but one craft or calling to neg
lect those VINO stand most in need of help, but a
knight OF Labor must never close his eyes to the
wants of the humblest of his fellow-creatures.
The very discussion of the sudden introduc-
flon OF the eight-hour plan injured business, so
much so that in many places men we're reduced
to half-time or thrown ont of employment alto
gether. Millions of dollars worth of work left
undone because Of the uncertainty in regard to
taxing contracts or in making engagements TO
perform work. Never was it more clearly dem
onstrated that Ar injury to one is the concern
of all than in the movement am speaking of
The house builder, through uncertainty rs TO
how many hours of labor his employees would
work Tor him, made no contracts to erect build
ings, and the carpenter was thrown out of en-
ployment: the man who made the window glass;
the man who made the nails-in fact, every man
or woman engaged in the manufacture of arti
cles which go to build or furnish house-suf
fered through the attempt to enforce the eight
hour system on May l. The move was in the
right direction. bur the time and circumstances
were not suitable. Before the eightho plan is
adopted. the Knights OF Labor and the trades
unions of America must lay aside their jealous
les and differences, come together name n day
on which to put the plan into execution, adopt
the plan Of action. which must be gradual and
such as will not inf1ct injury upon either en-
ployer or workman. The plan presented by Mr..
Norton. of Chicago, to the special session of the
General Assembly at Cleveland is
good one in nearly every particular,
and if the workingmens organizations
and the manufacturers associations agree upon
the putting into practice such plan, it can be
done without jar or friction No workingman
need strike. nor need business be unsettled
Why should il not be donel Either adopt a plan
for the perfection of this idea, or else place it
in the hands of the incoming general executive
board. with instructions to perform the duty
If we do not do either, let us strike the twenty
first declaration from our preamble, and 10
longer proclaim to the world that are in favor
of eight hours for days labor.
Before short hour system that will be of any
benefit to mankind can be naugurated. the rea-
tion which the workmen bears to the labor saving
machine must undergo radical change. Shorten
the hours of labor under our present system,
and the streets will not be empted of their idie
thousands More machines will be erected. and
more children called into service to feed them.
The assertion that the advocate OK short hours
desires to stop production is false. 1t
is to make production gradual, healthy,
and have it keep pace with
the wants of the consumer keeping all men en-
ployed, so that ideness will disappear and the
producer remain consumer to his fullest ca
pacity that we desire a shortening Of the hours
of labor. Visit our large and small factories,
and you find that the mechanic of the past
is but the feeder of the machine of the present.
We already hear of machines in course Of per
fection which will set the type and mold the
cigars faster than human hands can do the work,
and electricity will soon take the throttle lever
from the hand of the man who runs the locomo-
tive. The day will soon dawn when these agen
cies will be doing their work and when that day
does come the mechanic, now so proud of his
calling, WI stand face to face with the alterna
tive of asApg for charity or the headoption of the
calling oIsFFse street scayanger When that day
comes the man who now seeks to array labor
against labor in asserting that the 'S3-a-day man
should not move in the same socetary circles
with the man who works for 81 a day" will either
seek to crowd the 81 -aday man out Of his place
or accept the crumbs OF charity to sustain life.
History will repeat itself. and the fight for ex-
istence will be waged with unrelenting fury.
What is the remedyl The machine must be-
come the slave of the man, instead of keeping
the man in attendance and subordinate to the
machine A plan of cooperation through which
the workman may control the machine he op-
crates must one day supersede the present sys-
TEN. 70 properly map out such plan requires
more time than have had or am likely to have
at my disposal. can only cooperate with 9TH
ers in the work.
'"The thirteenth article in our declaration of
principles reads: The prohibition, by law of
the employment of children under fifteen years
of age in workshops, mines and factories. The
end sought for in carrying tnis declaration into
effect is not that the child may live in idleness;
it is not that more adults may be employed. 1t
is that the child of the poor man may be enabled
to acquire an education TO equip him for the du
ties which will in future fall upon him as man
and citizen We cannot afford to pass this ques-
tion by and egislate on some simple question of
trade discipline The question of chid-labor and
education is the most important that can come
before US now or at any other time. With an
education, all things are easy of accomplishments
without it, hope itself almost dies, and liberty is
u farce.
''In our organizations Of labor, and it has been
so from the beginning, take up the work |
of reform when the subject is advanced in years. |
The new member must be above sixteen years
when we admit him. We attempt to drive from !
his mind the false ideas gathered in from the |
workshop, or, possibly the street corner. His |
habits are formed and the work that shonld |
have been begun at seven years we take up at |
twenty, or later in life. To attempt to settle
so intricate a question as the one we are crap
pling WITH to successfully solve the question,
is a task so difficult that do not wonder that |
men drop out of the ranks of labor organiza- !
tons discouraged and hopeless To make tho |
progress we must begin with the child |
and see to it that he has an education. If the |
principles of the Knights Of Labor are right, |
and few men question them we should teach |
duty of every assembly to ascertain the number !
of children who do not attend school in it's |
learn what the causes are, and take |
steps to have them attend school
The sword may strike the shackles from the |
limbs of the slave but it is education and organ
ization that make of him a free man. He is
still slave whose limbs alone have been freed |
"Of what avail is it to say that we are labor |
ing to establish system of cooperation, when |
that which is most essential TO the success of CO.
operation is lacking A business training is |
necessary to successfully carry a operative
IL the management of the large or
small concerns now in operation in this country |
were turned over to US to-day, we would but run
them in the ground, for we lack the business
training necessary to successfully operate them.
Our vanity may prevent us from acknowledging |
this to be true, but we cannot deny it. Ii is |
through fault of ours that it is true bat if it
continues it will be our fault
II ask that special committee on education
be appointed to prepare and recommend to this