The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-27

affect the well-being and good Of all
Workmen In our lines oil employment
is, IN our opinion, that the prosperity
OF the country Is not great enough at
time to gTaHt such a change. For
quite a number OF years the margin OF
prchts In the general business Of the
Duntry has been small, and upon
ttese profits we, as builders, depend
ioi The opportunity 10 use our skill and
labcR l., by taking eff one or two
houS PER day from the present accept
ed Standard, we increase the cost Cf
building 10 to 20 per cent. in the item
OF labor then we work against our
own intcests as laborers, for we drive
out wok that would be done
but Tor this increased cost. In this
year, in our own city already under
the agitation Of the que ton, enter
prises which would involve expendi-
lures OF hundreds of Thousands
OF dollars, Employing the very
labor we have to offer, have been
abandoned because the increased cost
OF building under the conditions re-
ferred to would mike returns unproft-
able. The Interests Of the class we
mutually represent have then been
injured beyond computation. Capital
has been Withdrawn from the under
takings and that means a loss for the
laborer every time. Il is painfully
evident that we will be Short of work
before the year is two-thirds over, and
no one is to blame for this condition
bat those who are to suffer most and
yet have been the very ones % urge
on this crisis. We believe that in all
the pushing wherever it has taken
place for a reduction OF hours OF laSor
and increase OF wages beyond the level
Of prosperity, the fat has been lost
sight Of that the increased cost OF
every purchassble item will pull from
the pockets OF all grades Of workmeaa
proportiona'ely larger amount, which
will affect the increase OF pay received,
while the depression Of business will
create great want and distress among
the very classes who hope to be beae
fitted"
The frat formal demand was mao
by the Bricklayers' Assembly, Knights
OF Labor, 10 the master masons. The
Master Builders Association sent q
ong reply yesterday, OF which the
following Is the substance:
I'VE believe that the attempt to set
q limit 10 the minimum hours would
be as abortive as to set a limit TO the
maximum wages, particularly in our
calling, where 30 much depends upon
skill and ability. Yet il one limit is
fixed the other should be fixed also.
Labor is the most important item in
e.timating the cost OF building. The
stock is comparatively easy to figure,
but in the estimate for labor the iudg-
ment which has been gained by expe'
rience is the only guide. In what pc.
sition, then, Is the contractor placed
when he is told to throw aside his ex-
perience and judgment and figure his
labor on a basis OF a leve price right
through for every man employed, be
he good, bad or indiderentP The at
tempt to set a fixed price in advance
for an article the value OF which can
only be known bs testing it, puts at
defiance the fat law which governs
the estimation OF work, as well as the
first law OF excellence in workman
ship, and could at one blow disinte.
crate the whole structure of compare
tive wtrth among workmen, discour-
aging any attempt to excel. We be-
lieve, then, that the attempt t oshorten
TIE hours OF labor in our line of bust
mesa is entirely unCalled for and
unyarranted at the present time;
thg the prosperity Of the country
ishot great enough 10 permit it; that
tIs agitation of the question has al
y6ady shown its baleful effects in the
Withdrawal Of an immense amount OF
work from the market, Transforming
what was a year OF great promise to
the building trades into a time OF de-
preston, great scarcity Of work, and,
we fear, a period of much distress for
the very classes who have been most
active in the agitation. We therefore
suggest that the whole question OF the
hours Of labor be abandoned until a
more propitiou5 time for the good of
all concerned, and more especially for
thegood OF the laboring class, Of which
we claim to be a part. Our conclu-
stone then, are summed up in the fol-
lowing recommendations: The hours
OF labor, the rate OF wages and the
time OF weekly payment to remain as
at present, but that on Saturday eight
hours shall be accepted as q days
labor" 81
There isggood reason for believing
that the nther building trades will
take similar action. 1t is equally
probable that the employees will de-
cline to yield any point in their de-
mands, and that they will resort to a
strike. The spaiNters and decorators
80 voted yesterday.