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

concerned. II eight hours means the
employment Of idle lsborers OF the
country, which / very. much doubt,
and an increase in the industries Ct
the country, il will not disturb the
the finances Of the country. II eight
hours for a dsy's work means a de-
crease Of the industries Of the coun-
try it necessarily means an injury 70
everybody, not excepting the laoorsr
himself, who would feel It as much as
any n in proporticif"
MI. Fraz err, of the firm OF ID. Is
Fisk, wholesale millinery, said he
thought il would Increase the price OF
goods and decrease the price OF labor.
1t was a question governed entirely by
the laws Of supply and demand. Less
work produced less goods and a
scarcity of goods increased their
value, and as the workmen would
work q less number OF hours as a
natural consequence their services
would be worth lesI
Mr.. Warner Of Sprague, Warner &
Co. said II the eight-hour rule became
general, he would be obliged todouble
his force TO accomplish the same
amount OF work as ut present. Should
railway corporations adopt the system
wholesalers would be obliged TO con-
form to IL. The eight-hour question,
he thought, would have 10 be settled
by wholesalers.
Mr.. George Sturgis, president OF the
Northwestern National Bank, was
asked what, il any, would be the effect
OF the proposition for eight hours
work upon finances. al do not be-
lieve il will have much effect upon
capital" said be. "My belief is that
tine money problem is too well settled
Just now 10 be unsettled by this move
ment."
81 have no objection to the eight
hour system" said M. ID. Wells, "if it
is to be universal, but if it is q Chicago
movement only, and affecting only
Chicago laborers, the community must
suffer. Capitalists, manufacturers and
employers cannot compete with other
cities under such a system. Let me
illustrate by referring TO my W BUSH
ness. The boot and shoe trade in the
West is more subject to competitive
influences than any other business, for
the reason that the Eastern mRnufact-
urers make the market. Quite recently
the manufacturers OF Massachusetts,,
the controlling influence in u bust
ness, agreedth that fiity-nine hours should
constitute a weeks work. Now, how
can we, supplied mainly by Eastern
tanners with our leather, with active
competition in adjacent cities, hope to
continue business and pay the same
wages for fofty-eight hours work that
others pay for ffty-nine2 We cannot
do il. Representatives OF Il lstern
houses are in the field anxious to take
our trade. Local manufacturers are
not buying leather, at least such are
our advices. II the eight-hour law
movement becomes universal, well
and good; otherwise, We might as
we'll go out OF business II 1t is to be
confined to Chicago manufactures"
NIB. W. Dodson, OF Rathbone, Sard x
o., said: "0n account OF thie advance
in wages and increased cost of manu-
~facture, an advance in prices would
probably result, but should ten hours
pay be demanded for eight hours
work the advance in prices that would
necessarily have to follow would be
out of proportion to the needs Of the
country and would greatly retar1
rather than stimulate trade. The ef-
feet might be disastrous"
Mr.. s. ID. Kimbark said II the
adoption was uniform no harmful re-
suits TO trade would follow, but II
Chicago should reduce the laboIing
hours OF its employees to eight, while
Cleveland and other manufacturing
centerS still hold to ten, why Chicago
manufacturers would have to shut
down. p
A. F. S~eeberg0r, collector, of caS-
toms, said: II do not think the e1ght-
bour rs Vement will accomplish the
results that are expected Of it by its
more enthusiastic supporters. There
are many kinds Of manufactures and
industries in which the adoption OF
the system will 80 unsettle and disar-
range business that the evil effect will
be felt throughout the country for some
time to come. Prices will necessarily
20 up as a result Of the movement, II
adopted, and articles which even poor
people must have will be dearer than
now. l question the prudencs OF the
manner in which the question is being
agitated, because, while the system
may be q good thing for employees in
some branches of business 1t ls MOI
needed in others. The agitation, ]
think, has a tendency to create dis
satisfaction in many places where nc
real cause for dis satisfaction exists.
The Eight-HOur Agitation at Boston
NKw YORK, April ga special Il
the Sun from Boston says; A strug
gle of the most serious portsnt is abouI
TO begin in this vicinity over the eight
hour movement. The hope Of thu
Central Trades and Labor Unions Of tb'
, speedy acquiescence by q large pro
portion Of employers in the expert
ment poves groundless. In accord
. ance with plans made a year ago, th'
demand for eight hours was to be on
forced on May LIST. In view OF t6'
disturbed condition of labor through
out the country, it was recently deter
4 mined TO limit the demand to tn,
. building trades, including carpenters
9 mssons, painters, decorators, etc, TIL,
a Central Trades and Labor Unions 70
|.Llg. -.na,v fav~wah1