Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-04-04

PLAIN TALK BY AN AMERICAN
SOCIALIST.
Herbert Eaton, of New York, Ad,
dresses n Meeting Of New Haven
Working People Under
the Auspices of the
Trades Council.

There was a large gathering of
New Haven working people at the
X. of l.. Hall last Sunday evening,
pursuant to an invitation issued by
the Trades Council, for agitation of
the eight hour law. II. II. Lame
acted rs chairman. and in II few
appropriate remarks introduced the
principal speaker of the evening,
Herbert Eaton, of New York. In
the course of his lecture, which oc
cupjcd about thrcc-Quartcrs of an
hour, Mr.. Eaton said:
"Whilr it m seem to the super
fetal thinker that the establishment
Of the Eight-hour work day would
prove seriously injurious to the
working classes, it would in fact be
Il first step toward harmony between
Capital and Labor. We must look
to the future and not to the immedi-
ate present in considering the effect
of such a measure. We are aware
that at the present time the average
labormg man is better versed in true
political economy than the average
capitalist; for it is Il vital question
with him. Otherwise he would re-
main forever in the degrading posi-
tion Of a slave. 1t will be unneces-
sary for me to 90 into the well worn
details of the labor question. We
both understand them. We differ
from the capitalists. That which
is, is not necessarily right. Indeed,
it is most likely wrong, We who
suffer under existing conditions, and
not those who prosper, are the ones
who feel that things are wrong. The
capitalist vi il a lourishing mon
opoIy on his hands has no time to
study the rights or the needs Of
others. II we were all capitalists,
should we be anxious about others?
| fear not. And if the capitalist
could put himself in our place he
would not be content. If we were
all satisfied W. would not be here to-
night. Philosophers and poets have
sung Of the blessings of content
mcnt, but in fact Il Contentcd man
is next door to II fool. 1t is the dis
contentcd man who invents, who
pro ojccts great schemes, who thinks,
Let us thank God that he has ere
ated some of us with minds in a
state of habtuaI discomfort.
"Thc cause Of our trouble to-day
is the tendency Of wealth to accumu-
late in the hands Of Il few. Now, in
all things the majority should rule,
The minority must eventually give
way. As we, the majority, suffer,
50 must we act. We know that the
laoorer is paid not according to his
wants, nor according to the real
! NdlUc Oh MS services.
The speaker then noted the de-
cline Of wages which follows oyerpro-
duction and immigration crowding
skilled labor, with the help of ma
chinery, controlled by large capital
lists. " "Under the present system, -"
he.continued, There will soon be
only two classes-the rabble and the
gentlemen. We shall compose the
rabble; our capitalistic friends the
aristocracy. | suppose that you all
know ] am a socialist. We, social
lists, do not invite you to join us,
But we do invite you to study our
views and our system. We know
that socialism pure and simple is
the only remedy for the evils Of to-
day. We do, however, ask that all
unite in this effort to secure an
eight-hour working day. The re-
duction Of several hours will give
the wage-worker time to live, time
to look into things, time to read,
time for many things that make life
worth living. The eight-hOur law
will not curtail the demand for any
goods. 1t will compel the manu-
facturer to produce as much in eight
hours as he does at present IN ten OF