Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-08
SYNOPSIS OF TWO VIEWS OF THE
LABOR QUESTION.

Edward Atkinson Is an accomplished
modern writer on politico-economic sub
.iects and social science student. In the
North -i,acrican Rericp for May he CON
siders the question of The Hours of
Labor and the attempt to shorten them.
I. V. Powderly, of the Knights of Labor, in
briefer form, treats in the same journal of
Strikes"
So far as necessary to protect children
from physical degcneracy, says MIR. Akin
son, laws to regulate hours of labor have
had most beneficial influence, but other
wise their effects have been slight They
can be applied only to factories where
large numbers of persons are employed
under one root, operating machinery upon
which all are dependent Tosuch establish
ments laws have been applied fixing ten
and eleven hours as the legal limit. In
the early history of factories fourteen
hours constituted a days work. The
buildings were then low studded and i'll
ventilated, and the work arduous and con-
tinuous. But since 1910 great improve
ments have been made in machinery and
buildings in New England factories ten
hours work has been found sufficient,
farmers daughters have gone out of the
system and their places have been filled
mainly by foreign laborers, while wages
- l,,.a =. JoulIaJ a,,J t1,a ,,orl- hoe he
come less arduous. These changes have
not resulted from statutory mandate, for
employers have found that there is no
profit in exacting excessive hours of work.
Such statutes as we have on the subject re-
late to but very small proportion of the
whole body of laborers in the United
States. Most strikes, he finds, occur in
those branches of industry in which the
attempt has been made to deprive workers
of the control of their own time by legal
restrictions. Next to the factory, the
largest single body of operatives are those
of the railways, aside from those engaged
in agriculture. He expresses the belief
that the true remedy for strikes, and for
obnoxious interference by statute with the
liberty OF contract by adults, will be found
in labor organizations. An ADLER body of
men are coming to the front in these
associations, and mere agitators are
being put into the background.
These new leaders, he believes,
have been making grave errors but being
intelligent, they will find them out, and
they may then become most useful and
true leaders. The forces which stop the
wheels of industry to-day, and make capt.
tai idle, are the attempts to take away
from the worker the liberty to make bar
gain in his own way, and subject him to
the laws Of organizations he has entered
solely for the purpose of lettering his con-
dition. Mr.. Atkinson lays it down as 4
truism that the man who controls his own
time, and makes his own bargain, is the
man who will succeed. So he draws the
conclusion that he who combines with
Others in the attempt to control and regu
late the work of other men who do moi
belong to their association, and to dictat,
how they shall make use of the one thing
which all have in common-and that il
time-can only influence industry for ;
very short period. Atkinson holds tina
the more intelligent of those who join il
this attempt will either alter the bylaw
and do away with any interference witt
personal liberty, or quit the union or clul
to which attached:
Skillful workmen, who are masters of thei
art will soon see that any other course woult
reduce Che most intelligent to the level of tn
least skillful and the least competent in the
trade. The true object of association is thai
each may find out by contact or correspondence
with his fellows how he may develop his OWL
individuality. his own capactty-hnd out wha
his own work is really worth, and how to oh
tain its full value, without reducing himself t.
the level of any shiftless or idle person who
may have joined the association with the ex
mediation Of being sustained in his incapacity al
the cost of his feliow-workmen.
Mr.. Atkinson believes that the evil Of
undertaking to control and regulate the
time Of laboring people by organization is
already 80 apparent, that the end of 1t is
near, because the workmen are beginning
to perceive that they are the ones to suffer
most from such restrictions when produc-
ton or distribution is impeded by them. =
Engaged in working for gain are, he finds,
100000 OF these 100000 are en-
gagged in mental or administrative work,
as employers rather than employed. In
faet6ries are 100000, on railways 100000,
as farmers, mechanics, artisans, clerks,
draymen and other vocations substantially
of individual character. 100000. For
this latter class the law may mark the