The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-06-20
SUNDAY. JUNE 20. 1886.

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The Journals foolish sensation about the
distribution of prizes by the Board Of
Education is not worthy Of the least notice;
but some ovsr-sensitivs persons concerned
feel that it makes reflection upon them.
President Walker of the Board of Educa-
ton, Informs us, as the starter in the lay
ing of this new nightmare of our contem-
porary, that Miss Eva Davies, who ls repre-
scented as most aggrieved by the change in
the rule of distribution, is perfectly salts
fed with the award as it has been arranged,
and that, as a matter of fact, Mr.. Morrison
her uncle, who is her guardian, has been
most active in arranging the matter fo1 her,
Just as it has been arranged. If Mrs
Davies is satisfied, we can't see why the
journal or any one else should protest.
Miss Davies's prominence in the several
branches of scholarship is to be recorded
on the one gold medal to be awarded
to her. The other medals will stand
only for marked excellence and pro-
ficiency on the part Of those who receive
them. Another feature of the matter is
that the prizes are gratuitous given by
citizens and paid tor out Of their private
pockets. If they choose to designate fifth
rate scholars to receive them, they have a
right to do it. When, therefore, they
would consent to award medals only on
the understanding that one shining scholar
was not to receive them all, the Board of
Education had nothing to do but to change
the rule agreeably to their wishes. If the
Board hadn't done SO, there would have
been no medals to offer. If the donors had
q right to bestow these prizes when they
saw fit; and if they gave only on the under
standing that MissDavies should not receive
them all; and if Miss Davies is thorough
ly satisfied with the ample recognition the
High School Committee proposes. to make
of her superiority as a scholar, there is
not the slightest room for criticism, and
the Journals great sensation falls fat The
fact is, the Journal is not newspaper
enough to know when it has a story. 1t
hasn't even gumption enough to know, as
tnisinstance proves, when it hasn't story.
The TATTLER gives space in this morn
ing's issue to Rev. Mr.. Steddard's sermon
on the labor question because it is an able
presentation of his side of the case. But
we cannot quite agree with him on all
-oints. The market value for labor is. for
instance, regulated by the law of supply
and demand, but the law of supply and
demand has very much less to do with the
hours of labor. He cannot assume that
the shortening of the working day from
ten hours to eight will reduce the total
production one-ffth. It is not a set
tied fact that a man who has
eight hours for recreation can do
only as much work in eight hours of
labor as the man who has only six hours
for recreation. He may not produce q
quarter as much again in the eight hours,
and SO make the shorter days production
equivalent to the production Of the longer
day, but he will produce probably more in
eight hours, when the day is limited to-
eight hours, than he can produce in eight
Of ten hours day. The very prospect of
a ten hours stretch of work makes him
tired. He goes to his eight hours task, on
the other hand, bright and fresh and chip
per. The difference in the humor with
which the eight hour laborer begins his
daily task, from that with which the ten
hour laborer sails in, will help to keep the
volume Of production up to the ten hour
standard. Then, besides, the Rev. Mr..
Stoddard seems to assume that all the pos
sible producers within the reach of the
eight hour impulse are at work. That is
not SO. The cities and towns are full of
idle sons of toll. The reduction of the
time for labor will make room for them in
the ranks Of the active employed working
men. There are enough of them, heavens
knows, to save production from falling
below its normal level. We are in favor CT
fair days work for every man. We want
no drones in camp but wherever it is
practicable to enforce it, let us have early
closing.
The New York Ecenisg Post, which, by
the way is the best informed of the New
York afternoon papers on New Jersey ma. :
tiers, called attention in its issue Of last
Wednesday. to phenomenon that sug-
gasss the enquiry whether this city rests
upon crust that may eventually cave into
marsh of unfathomable depth. The
TArrLER has made the community aware
of the fact that, for the erection Of o
monster Union depot on the brow of Hud-
son City Heights, the railroads are filling
in our embankments across the meadows
at thief foot of the Newark avenue hill. The