The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-02
THE EIGHT HOUR MOVEMENT
A Discussion of This Proposed Move
ment from Various Points of View.
Articles from Samuel Gompers. Henry George.
John Jarrett, Prof Harris, Edward Ever
EFT Hale, Hon. W. D. Kelley and Others.
THE STATEMENT OF THE MOVEMENT.

I,s ACCESSIBILITY and Practicability Discussed
from the standpoint of Social Economy.
m Samuel Go,nners President of the Federation of
Organised Trades aud Labor Unions.
In discussing the question of the reduction of
The hours of labor, some care must be exercised
TO prevent the confusion of the movement for
the reduction and the question as to the advis-
ability of its inauguration. / shall confine my
self, after few Introductory remarks to the
question of not only the practicability but the
Advisability in the reduction of the hours of La
Dor.
The movement for the reduction OF the hours
Of labor has had its origin, for all practical pur-
poses of this discussion, N England. somewhat
more than one hundred years ago, with the con-
gregation of large numbers of laborers in facto-
RES workshops and mines. 1t was transplanted
to this country, not by reason of any desire on
she part of those who favored the reduction OF
fhs hours of labor but was natural outgrowth
of circumstances and conditions like those that
gave life to it in that country. II we view the
movement for the reduction of the hours of
labor in all States, and the country in general
we will find that there has been a constant,
though possibly an unsystematc, movement
looking towards that end. And while the move
ment for the reduction Of the hours of labor to
That of eight per day now seems to be the burning
Haestion Of the hour. yet many and many an
effort has been made through the country to re-
dsce the hours of labor, which eliminated in the
sgreat movement in 1872 to accomplish that pur-
pose, and the adoption by our general govern
ment, and many of our State legislatures, OF
the eight-hour work-day for all mechanics and
laborers in government employ.
With the industrial crisis or panic of 1873 the
labor organizations Of the country were almost
swept out of existence and for at least seven
rears the intelligent discussion and concerted
action to further this movement was prevented
Nth the revival OF the industries Of 1890
ne organizations of labor gave signs of new life.
md the movement to reduce the hours of labor
again called in practical operation; so that. at
the session of the Federation of Trades and La
Dor Unions OF the United States and Canada,
which was organized in the y9ar 1881, pream-
bic was adopted, of which the following is part:
Whereas, struggle is going on in the ma
lions of the civilized world between the Cypress
ors and oppressed of all countries; struggle be-
tween the capitalist and the iaborer, which
grows in intensity from year to year. and the
history of wage workers of all countries is but
the history of constant struggles and misery en-
gendered by ignorance ana dlsunlon
AT that session the federation demanded the
eDforcement.of the eght-hour law, and pledged
Itself to do all that could possibly be done to en-
deavor to disseminate that knowledge among
che workingmen of the country so necessary to
achieve the eighthour work-day for all working
men of the country.
With this brief statement of the eight-hour
movement l now proceed to meet the objections
30 tot nr %ha WI hn
sight hour work-day should become not only the
law of the land but the rule
forevery workingman. All political economists,
from whatever school, may differ upon many
Questions-in fact, upon most all questions; yet
upon one they all agree that wages politics. re-
ligion have no bearing upon the permanent i'm
provement of the wage worker, except 1t Is based
upon the Improvement and change Of habits and
customs of the people, To change these habits
and customs. then, is the question at issue, and
also to demonstrate that the reduction OF the
hours of labor does not mean the great loss,
either to the employees or the employer, or the
state at large, so frequently stated and perhaps
honestly, believed by many.
1t is my purpose to show that the employers
who mostly oppose this reduction in the hours of
labor do not comprehend the true nature and
ultimate results Of this movement. 1t is. to my
mind, the one great movement which, though
bene6ting all, hurts none.
Through a mistaken policy the employing
class have been continually cultivating the pro-
ductfv0 capacity OF WOrklngmen LaOOr OrRdni-
Nations desire, by reducing the hours or labor,
20 cultivate the consumptive l maintain that
10 productivity Of labor does not decrease cor
''spondingly with the reduction of the hours of
,5or but, on the Contrary, that with each re-
.ction of the hours of labor the productivity Of
"a individual aborer becomes greater. do not
Ugh to be understood to maintain that, all other
things being equal, there will not be decrease
in the production of the individual laborer; but
that with the reduction of the hours OF labor
ha
of production take their place, to which | will
hereafter refer
In all industries where the hours of labor have
been reduced, has the production lessened?
Look around u.s. In the industries whore the
people worked from sunrise to sunset, and now
work from eight, or nine, or ten hours day, has
the production lessened2 Do not our factories
our shops, our mills and mines show that not
withstanding the fact that the laborers work
less hours day now than ever before, yet pro-
duction has gone on increasing to such an ex-
tent that in many industries one laborer pro-
duces as much as ten formerly did.
In all civilized countries where the hours of
labor are least, is not the output or productivity
the greatest and vice versa! Ia no case has a
reduction in the hours of labor reduced the pro-
ductive capacity of man. This had its origin in
Increasing the consumptive power OF the laborer
and the employment of large numbers who are
otherwise out of employment, and tends to give
new life and impetus TO industry In any indus
try Or in any country where the hours or labor
are longest LneEe eAlSLS no Necessity lOF bHo
PRODUCTION and improvement of the methods of
producton-machinery. l maintain, further.
that the reduction in the hours of labor does not
mean the increase in the cost of production. but,
on the contrary, decrease. We find that with
the reduction in the hours of labor mans de-
mands and wants become larger and greater,
and that in countries where the hours of labor
are long and wages low it costs more to produce
any given article than in ours, where wages are
nigh and the hours of labor short. With
labor working sixteen hours, at six cents per
day in China, il costs more to transport box of
goods across the continent than in our country,
with wages at three dollars and ten hours g day.
1t would cost the fortune of the Emperor of
China TO ride in horse car in that country, with
labor at the price and hours of labor above
given, yet we ride in them for five cents 1t
originates by the necessity, the demands Of a