The evening world., 1888-06-13

Already Converted to tho Shorter Hour
Movement - The HIiscellnncous section
Takes Up the Fight-A Great Mass
Meeting to BE Held To-N1orrow Night.
1.-THE influence of The EVENING WoRLD in
advocating the early closing of retail tea and
grocery stores is already apparent" said q
member of the Grand street Tea and Gro
Gerry Clerks Association to a reporter this
morning. - have, within the past two
days." he added, talked with some of the
dealers whom 1 knew were at first opposed to
the proposition, but since it has been dis
cussed these dealers realize the true situation
and begin to feel hat they are imposing too
many hours labor upon their employees.
why" said the clerk, II know one
Grand street grocer h very seldom closes
his store before 10 o'clock. and last week
would not listen to arguments in favor of
early closing. He has boon converted, and
yesterday he voluntarily declared that he
will close his store at any hour agreed Upon
by the majority of the dealers IN his neigh
borhood. Hope The EVENING WORLD will
keep up the agitation. There are bright
prospects of success" he said.
One of the most serious obstacles we
have to contend with in forwarding the early
closing movement said a west side tea
clerk, " is the opposition or q number of OBJ
s~eQuious clerks, who do not close their en-
ployers' stores at the hour other stores are
closed. These men are always afraid that
they will lose their jobs, and are foolish
enough to believe that by working extra
hours they will be the longer retained.
why, one merchant wnom | talked with
upon the subject of early closing said he had
for q long time been in favor of it, but he
couldn't get his clerks to close his store be-
fore 0 o'clock. | know positively that the
employees than if they closed promptly at 8
o'clock, the usual hour. Those clerks are
not manly, and their employer knows it
They are sneaks, and l wouldn't trust one Of
them in O store"
A man who has spent many years in an
east-side grocery store said " l am one of
the slaves of New York who have to work
fifteen hours five days in the week, eighteen
hours on Saturday. and from five to seven
hours on Sunday, for 1912 a week. If l should
be absent from the store q half day my en-
ployers would take 81 out of my weeks
1 have a wife and three children. The
Oldest is twelve and the youngest four years
old. 1 pay $40 per month for the rooms in
which l live. You will readily see that l can
not afford toaose any time. Just think how
little time ! have with my family. The only
pleasure l have is on Sunday afternoons. If
the stores were closed earlier l could enjoy
myself at home evenings. AS it is now I work
SO many hours each day that when / get home
at night my strength is almost exhausted. and
/ am obliged to retire In order to get re-
freahed for early rising. It's a dogs life at
best, and sincerely hope that the early clos.
ing movement will be successful"
At the Miscellaneous Section last night
the delegates of the association announced
a mass meeting at 1855 Broadway tomorrow
night, to boom the movement of the tea and
grocery clerks for early closing. Messrs.
Nico!ai. O'Shea and Bothner were appointed
to speak ON the occasion.