St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-05
May /, 1880, all working people will re-
fuse to work more than eight hours
1lonr

Jay.
80
Those who have had experience In
organization recognize that they have
wear of hard work before them in order
to educate all classes Of people to under
stand the eight-hOur movement in all its
phases. The history of the ten-hOur
movement shows that much agitation
was necessary to establish what is now
the accepted day, and the same work
will have to be done for the eight-hOur
day. Local leagues have been formed
in the Twin Cities, and the active work
will now be prosecuted without delay.
The local eight-hOur league will hold
its second open meeting within a few
days.
1t is said that prominent business men
and employers are organizing to PRO
tect" themselves against labor Organlza-
tons and blacklist those men who dis
play activity in building up labor organ
izationS. These organizations OF en-
ployers are quite popular in the East,
and even the Flour City has its board OF
trade for 10! these many moons. This
august body has never hesitated to do
its duty in condemning labor organiza-
tons and those who are prominently
connected with them. So that formal
organization of employers will not be
such novelty as it seems upon the face
of it. 1t is we'll known fact that any
person who has been identified with
labor organizations doesn't have a
pleasant time finding job. One who
is well known in this state recently
moved to Montana, after seeking for
work in the city for several months
without success. Another succeeded in
49,, ,,ly vxrI,n 10
men went by numbers instead of names.
After two or three weeks the foreman
accidentally found out the mans name,
and he was instantly discharged. Not
but that he performed the work salts
factorily, but they had no use for labor
agitator.
Such organizations of employers In
other cities have always resulted in
driving working people into secret,
oath-bound organizations, where they
cannot be reached by outsiders. In this
city, for the past two years especially,
labor organizations have been prac-
tically open and public in their work,
acting as educational factors. But il
the fact of belonging to all assembly re-
suits in blackliSting member then he
naturally keeps the fact secret.
Sewing girls are still complaining;
wages in the factories are very low aud
work rather slack. Dressmakers' en-
ployes in several shops have had their
wages reduced during the past week,
and this is the season when long hours
and hard work are the rule, in order
that spring suits may be finished on
time. A protest has been made aud the
rate of wages restored in two instances,
but in the majority of cases the cut will
be accepted, because the employees can
not help it.
There is an alderman in the Second
ward who asked the workingmen to
vote early and often for him last fall.
Now he protects the employees in his box
factory by paying Is cents day.
Rev. Kristofer Jansen's sermon last
Sunday was refreshing change from
the usual style of preaching. It was
much appreciated by working people,
who would probably be more constant
in their attendance at church if the
moral pabulum dealt more directly
with the live social and industrial prob
lens of the day.