Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-03
LESS HOURSOF WORK
A Big Eight-Hour Movement Meeting
Held Here Last Evening.
THREE LABOR LEADERS PRESENT.
Secretary &. L. Daley Speaks Of the Shoe
Lasters' Union.
FIVE MORE FIRMS SIGN THE SCALE

An eight-hour movement meeting was
held last night at Imperial ball, addressed
by President Gompers, of the A. F. of L.,
P. j. Mcclure and E. L. Daley. Mr.. A.
w. Swartz called the meeting to order and
j. NJ. Kelly was made Chairman, with the fol-
lowing Vice Presidents:
William Martin, Amalgamated Association;
W. J. Dillon, Flint Glass Workers; Thomas
Evans, of L. U. No. 142; Arthur b. Smythe. Slate
and Mantel Workers; Robert Davis, l.. U. No.
I'll; William Lowery, Of Tarentum; John Flan-
merry, Peter Gesk, L. u. No. 164; Richard Conley,
l.. U. No. 142; William Gallagher, L. q. No SSo;
Robert Toppen, L. U. No. 1s5; William johnson,
L. U. No. 5O6; Charles Coler, L. U. No. 2Sd. and
Samuel Carroll, L. u. No. 476.
Mr.. Kelly introduced Mr.. Mcclure, who was
received with applause. He said that their
object was to build up unions for the benefit OF
labor. He referred to the organization OF the
carpenters in Pittsburg in 1885 the many moves
made, the growth of the union and the fact
that they now get 81 so and 81 70 per day for
nine hours work instead of 50 and 81 Is per day
for ten hours work, as in 1885 He also referred
to the strength and power Of the Amalgamated
Association and the flint glass workers. and
congratulated them for what they have done,
adding: "And call on you to keep in the pro-
cession for eight hours work day on May !,
1880"
FACILITIES FAVOR IT.
"With labor and machinery together. he
continued, ''enough FOR all can be produced in
eight hours and there is no more need for nine
hours work than there was for ten hours. We
have achieved nine hours. with view to max
ing it step toward eight hours, We don't
want to make too radical a change at once"
Continuing Mr. Mcclure said that a fair
of n w
Eight hours work, eight hours sleep,
and eight hours for what you will. Refer
ence enc was made to & what was xsan known a,.ss as
hours was a days work. The factory
system ended this. Machinery was introduced
and it was believed that every hour that it stood
idle was that much lost and the working hours
were increased to IL and more. The speaker
mentioned previous to ls40 when men worked
IA hours a day. To-day, he said, there is more
there was then when they worked ID and a
hours a day. "It Is not the hours of work"
said he, but the intensity Of work. There a-e
and we must put these idle men to work by
at work"
in England under free trade" he asked, then
why. in Gods name, can't America, under pro-
lection, produce the same in eight hours?"
The labor question, he added, was not ques-
tion of tariff, but embraces tariff, currency,
land and all social reforms.
PRESIDENT GoMPERs SPEAKS.
Following Mr.. Mcclure. President Gompers.
of the Federation, was introduced. He said:
men of labor, the advantage you have gained
by your efforts from your employers will be
taken away from you as soon as you neglect
your duties to yourself and your organization.
Did you ever hear Of convention of your en-
ployers to increase your wagesf They
who would be free must themselves
strike the blow" Continuing. the speaker
fidelity to their union. The balance Of his ad-
dress he devoted to replying to editorials that
have appeared concerning the eight-hour move
ber of men unemployed did not affect wages.
To this Mr.. Gonpers replied that If another
man wanted a mans position the employer
could say; Il % can get the s " work done for so
In conclusion Mr. Gompers remarked
that the eight-hour question must be consid-
cred from a social status and its influence on
the people. I'VE have no desire to tear anyone
down from q high pedestal. We believe in the
levelng process; not leveling down, but
Secretary E. L. Daley. of the Shoe Lasters'
Protective Union, followed Mr.. Gompers.
He said he could not discuss the question for
his own trade in this city, as the few members
Of the trade he represented in Pittsburg are
not organized. lie discussed 1t, however, in q
general way.
A SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARY.
Referring to the whole nation rising up July
to celebrate an event. he likened that event
the struggle for freedom lib years ago-to the
struggle OF workingmen to-day for freedom.
He chided workingmen for their own indiffer-
ence to their best interests. They would turn
out at the polls to vote for someone who only
loves and esteems them on election day, but
they won't attend meeting of their union or
help themselves.
At the close of the meeting the labor leaders
present distributed a circular by T. v. Pow
derly for the X. of L., Samuel Gompers and
others for the Federation of Labor. This cir
cular assails the charges that there is trouble
between the Federation and the Knights.
object the organization of the working classes.