Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-05
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
How Long a Workin2na Should
Labor.
Rev. III. @. LeIand's address. Before the
Rock Island League at HiiIier's
Hail Last Evening---AnA Able Effort.

Rock Island League at HiIIfer's
Hail Last Evening---An Able Effort.
The first formal public meeting of the
hock Island Eight>hour league was held
at Killers hall last evening. Rev. H.
Z. Leland, pastor of the First Baptist
church. was the speaker, and his address
thoroughly able and very thoughtful
one was about an hour long and was
heard with the closest attention TO the
end.
The miscellaneous character of the au.
dience indicated that the In terest in the
eight>hour movement is not confined to
any particular party or class of people.
There were present members of the
churches and of the labor organizations,
and of all the political parties.
In opening his address Mr.. Leland
said that 1t was because the Eight. Hour
league was not a party in politics nor or
gained in the interests of any party or
sect, but purely for the disc ussion and
advancement Of the eight>hour move
ment, he had consented to spe ak being in
sympathy with this movement, and be-
lievIug that its discussion would advance
the interests Of all classes, and convinced,
after much study on the subject. that the
adoption OF an eight-hour day would adj
vance the moral, social and Intellectual
welfare OF the country, he tn ought that
the churches aud pastors should show
their interest by assisting the movement.
This he believed could be done without
touching the purely political questions
with which the church has no right TO
meddle. In order TO be an advocate OF
the eight hour day. it is not necessary
that one should hold socislistic views.
nor be a pessimist in his views concern
ing the condition of working people, a
condition which is in all essential re-
spects infinitely better than 1t was one
hundred years ago. Neither is it neces-
sAry TO hold that there is niece ssary an
tagonlsm between capital and abor, the
employer and the employed In order to
secure the most rapid developm snt of the
great economic forces of the world. there
must be tranquility and social order.
Strikes, boycots and lockouts only pro-
long the strife. they settle nothing. If
the lsboring classes would succt ed in the
eight hour movement they must recognize
aud not antagonize natural laws, As the law
of supply and demand and con petition.
the fact that character and not legislation
is the basis of lasting social and political
institutions, the ends desired must be
gained by methods in harmony with our
advanced civilization.
The desire Of the wage Garner is the
same in general as that OF the capitalist,
viz: More OF what he has which ne recog
nizes as good. or of the good which he sees
his neighbor enjoying-more money, more
recreation, more opportunity for iuiel-
lectusl social and religious improvement.
As the lsbOring classes constitute seven
or eight>tenths of the population, what
ever tends to secure TO them greater
privileges is general benefit to society,
the nation and the world, and will tend to
lift our already wonderfully advanced
civilization to a higher level
Il was argued that the eight hour day
would help in this direction by 'urnish-
ing employment for the Unemplo Ted. se>
curing better quality OF work. healthier
workingmen and happier homes among
them; that capital would be benefited by
the larger demand made BY the in creased
consumption. aud that the more rapid
spread Of intelligence and morally vita
these would insure q stronger nation.
History. sound economics and religion,
he said, demands that we move toward
shorter hours for the lsboring ms IL we
wish to keep pace with the spiri. OF the
age. and that the working man should
seek broader intelligeDce-coutrol bad
habits, as the use Of rum and tobacco.
Use the present opportunities OF educa-
ton. religion and the Sabbath carefully.
and agitate the question pescestly and
continuously-not in the denuncialion Of
capital and clergy. and vested rights. nor
In the snarchistic method of overthrow
ing all law and order in the false hope
that on the ruins Of our present system 8
better could be erected. Not revolution,
but evolution is the proper method.