The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-10-03
LABOR LEGISLATION.
English Trades Unions Oppose
Parliamentary Interference.
EicHT-HouR MOVE NOT GENERAL
TIE Lesves IL Socialists snd sssfasffsy
nas xst ImVsesnsssA the Ne
shssisss Associations.



tar,x vh!rs reader IL CT more than usual
-. ons of thsss features Vas the
sefysx< Of ,hs president. Mr.. Ritchse, IN
~bseh be considered tie relation Of the
.,.Asx r1sons 70 the ra2ss OF the ixbcring
rrosuIatlo1 ss . whole The ADDRESS ~as u
ssecs reply TO the charge made IN re-
rost Submitted on behalf o. Britain weEx-
.ngnea a. the recent international con-
rress ., Paris that trades 1nioalsrn On Us
present lines Is rlsyei-out-forcs.
The criticism generally made Upon trades
arSonism in England Is that trade unions.
With few exceptions. have made 10 direct
PROPOSITION % meet the case OF nnsxiiiea
worker: that trade ansonssrn Goes not
reach the kernel OF the labor prooaenl,
which lies in the unorgansxed masses me
viessnss Of the sweater. the helpless, the an
ft and the unemployed; In short. mai as
DIRECTS are selfish. that il benefits It's mem
b<rs only. and that is represents oliy the
srist1eracy Of labor. Mr.. Ettehie admitted
tina, there was good deal OF truth
ia tits criticism though
becoming less true every Gay
II IL beginning 10 be felt. be said. that the
most aristocrs:ic unionist cannot separate
himself from the humbless laborer and that
the solidarity Of lzrbor Is phase WITH
great wealth Of meaning. Unionisfa' III
order 20 live. must. he said. reach oui a. nc!
large issues and endeavor 10 help on TIE
great cause Of labor everywhere IN oraer
10 aisprove the declarations that Tanes
uuionisn IL piayed-out force. Ny. hiehie
said. the trades unioniSts rnsst abandon
massive attitude and in particular encourage
a more vigorous political policy rather than
trust 70 reforms being accomplished by
the siow process of individual or sectional
effort unaided by parliamentary iegissation.
Tniouisrn must, be said. begin to demand
A larger share in the molding of the nasionai
life. At present, he added. the organiza-
ton OF the UNIONS presents unique opror-
tunity for giving 10 labor it, due place IN
the economy of the country what Is wanted
ia the concentration Of the power OF union
ism In the proper direction. Critics oil Mr..
Ritchie's programme might object that his
conception Of the position OF labor In the
state is TO too great an extent that OF an
,,mperiuDs ga issperie. He gave this coneep-
ton. indeed, distinct expression as when ne
declared that There is no state IN the coun-
try better provided with machinery than
this labor state.
As viii he seen, the presidents address
leaned in the direction OF departure from
what has come TO be regarded a. the tradi-
tionaI attitude OF trades unions Indeed,
he expressed the opinion in the opening
Part OF his address that the congress would
mark an important epoch In the history OF
trades unionism, II il did not In fact lead
TO very large extension Of its scope and
aims. The experience OF recent years
however, has shown that the great MAORI
" Of the trades unionists are not ready to
go as far A. their leaders would have them.
An illustration Of this is found in the ac-
ton OF the congress in reference 10 the most
interesting question considered by IL. viz
the question of Oh eight-hour day. The
president, In his address. while declaring
that the mention of parliamentary inter
ference was repugnant to him in common
with many other trades unionists. yet adj
vocated the Limitation OF the maximum
days work TO eight hours by parliamentary
enactment. This he said was the most
generally approved method by which it
was proposed to provide employment for
the surplus labor OF the country. No one,
he said, would assume that the enactment
OF an eight-hours' day would be perma-
nent adjustment OF the social machine. but
II was step In the right direction-a stop
gap until such time rs education should
have spread the light and enabled the
people to graphic with and sweep away
the real causes of the opposition OF labor.
Regarding the objection made in some
quarters to parliamentary interference with
the hours Of labor. thai il might lead 10
like interference with wages. he said that
parliament could do so only with the con.
sent of the people.
The action taken by the congress sron
this question, a. well ss the result OF vote
upon il BY members of trades unions
throughout the country, showed that the
presidents views were not those OF a major
ity OF the trades unioIiSts. The congress
represented total membership OF $500.
Circulars inviting q vote upon the eight
hours question were sent 10 all the trades
coanciis, but only . societies, representing
less than fifth Of he total membership.
had made returns. The votes cast
amounted to less than one-eighth of the
total membership. OF ios,6i9 members
voting. ~ $50 voted against an eight-hour
working day. and S9.6-9 voted in
favor Of tt, bat OF the latter num-
eight-hoGr day being obtained by act of
I3rA3iltNt. ~ tAtAt W tbt aINtt HAtDNfE
voting only =. ssa were In favor of an eight.
hoar day being obtained by legislation.
Judging from the comparatively small per
centaEe oi votes east. about ilis per cent
OF the whole number represented. the
question Was not regarded as burning one
The question was brought up for considera-
ton in the congress by motion instruct
ing the parliamentary committee TO take
A.
working day o. eight hours. A direct mega
tive Of the motion was moved as al amend
ment. and was carried. In tho dis
cassion had upon the motion and the
amendment IL was pointed oat by several
members tia; though an ,ight-hour day
might &c enforced in some trades, IL could
not 10 in Others, while other members ep-
posing the motion deprecated the notion of
sskiak !ur parliamentary interference. The
main argument on the other side was that
II The hours ot labor were reduced places
would 10 made for an increased number Of
workers. aud that in the face Of the in
creased demand for Labor. en- plovers would
not Ne able 60 reduce wages. The action
III the congress ca the question of All
eisht-hour day Is directly opposed To that
taken al The recent International congress
~ Paris. IL shoxs that the tendency to
voluntary and individual action is san
strong among the English industrial classes.
and TIA, IS far as these classes are repre-
senisd by trades unions ihey are BY no
means Fesdv to act upon the principle oi
sne solidarity nj all lahor.
Ntcfira ot science.
Chtcaxa JsthGns
iong bad i6ey sat in the cleaning l.us.s