St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-24
Workingmen Don't Fancy the
Repeal Of the Eight
Hour Law,
And Say They Will Renewthe
Attack to Re-Establish
It in go. ns
Their Aftersight Was Better
Than Their Foresight
Last Election.
Interviews With Prominent
Labor Leaders--The Test
Was Not a Fair One.

The city council, at its first meeting
after it had been fairly organized for
business, embraced the opportunity to
knock out the eight-hour law. which
has been distasteful to its leaders in
the old council since its passage in
April, 1887. The opinions of
the following well known lead
ers of organized labor concerning
the councils action in this connection
may be interesting as foretelling OF the
merry time to come.
Fl. B. Martini think the abolition of
the eight-hour system was bad policy.
The city work can be done just as cheap
if no cheaper Oh the eight-hour plan
and the welfare of the whole country
including all classes of people demands
that it should be generally established.
1t benefits and protects unSkllled
labor and the weaker classes
of Iaboring people generally, and it
seems to me that it should be the aim of
the state and city to protect such
against the strong and powerful. Then
too, the city and state ought always to
take the lead in reforms of this kind,
where the influence of one individual
employer or corporation would scarcely
be felt. The eight-hour system
has been the recognized system
in Australia for thirty-two years, and
the thirty-second anniversary of its es-
tablishment has just been celebrated
| with great rejoicing. Long hours is
the cause of creating the great army of
| unemployed laboreTs that we have in
this country, and no government should
assist in creating class that is men
ace to the welfare of the country, which
that government is supposed to protect.
j. P. McGoughey-The action of the
council will increase the determination
of organized workingmen to establish
eight hours as days labor, especially
since the trades federation sent out
notice to renew the attack. Aid. Bar
question was an issue in the last cam
paign, is either mistaken or he prevari
Gates. 1t will, however, be an issue in
1890.
Michael Mogan-With hotel walters
and saloon keepers as for men Oh sewer
work, the eight-hour system could
hardly be expected to accomplish rthe
best results; but, even then, money was
saved. Ia
T. W. Brosnan-At Brainerd they
tried the eight-hour system. and actu-
ally paid higher wages, and did the
work for $50 less than the city engi-
neer's estimate at ten hours day.
j. F. Griffith-According to the City
Engineers Charter No. 10. saving
was made by the eight-hour system.
Some of the aldermen allowed the men
Is cents extra for working the two hours
additional, and this was calculated to
have deceiving effect. a
Thomas A. Clark-The council has
not given the eight-hour system a fair
trial.
T. Fl. Lucas-Those whom the gods
would destroy they first make mad.
The action of the council will strengthen
labor for the conflict of 1890. The work
imgmen can see from the course OF. the
politicians what to expect in the fut-
ure.
Ernest Grundman The new council
has not shown a desire to deal. fairly.
They should have given the working
men an opportunity to be heard.