The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-12-11

The American Federation Of Labor which
met In annual convention at Boston yester-
day, Is an association Of great size and influ-
ence. 1t combines the workingmen on the
federated system instead of on the indiyidu-
al system, tried so unsuccessfully by the
knights of Labor. Instead of associating
the one-dollar day man directly with the
TWO dollar day man, the plan which Chief
Arthur condemned SO vigorously in the
knights OF Labor, the federation leaves the
individuals to associate according to their
trades. and then unites the trades In alliance
Tor certain common ends. That this plan is
lar superior to the other is evident at once
and without doubt the future of labor agita
Hon VIII impress the realization OF this upon
the country. The Federation is already the
most powerful labor organization ever estab-
nshed In America, IL 1t may be judged by
the extent Of its jurisdiction over the organ
lied bodies of laborers Ia the country. That
Hshouid come forward at thi, time with the
novel and startling plan to reduce the hours
OF labor from ten to eight at single bound
does not lessen the consideration that it is
destined to receive Such is its programme as
outlined by Its most prominent leaders be.
lore the assembling Of yesterdays conyen-
zion. 1t is natural to look 10 the utterances
OF these leaders for some rational arguments
10 Justify and support sush a demand for a
shortening Of the hours of labor. But there
Seems to be no such argument, the PROPOSE
tion being supported rather because the
members OF the Federation seem to feel that
they are able to compel the change by the
moral force that goes with an association so
powerful as theirs. One of the delegates
says that those who have ''lived to re-
member the long hours worked by
wage earners, and the crude machinery
that was used fifty or sixty years ago, and
who have kept an interested eye on the
great inventions and improvements that
nave been brought forth since that time will
not give much attention to the arguments
put forth by the opponents of the eight hour
day." And this delegate goes on to say that
more wealth is being produced by a given
number OF workmen In ten hour day at the
present Time than ever was produced in the
fourteen or sixteen hour day, and that the
general intelligence and good behavior of
the toiling masses will compare fayorably |
today with that Of former times. All these
- $50 NaNSdDsOutJ bAuC Uub tUdL QOeS Il
not show that the day can be shortened two /
hours at bound. Because In fifty years the |
asy mas been shortened four hours without |
harm does not prove that it is safe to shorten |
Two more In day or a year by an arbi- |
trAfy process. Another delegate reasons as /
II All the profits Of labor-saving machines /
Eau gone TO the manufacturers, who, he /
seems 70 think, have an immense fund of /
wealth that can be used to bear the expense
OIL the iaoorer's extra leisure. The fact is.
on the contrary, that the saving made by the
machines has almost Invariably gone to the
consumers. after the privileges tina, the
patent law allows to the inventors have
been used. And manufacturing. SO far from
being Jan easy road to wealth, is open to
more than the usual risks OF business. and
must be followed with the most constant APP |
DheatiOn and industry to be successful. The |