The sun., 1890-01-06
EIGHT HOURS ADAYS WORK.
THE FEDERATION oFLABoR'S DEMAND
DISCUSSED BIZ PROMINENT MEN.

But Net TO Its Arbitrary Enforeensnt-
InterestinE Forecasts of the EGsets OF .
Reduction or the Hours OF Labor.
The Executive Council Of the American
Federation OF Labor has had prepared q clrcu-
lar letter In which they express tho determine
tion OF many OF the organizations afIiliated
With them to demand on May /, 1890. an eight
hour work day. Stone cutters alone for years
have worked only eight hours day. This cir
eular letter has been sent to many prominent
men throughout the country. with q request
for an expression OF views on the subject.
Nearly 500 letters we're sent out, and about 100
answers have been received. The enthusiasm
with which the writer's have discussed the sub
1ect has greatly interested the Federation.
Nearly every writer PROCESSES to be heartily In
sympathy with the desire Of the workingmen
70 ret work day OF eight hours and likewise
with their efforts at mental. moral. and phys
ieal Improvement.
Tho letter presented these two questions:
l. In view Of the wonderful and evsr.increasinE In.
Veptons OF and improvements in woalth.producinE
nasthods should the working people OF country be
required to work moro than eight hours per dUf
What vould In your opinion tho effect Of the gen.
reduction of the hours Of labor to eight per day
have upon economic. soca industrial and CONNER
eiAl condition OF the people OF our country
Francis B. Thurber Of Thurber. Whyland 4
Go. says this in his reply:
II doubt the feasibility Of drawing q hard
and fast line at eight hours when there are 30
many different branches Of industry in which
the conditions differ so widely. As an illustra-
tion OF the difficulties in the way Of adopting
eight hours in special lines Of business take
my own. Abortion Of our trade is with corner
tain fresh supplies they are obliged to 90 to
market early in the morning as the sun
they have purchased their fruits and voRe;
tables they usually need few, groceries. and
70 Be open at sunrise TO accommodate them.
q" There are unauestionably many trades and
occupations where eight hours N. are g enough; Sl:
given amount OF work, and this, I understand,
men. in limiting tho number Of hours Of labor,
90 that al may obtain share, This his is s ger. !:
coupled with condition that there, shall be
Ten hours pay for eight hours work they may
sp5s s 81 s HS iS. h SfGn SE nos g S sPe
compete with similar industries In other SEQ
tionS Of ether eounEEes II would have the
payment L It were Generallyy ATTEMPTED; =,
Of the world closer. and the c6oapness and
guicknegs with which products can now be
Transported must be taken into consideration.
Under the conditions now ruling a country
where labor Is msd @ bnS 10 beShf Il hours our rp per doy Icy
limited: and The, same is true Of localities in
Prot r. T. Thompson. lecturer on political
ecopomy in the University Of Pennsylvania
~""I1Si ri have reached the conclusion that while
the change probably would be attended with
some disadvantages which It is not always pos
.sdI FS o both Sa and
morally. am driven TO this conclusion by the
obseryation Of the extent to which labor-savIng
Of labor. 80 that eight hours Of labor from the
present body OF workmen would much more
necessaries, comforts, and even luxuries OF
existence IN far greater measure than fourteen
born. II In part part. the" the question % now , becomes mes
whether we shall use this increased power OF
f tRd Snss ae epY Of hngs no ses or
pow any Christian or even any man OF humane
instincts can hesitate between these two social
Il is said that anylincrease OF the hours Of
leisure would not be used by the workinRmen
them. But the first responsibility OF society in
the matter isto give them a. the chance
Of his hours esh
he must at once accept proportional reduc-
ton OF his wages. and make up his mind to
cost Of making the change, must fall upon the
workng class and remain there. For my part
outset the cost OF the transition must come to
ke distributed over the whole OF society, and
Of the
ties. as he very well can All the changes Of the
hSgs %aed tST RS bm
tribute Q trifie moro to the support of the toll
ing millions. who serve him behind stone walls
and In the mines. would be no great hardship.
Not that the prices OF things would rise in pro-
portion to the amount of the reduction. but
that some rise might be expected"
chDnan nS6T p Dsrot sfEhfssman his: '0nh Logan
10 IL IN Of GOV
ordinary mental and PhysicSi Sapaoity can DO more n
SStsn twelve hSSr. AZ an anmHl man e subject
4 eSneesSe Ne nmns sG Cp taT prSdsn ms
SS1d think Of keeping horse a. work ter or twelve
ElaFgSh OE dscropit by OverwOrk the general cOmmun
Yrites that he thinks that yorkmen ought not
ean ensily be done IN eight hours daily Re-
lays OF workers can be employed when moro
production 10 necessary, II ever: Eight hours
eight hours are little enough for the needed
preparation for work and for culture and recre
work, ," he says to Mr.. Gompers In closing.
v. D. r; Bliss. editor Of the Dapn. Boston.
Is fully long enough and too long for the work.
ere OF the country, and the eilect oi a general
ny mind. clearly be quickeninG Of Invention
1n industry; an Improvement In quality In pro-
Congressman Mckinley of Ohio says he be-
neVes In eight hours constituting days work.
He has long held this view. and has moro than
once expressed 1t by his vote In the House OF
Representatives.
Private Secretary Halford. for President Har-
Tison. refers Mr.. Gomper TO his public speeches,
whore he will find q, full and frank expression
OF his views upon the question; Mr. Halford
Gays that Mr. Gompers will see the improperly
OF President Harrison making any. further
statement inasmuch as 1t is possible that
some OF the subJects connected with the labor
question may come before him for his official
action.
Hon. Ira Davenport says that the working
men ought not to be required to work more
than eight hours per day. he thinks it worth
the trying. and he believes the result would be
beneficial to all
Senator George Frisbee Hoar, OF Massachu:
getts, writes: II have for many years been of
opinion that. for ordinary labor, eight hours a
day is enough. and that It would be ipgblic
work In ordinary manufacturing and mechani- |
cal empl9yments: This opiniSn have publicly
gress and elsewhere. think under that policy |
the product Of thSteonntry woulalbe INCREASED.
YnOut OF the country in which the WOTkmen