Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-04-24
TIE ElGHT-HguR DAY MOVEMENT.
THE SOLE IDEA OF LABOR CIR.
Giles.
Views of the President of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor.

CHICAGO, April 21.-''The eight-hour
day is the sole idea now being consider
ed by the labor world,n said Samuel
Gompers, President of the American
Federation of Labor, this morning.
"In the history of the social and
economic movement of the world there
has not been one which received at
once and completely the same sympa-
thy and support that has been accord
ed to the eight hour movement. 1t has
covered Europe, and on May l, the
working population of that continent
will demand the eight-hour day.
1.-THE labor organizations of this eoun-
try are devoted solely to this one idea.
We think we can do one thing at q
time better than q multiplicity of
things. To the end of obtaining the
eight-hour work day we are concentrat-
ing all our energy, all our ability, and
all our intelligence. We are doing it
with the least possible injurious results
to business or commerce. We do not
want to stop the wheels Of industry.
We want to help them work more
smoothly, We want to remove instead
of increase friction. So we proceed by
degrees. We have singled out
THE EIGHr-HoUR DAY
as the first thing to be attained. Then
we have selected only one trade for
which at first this improvement must
be secured. We have chosen the car
penters az the first craft for which to
win this benefit. When the carpenters
shall have won we shall demand 1t for
the miners and mine laborers. Then
other trades will be taken up and
pushed forward. In this way the en-
tire change of the industrial system to
the eight-hour day shall have been ac-
complished with the least effect on the
country's business. There is no doubt
of the success of the movement. In the
American Federation of Labor, which
by common consent the beginning OF
the eight hour movement is granted,
there are $4,000 members. In the
movement besides there are more than
enough to bring the force to 1000, ,00C
men. The movement for the eight-honl
day is on different basis now from its
status In 1885. Then we had an army
of enthusiastic raw recruits. Now we
have force of cool, trained veterans
The movement of 1885 was chaotic, dis
lintegrated, unsystematic. To-day 1t IL
methodical, organized, prepared. We
will secure the eight-hour day for the
workmen of the world, not If it takel
all summer, but If it takes the rest O
our lives"
The Labor organizations of Chicago
have appointed committees to arrang'
for monster eight-hour day procession
on May l. They expect to have 0,00'
men In line.
! No progress was made toward set
i tlefnefit of
THE CARPENTERS STRIKE
+ to-day; in fact, settlement seem
farther off than ever. It was under
stood that as soon as the new Maste
9 Carpenters Association should becom
J strong enough to give employment t
900 men, that work by that numbe
t would be resumed. The leaders of th
} strikers now say that they talked wit
the new organization as matter ofcoul
I. tesy, but that, In no event, will any O
] the strikers be allowed to return t
3 work until bosses representing sever
eights of the employing capacity o
J. the city have given in and recognize
< tuC OulOHs ~ 10 NV plOOnbaO tAl6hb tA
4 will be done soon. The Citizens Con
4 mittee which was appointed to brin
% about settlement of the trouble wa
o to have meta committee of the employ
ing carpenters for the purpose Of tall
! ing the matter over this afternoon, bt
\ their conference was given up unde
circumstances which point to failul
i to affect anything in that direction.