New-York tribune., 1890-05-01
TIE DIGESTION FOR LABOR.

This is the day to which millions have been
locking forward with eager hope and millions
more with deep soicitudc. All over the world
there il unrest. and labor seeks larger returns,
and is strengthened in its demands by the re-
Election that hours have been shortened and
waves lifted b. organization in years gone by,
and that labor Is now more widely and thor
oughlv organized than ever before. There Is
something impressive and even grand III this
voluntary a>SociatiOn of workers. not merely
from ocean to ocean. but across the ocean, IN
"A rcsoute cndcayOr to improve lis condition
and enlarge lis opportunities. There are tew
men who do not feel some kndling of sym
pathy IN the presence of such an cndcavor,
oven though many arc forced 10 question
whether the efforts arr now wisely directed,
and whether The change, now sought would IN
the end benefit those who strive Tor them 80
earnestly.
This united dcmopd OF wtiGc -carncrS in many
countries is not 10 hc dlsmi Sod a. unwise with
ou, serious consideration. Other step, in the
same direction have been resisted. with pro-
found conviction that they were imp1cticable
and 10 the Wasc-caucr> thcm,clyc, positively
hutiu. and yet have been taken without the
disastrous results which many aprrchendcd-
Bat while the worker j, not to bc set aside -
impractcillc or unfair. merely because he asks
more. neither j. he certain tO bc in the night
because &c. ha, been right IN times past. some
rcduc' .ou. lu hours of labor have worked well.
luf 90 doe, NOS follow that any and every ic-
du,fIlu would work ., well. some" here there
mus, lc . point beyond which industrial So
Diety cannot po in curtailiug tho hours of labor
without impaiung tho productive forces. jos
.oning the aggregate return, which can Do"
divided among workers and Tins diminishing
their comiuI lud being. The real qu',.
ron it ih. rme D.. whether ihe particular
change. proposed. especially boo 'hc building
Trades. ale Dot going too iai
Tha machinery ha, made human Labor moro
productive D.. nor. ON the face OF things. good
reason for cutting down the hours of work
lor those who do not u.e machine. The work
that ha. 90 lc done ly the old methods has no'
been shortened ~ the remarkable inventions
of fho age huf society pays more for D., VIZ
~ tlo hiudi.falfs having risen oven mon" 'I1n
Ip fhr ,l,forc.. ln occupations which in''No
dl,. ol Id.cu,.. on account of weather fhc de.
mnnd i,r reduction # hoIf. in the day. WnDn
vola I- possible has l'., fofre 1h" voih
uron uUth fho shelter ot millions who nN"r
mu.f d.pud and which cannot ho enhanced
In ,o.f without raising irn', and making
hom.. moore costly may with some reason ''
ic,tpu,d kind Of labor 81 which tho supply
should ro' br d. .uul.y re.f.0''i
lu i..,ut DISCUSSIONS ol th. subject 90 mas
Io noticed the ,u.m .. rarely made. .s 1
Other nm.- Poo. toen. thr 'ho proposed i..
du,non H bonn. ol lNpr would be fully come
p.n.lt.d 'o .oInf D., un.u efficiency. it
F. no. now strongly affirmed thn' 'hc o.
r.n'e lud ml.on.. hc p.a.'0rI. 1ud paint
.l.. cu nr.h FOL-. mlny hou-'- in certain da.
.f..,It bonn. l. fh.' could BOO 'he -1mD mann
r.r Of dl,. OF t.n hnu.. This suggest, th"
question ul,.b.r hn worker, nom..if'. lr.
rut ,1uuIuu. hH 300 'h- instance .n'} al"
really popD.ug io diminish 'ho productive
fof,c N th,f bee tho lao' they vlIl no' c-cir"
,.c conclusion thlf house, must b" rendered
moro costly b1 ho change contemplated and
f..f. hi.bor and fho cost oft living and oi
comfortable and independent homes greater
fr he ,~, people to whom n." in rent,
,rd t fhr,.., of budding. d. Mos, serious