Telegram-herald., 1890-02-27
MANY STRIKES AHEAD.
brsdztrssss' Editor Foreshadovs
Industrial Disturbances
a ch@t wtsh the ceAseFs.tivs chi<f %
ne fsasrstiss % Labor Asoas the
Ss1ains Eizht-hsa< hi<4as-his
AohoEsEss "a yislsae~
eoFsEIsar isso

eoFskIssr 1850.
Within a feE seeks ws may sx-
pect - be called on - decide an inpors-
sns Industrial question
The American Federation Of Labor
has formally requested captains of la
dastFy thFoug ghoat the eoansry " re-
gard sizhs hours Of labor as days
work, and has hxed upon May /, 1850,
a. ths date when ths nss order may as
vsll be ashered In
In ths multiplicity Of important pub
lie questions .bieh thoughtful men arc
called apoa 10 consider daily, this one
has rscsivsd fair share OF al
tsntion OF late. but few have given it
serious consideration IS 20 its practleal
side Many appear 10 % willing 70 al
Low the matter 10 take It's own TINE,
trusting that something will happen TO
bring every thing out ali right without
serious disturbance
The American Federation of Labor.
as ~s are aware, IL com posed OF trades
Unions, but the management of the sep
arsts unions is left 10 themselves, much
she same as in the federated States OF
the nion. the government Of the States
Is left 20 themselves.
In this respect the Federation differs
from the Knights OF Labor, which
organization appears 10 have lost much
OF It's former prestige. as 10 certainly
has of its membership The Federation
has been chiefly distinguished. in tho
minds OF the class who look upon the
activity Of organized labor As an uncom-
Portable but possibly necessary phenom-
snon. by its repeatedly announced re-
quests for reduction OF the hours Of
daily labor TO eight
its public utterances have been
marked by striking degree of conser-
vatism; its arguments in favor OF the
sight-hour day have appealed 70 COM
mon sense and humanity, and the state
ments Of its case have been couched in
language indicating an unusually high
order OF Intelligence on the part OF its
leaders.
As took part in reporting the results
OF the drst great eight-hour struggle in
this country. some four years ago. fur
nishing through the columns OF Brad
streets TO the daily press, as we'll as TO
she public-the first approach 10 COM
prehensivs totals OF the numbers OF
men who struck or were locked out as
many cities in May, 1851 nat
urslly found this eight-hour agitation
OF 1890 OF special interest particularly
because the tone OF those who asked for
thischange forsees so marked a contrast
TO that employed four years ago. So I
determined TO inquire OF the Federation
just what IL proposes TO do, in case its
success by means OF formal req uest or
conference Is not satisfactor TO IT.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers is president of
the American Federstion of Labor and
proves to be what I had presumed,
Judging from tho executive utterances
OF the Federation, a gentleman OF excep-
tionally conservative temperament, ad
vanced ideas upon what may be charac-
terixed as political economy, peculi-
arly winning manner and vocabulary
which attracts attention. He is easy to
meet and glad TO impart information.
Your organization, Mr. Gompers,
said I, has begun the agitation for .
uniform eight-hour day. so mildly as
well as persistently and forcefully. care
ence TO Alternatives in case the req quest
IL not granted, that | am anxious to
know what you expect to DO, on May
lat, IL the employees. as a rule refuse TO
adopt the fewer number OF hours daily"
1T means strike-of course" was the
reply You will notice that for
the first time, and | believe in the
history OF organized labo-, We
are exhausting every means TO bring
about the desired result by other means
than a strike. We have published
tons OF speeches. papers, essays and
tracts, showing good reasons why the
soiler should not be expected or re-
quired 20 work more than eight hours
daily. We have and are holding pub
lie meetings TO enljghten all who will
listen. and we are leaving nothing un-
done as to personal conference and con-
ference BY letter to induce employers
and contractors TO grant concessions in
the direction indicated.
Tell me-" said I, how you regard
the action OF the Convention of Build
ing Contractors At St. Paul recently.
which. in reply TO your letter, recon
mended payment OF wages by the hour.
instead OF by the day. Do you not
think that amounts 20 a checkmste?
VIII not present wages, for instance.
divided By eighs instead OF by ten or
more paid on the hour basis mean less
for the wsge-earner ger d-em2'
The President Of the Federation
smiled and n reply read me his letter
70 that convsntion-in which he dis
tinctly avoided asking that body to
recommend or adopt and eight-hour
day. At most the letter could be said
20 urge upon the gentlemen TO whom
IL was addressed the sdvissbility of
not taking action antagOnistic 70 the
eirht-hour day After reading IL Mr..
Gompers said: II tank the builders
did all thas could have been looked
for No body of employers can be sx-
pected 20 make radical changes in their
methods O, work. psrticularly'-here
the speaker smiled agsin-'beiors
they are asked 20 do so. The builders
were not formally asked TO adopt the
eirht-hour day. I think the wages
question will settle itself, after the
question OF hours OF labor is decided. ="
Referring % the widely extended
eizht-hour strikes OF 1886. asked
whether. IL strikes became a necessary
element of the work Of the Federation
next spring. we might expecs % see
snTthinx like the disturbance which
ceutersd ss Chicago few days sgo.