Workmen's advocate., 1890-06-07

tp tHc ulSCuS 'lOn
 " To the Editor of Me "Free Press":-
 Your correspondent of May F, who
 writes on the eight-hour law, sees so fal
 and so clearly on the question that he
 should have faith in the integrity of his thought, and trust that more time will
 bring as clear conditions as those which
 he has already discovered.
 Let justice be done though the heav.
 ems fall, is pretty good slogan for the
 eight hour army. The heavens have not
 fallen and they will not fall. There are
 many who believe as your correspondent
 so impressively writes, "that the decade
 which we have just entered on will
 prove to be one of the most important
 and interesting periods of our national
 existence All who would "conspire
 with the new works of new days" do
 well to study and work in view of it,
 As was stated in the displacement of
 Labor by Machinery" address read to
 the Socialists last evening, "The Public
 Economist estimates that in the last 30 years one half the labor of the world
 has been displaced by machinery. Can
 we have another 30 years of such dis placement, until all workmen are dis. placed by work things?
 "Organized strikes have been repeat edly menaced by a prophecy of such continuance. No. nothing is forever,
 When one doesn't see the way in the revolutions of society it is good to read some great historian, or the biography of some one great in the worlds affairs.
 Y our correspondent grants that it now looks as if in five or six years the eight hour day might be an accomplished fact throughout the country. lie might just as well say throughout the industrial world-for the whole world is moving simultaneously in that direction. Under present conditions, five or six years ap- pear much too large an estimate for the completion of the movement. The eight hour day has passed out of the thought stage into the actual. It will take not much time to make it generally embodied in statute law.
 He asks Would it be fair, would it be wise. would it be policy to ask the Iegis. lature of Massachusetts to pass an eight hour law for her cotton manufacturers while Georgia with cotton growing in adjacent fields is working eleven or twelve?
 "He should read the discussion which surged around the passage of the law in in 1850, reducing the hours of labor from thirteen to eleven. There were those who saw nothing but destruction for the industries of Massa- because of the same ineuuaiity Of the hours of labor in adjacent states.
 twill 1t be a permanent victory? Who can doubt that what has been 5alned by careful organization and the | wise forecast of our working men will | pc held by them? They have labored and | waited and now they are achieving. But | ,an they say, We have reached our goal and contentment is oursY Is con- eminent a divine beatitude? No, the | healthy soul will be always looking for brighter sun to rise, and will work | 'lways to that end, and will not be dis appointed. The workman will not be content even with the eight-hour day.
 ''1t is no chimera that under more jn- elllgent conditions, with less of chaos md waste, the working day may be much more reduced, and yet all go we'll with the world. There are plenty of lata for such a belief.
 Our friend questions whether the upon thousands of young men the country, who have no rClession in vie", will be contented to york in stores ana factories from 10 to 3 hours day, when by serving a year r two at a trade they could become radesmen and work but eight. He elleves not, and sees the trades liter fly swamped with help and wages af- ected dlsastrously by the surplus of 'orkmen. Such has not been the his- ory of the reduction in hours of labor, ut just the opposite is true: reduction f the surplus of laborers and core. bonding rise in wages.
 Then since this law is coming in all will there not be check on migration by reason of improved con, itions for the foreign worker? Will ot better balance prevent crises?
 "Ihe demand for goods will increase he workman will want more to eat nd more to wear for himself and family le will have little time to see is family by daylight, He will not be ) worn in mind and body and can do .S and more thinking. He will fl, rganlzation Is as good for him T ,r the corporation which empl. ; m; he will grow more courageous, lore of man and less of machine. Again our reviewer questioned if we m get 42 states to enact simultane- lsly an eight-hour law. Why, we can't et the two houses of our legislature to ork at all sis .aneously The remedy IT that impossibility he sees to be the lactment, by the general government,
 an eight-hour law that will be appli, 'ble to every industry. Still he hesi- tes, fearing that this act will be called certain dreadful names, such as Pa f Generalization, or National m. When we have any cause at stake { Id critics begin to call names, we may ,