The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-23
The Eight-Hour Movement.

Especial to THE HERALD-EXaminer Dispatch. |
CHICAGO, April 22.-"The eight-hour day is
coming on as irresistibly as the tides and as
surely as the revolutions of the earth" So said
Mr.. Samuel Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor. The great labor leader
was just on the point of taking the train for Mil
waukee, where he spoke last night and it was
In the parlor car that the conversation was con-
tinued. Yes" said he. ''the eight-hour move
ment Is certain to win. 1t is gathering momen-
tum every day and every hour, and its triumph
Is now beyond any sort of peradventure."
What is the present programme, Mr.. Com
perS:'' was inquired.
1T is to bring every possible energy to bear in
favor of shorter hours for the carpenters first;
after that for the miners. On May the demand
for eight hours will be made throughout the
United States as it has been made in Chicago
already, and the bosses Will be forced to yield.
They cannot complain that they have not had
falr warning, because they have had. We de-
clared our intention as long ago as December
1883. If they have believed that we did not mean
what we said, that surely is not our fault. We
then declared our set purpose, and to-day we
are but carrying it OUT
What is the purpose of your pending visit to
Chicago?''
81 came to consult with the leaders here and
to give such advice and assistance as may be
needed. Tomorrow morning | will return to
Chicago. and Immediately on my arrival con-
ference, or may say, council of war, will be
held at which the whole ground will be fully
reviewed.
Twill this council of war include the leaders
IN all the federated trades or merely the leaders
of the present strikers %
II think it probable that representatives of
other than the building trades will participate -
Can you indicate the nature OF the matters
you will have under consideration %
Il would rather not. prefer to say nothing
on that score.''
What has been done or is doing, Mr. Com
pers, toward bringing the farmers into harmony
with the labor movement %
"a great deal. l think we shall have the sup
port and the cooperation of the agricultural
classes in this worldwide revolution. We are
in correspondence with the farmers organiZa-
ton, and only yesterday had long conference,
which was very satisfactory and encouraging,
with Mr.. Hubbard, editor of their official
organ
How about the Knights of Labor?'
Il think they will not antagonize us. Indeed,
l believe their active sympathy is with us and
that their whole influence will be cast in the
scale with ours in this tremendous effort for the
betterment of the worlingmen's condition.
You say that for the immediate future your
energies will be concentrated on the effort to
secure eight hours for the carpenteis?r
Yes; we did not want to disturb business
beyond what was absolutely necessary. So one
trade was singled out. When we have gained
our victory for that, then we will center our eff
forts on the miners, and after that some other
trade will be taken up. 1t is no little fight we
have undertaken, but the magnitude of our
task does not appall US; it merely serves to
stimulate our latent energies. We shall fight
it to a finish not if it talks all summer but if it
takes decade-for our whole lives. We shall
never rest till the humblest worker has Sc
cured his just rights to little leisure and to
the opportunity for Self-improvement which
leisure will give"
Mr.. Gompers is a short heayy-set, dark
faced man with coal black hair and mustache
and piercing eye.