Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-05-09
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
That is Soon to be the Rule
For Working Men.
The UNIT OF A DAYS WAGES.
A Review by the President of
the Eight Hour League.

San Francisco Examiner: The
eight-hour movement has begu
auspiciously. The demonstrations
throughout the United States and
Europe, show that the working
men Of the whole world are united
and nothing c"n withstand such Il
union as that.
OF course the movement has met
with opposition-great opposition
in fact; but 1t IL only question OF
time when the obstruction to gen
eral adoption Of a rule that eight
hours constitutes days work will
be removed or surmounted.
The eight-hour movement il
founded on the law of self-preserva
tlon. Workingmer have found
that they wear out like overrun ma
chimes If they are kept to their tasks
too long at II stretch.
A man cannot keep at work all the
time. Manual labor il hatd in any
case, and no man can keep his health
! If he sticks to his bench all the time.
He must have time for recreation.
To work from the time he gets up
to the time he goes to sleep is death.
Certainly it should not take more
than third Of u mans time to ena-
BILE him to live. Eight hours of
faithful toll ought to be ample to
provide for one mans wants. And
1t Is. Let the eight-hour scheme
once become general and there will
be an end to children aud women
working their fingers to the bone
for pittance.
1t will increase the demaud for
labor and an era of unprecedented
prosperity must follow.
As 1t IL at present under the long
hours Of labor many workmen can
not give that attention to their fam
lilies that of right they. y.should. Ow-
ing to the high rents in the large
cities great numbers of mechanics
are compelled to live in the suburbs
long distances from their places Of
work. These distances from work
increa Sc the actual number of hours
given up to labor. 1t can easily he
understood what great advantage
II would be To this class of labor To
gain shorter hours. Many young
men working at the trades are am
bilious to study and advance them
selves to higher places of usefulness,
but after n long day of hard work
they lose the stimulus that prompts
them as well as lack the necessary
time to spend In the studies they
may desire to take up.
Although the movement is one Of
great moment in Europe II origi- !
mated in America.
The American Federation Of La
Dor met in st, Louis in 1858 aud de- .
clared In the Affirmative for an
eight-hour day, and fixed the first
day Of May, 1890, rs the date TO
inaugurate the movement. The
examining Board of the Federation
then communicated with all fedora
lions of labor aud kindred bodies
throughout the world, including the .
local unions urging them 10 an agi.
tation Of the subject.
The movement In this city was
brought 10 head at spontaneous
meeting Of the trades on June .,
1889. From this meeting originated
The Eight-Hour League ON this.
Coast.
The organization WAS solely for
educational purposes, Il did not as
'ume 10 execute. The league spent
of dollars In advancing It's
aims aud Ia purchasing literature
dealing with the eight-hour question,
Was the means OF organizing all
branches OF the Eight-Hour League
IN the Pacific States and Territories,
aud Is virtually the central organi.
lation In the movement. The agi.
Iation spread and assumed such gi- .
gantle atrldes ON this Coast that ali .
trades are now Ia position To eN-
pect favorable concession To their
demands Tor shorter hOun OF labor.
The building trades have been the
frst 10 demand that eight hours
should constitute u days labor
Over 10 per cent. or the ccntmctora
agreed 10 the raductloO of hours