Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-02-01
EIGHT HOURS.
The American Federation of Labor to
Hold Mass Meetings Throughout the
Country on Washington's Birthday.

December IA, 1893, the
freely elected representatives OF the
laboring people of America, in conven
ton assembled in the city of st. Louis,
amid enthusiastic applause, decided to
an agitation for the inaugu
ration of the Eight hour Workday on
the first of May, 1890. The body above
referred to, the American Federation OF
Labor, resolved then and there that their
Executive Council should arrange a
grand series of simultaneous mass meet
lngs in all parts Of the country, the final
ones preparatory to the day of action,
to be held on Washington's birthday,
February %, 1890.
Therefore the Executive Council Of
the American Federation of Labor, in
pursuance of the solemn duties devolv
ing upon it, now calls upon you to
assemble in the most convenient places,
adjacent to your homes, on the natal
day of the revered founder of this Re-
public. and give expression to your
firm determination to emulate his great
demand and found the Eight. hour Work
Daylight hours for work, eight hours
for rest. eight hours for what we will
And now, having performed our inn
mediate duty by notifying you of the
date of the next in the series OF stimuli
taneous mass meetings ordered by the
ST. Louis Convention, you will permit a
brief review of some important events
which have happened since, and have
probably been largely influenced by the
memorable vote of your representatives
on the fourteenth of December, 1883.
On the occasion of the hundredth ami
versary of the storming of the Bastille
convention of workingmen from all over
the world was held III Paris. Although
that convention was divided in language
and political opinion, the influence Of
the vote of the st. Louis Convention
produced such general enthusiasm that
all factions became a unit in favor OF an
agitation for the establishment of the
Eight hour Workday, and America took
her rightful rank among the nations.
Mark the results One month had not
passed away when one of the most
gigantic struggles in the history OF our
times occurred in London. No sooner
had the struggle begun than money in
its support poured in like water through
broken dam. Noble Australia tele-
graphed thousands upon thousands of
dollars. In few weeks upward of Il
quarter of million dollars was given
to sustain the soldiers of the grand
army of industry WHO were bravely
battling for their rights. John Burns,
one of the several devoted chiefs in that
struggle says: "Wilhin a few months
nearly two hundred different trades have
gained considerable reduction in the
hours of labor and an advance of ten
per cent in wages More than 100, 900
new members have been enrolled in
unions" 1t is worthy of notice also
that in that struggle there were 5000
pickets maintained day and night over
lines thirty or forty miles i'll extent, by
land and water; and the discipline and
vigilance of the Gordon were as exact
as with the Prussians at the siege of
Paris" There We're one or two impor-
tant features of that strike which it
were we'll to note. The police and sol
diers were treated by the strikers like
brothers; they were heartily cheered on
several occasions. Some employers, too,
when the strike fund was depleted,
actually paid their laborers the rate Of
strike pay. In short, decisive victory
in the face of seemingly overwhelming
odds has been achieved across the At
lantic, and the fame of 1.-The lockers
tanner" like the sound of the musket
shot at Lexington, has rolled around the
world.
In our own land, too, the agitation
during the past year has not been unpro-
ductive of results. On every hand there
Is evidence of encouragement and hope
for the success of our movement.
Many scores of letters have been re-
ceived by your Executive Council from
all sorts and conditions of men-clerical,
judicial, political, professional and COM
mercial-strongly endorsing your claims
for more leisure, for a greater share of
the products of your toll, and warmly
sympathlzlng with your efforts to
achieve a higher degree of civilization.
Manufacturers and others who but a
year ago were bitter opponents of the
Eight hour Workday, have listened TO
Our arguments, have read the series of
pamphlets issued by your Executive
Council, and have been converted to
our cause. Only yesterday in the Senate
and House of Representatives of the
United States your claim was endorsed
by unanimous consent.
Workers of America! The time is
approaching when your courage, your
manhood, and the trade unions who
have SO laboriously evolved may be put
to the test. Let II not be said that we
have failed III our duty and are I'M
worthy of our sires. Turn out en- masSt
on February 22d, and make your demon.
STATIONS worthy the memory of him
whose birthday we propose to honor by
labor's declaration.
Yours fraternally,
SAMUEL GOMPERS,