The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-06
THE DEMAND OF LABOR.

The conflict for the eight-hour day for
! laboring men is intensifying all over the
world. Our telegraph columns of the
! many thousands of wOrkingmen have
! laid down their tools and refuse to work
| except on the eight-hOur basis. AS in
most cases the demand is for the same
wages they have been receiving for ten
! hours work, it involves an increase of
20 per cent in salary. This brings the mat
ter squarely upon the basis of a money
question. That those who employ labor
ers and skilled workmen would readily
consent, in most instances, to a shorten
ing of the time for work, if it also de-
creased prOportionately the days wages,
there can be little doubt. But to reduce
the time by a decrease of one-fifth, thus
cutting off one-fifth of the service rem
dered, and at the same time allow the
daily wages the same, makes an advance
of 20 per cent in the expense Of labor to
the employer and just that much gain to
the employed. This is the great bone of
contention, and the matter is thus re-
solved into a question of dollars and
cents and is practically con-
| flict between capitalists, using the
term in an Accommodated sense. While
the dollars of the employer are his
capital, the time, physical powers and
the knowledge as to how to use them,
are the capital of the laborer and
mechanic. The real conflict is as to the
relative value and proportionate adjust
ment of these two kinds Of capital.
The question also involves change IN
the productive agencies of the country.
1t reduces the producing power 20 per
cent unless there shall be an increase of
the number of operatives to this amount.
SO that in a given limit of time there
viii be one-fifth less work accomplished
than formerly and of course One-fifth
less in the produced results. 1t is
claimed by some that men will, on the
whole. produce as much from eight
hours as from ten hours work, and it
does not appear unreasonable that this
can be done, yet it is extremely improb-
BILE that it will be- If the movement
shall result in an increase of 90 per cent
in the number of people employed in
the industries of the country, and hence,
wider distribution of employ
ment, it would seem that, in this partic-
ular, a great good viii have resulted. On
the other hand if the advance in ex-
pense to the employer shall prove to be
such as shall render his business unprofit-
able. and thus tend to unsettle the sta
/ bilitv Of business enterprises and indus
tries and close up manufacturing eStab-
lishment thus reducing the demand for
operatives and the opportunities for en-
ployment, and results will be decidedly
injurious to the working classes and their
last state will he worse than the first.
While there are a few lines of business
which depend upon large forces of labor
ing men as essential factors in their
prosecution, that are making handsome
profits, 50 that the capitalists engaged in
them are accommodating wealth rapidly.
the general average of business enter
prises are conducted on the basis of small
margins. The enterprise and business
vim inherent in American blood have
made this necessity because of the
strong competition everywhere prevail
ing.