The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-04-25
Mr.. Powderly on Shorter Hours.

Mr.. Powderly on Shorter Hours.
General Master Workman Terence
V. Powderly makes can appeal for
eight hours in the April issue OF
the North american ReuieaU.
The final solution of the workday
problem will come when the work
man becomes the sharer in what be
creates. To-day he is regarded by
his employer as no more factor in
the field of production than the
spade which he handles. Workmen
and employer find their interests
identical in one particular to get the
most out of each other The en-
ployer who pays dollar q day to
each of one hundred men for doing
labor worth 50 day retires in TWEEN
ty years a rich man His riches
represent unpaid labor. The work
man remains poor and retires to the
poor house or the cemetery. To
labor belong the vast sums that rich
men leave after them to erect char
liable institutions. Had the miners
of the region in which Scranton
stands received the just reward of
their labor there would have been no
necessity for the expenditure OF
$500 600 for the Moses Taylor hos
pital. Every hour of toll would
have been an hour of profit.
Until such day as that comes we
must agitate for shorter hours oil
toll so that men may have time to
prepare for the system of the future.
The bank clerk does not work ten OF
even eight hours a day, because his
mind could not stand the strain, nor
cou d his body. The work of the
future will call for more exercise OF
the brain than of the hand. No
man or woman can work as long at
an occupation that requires skill as
at one that calls for no exercise OF
the mental powers. Brain work will
soon be required in all callings, and
if in no other than the sanitary rea-
soas the hours Of labor should be
reduced to the eight. hour standard
Men who work for short hours are
better educated than those who do
not. A thinking man will learn that
over.exertion shortens life. Thous-
ands go to early graves every year
from overwork, and this condition
will continue until the hours of labor
are shortened. The apparent over
production and the consequent de-
preston would not occur if we had
an eight.hour day and a working
class educated in the science of gov
eminent.
The manufacturer com plains that
he must keep his factory running
long hours to pay taxes. He should
study the question Of taxing land
"for full value for use,' and know
that his improvements should not be
taxed out of his hands. The manu-
factuTer complains that he cannot
pay the interest on borrowed capital
with short hours. He should study
finance and learn that his goveru-
ment and not his enemies should
control the volume of currency. He
complains of excessive freight
charges as an excuse for long hours.
Let him unite with the Knights of
Labor and the Farmers alliance in
demanding governmental control OF
transportation and distribution. MIR.
Powderly says that the eight hour
system need not be brought about
necessarily by strikes Workmen in
given employment should agree to
establish The eight hour day. A
strike on the part of the country
would but place the short hour en-
ployer at the mercy of his long hour
competitors. To demand the same
rate of compensation for short hours
that is now paid would be unjust; to
rush the system through would un-
settle affairs. Employers as well as
workmen will soon realize that the
short workday will be the most ben
efcial, and in any event its introduc
ton will soon be announced.
Dear Money.