Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-03
The Carpenters' aud Joiners' Union.
RICHMOND. April 2, 1880.

To He Editor Of ne Daspdtch;
In the Dispasch of the 25th of March there
appeared report OF meeting OF tne oaf-
penters' and Joiners' Union Of this CITY,,
As some of the statements made at that
meeting misrepresent the aims and pur-
poses Of the American Federation OF Labor
it becomes my duty as a representative Oh
that organization 10 correct the saine'
In the first place, there is to be no gen.
eral movement In favor of the eight-bour
system on the 1st of May next, although
that was the intention of the Federation
up to the meeting of the convention or the
organization in the city of Boston IN NO
vember last. IL was there decided that
the prospect Of success would be improved
by moving one or two trades at time,
which, in case of opposition, Will be sus-
tanned bv all the other trades IN the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor-that IL, py
about 100000 men, manly skilled work.
men.
Then il was stated that the best way to
secure the eight-hour work-day would be
10 educate" tho employers into the be-
lief that their interests would be promoted
thereby, this education to consist of re-
ductOn of thirty minutes per day each
wear for four wears. At the end of these
four wears il is assumed that the employers
would have discovered that their employees
could and would do moro and better work
IN eight hours than they did formerly IN
ten.
II this view could be demonstrated it
would be fatal TO the main object OF the
eight-hour movement, which is TO reduce
the hours of labor Of those who are at work
in order that those who are out OF work
may obtain employment.
But it is difficult to see how the reduc-
tion of the labor day from ten to eight
hours would have the result claimed. IL
is well known that thousands of employers
have had occasion from time to time to
reduce their employees TO three-quarter
time--that is. TO seven and hall hours
day, this being kept up IN some cases Tor
weeks and months. We have yet to hear
of the first employer who has discovered
that his employes could do as much work
in seven and half hours as they could do
in eight and half.
The fact that in all cases when work be-
came plentiful the workmen were restored
to full time and pay shows how difficult 1t
would be to educate" employers up to
the point of advocating the elght-hour
system.
Finally, we are given but scant encour-
egement a. TO our prospect of success.
Well. it is no secret that all human under
takings are TO q greater or less extent
liable 10 failure. Success. however, de-
! pends ina great measure on the energy
and spirit with which they are conducted:
| Should the eight-hOur movement fail 1t
will not be for lack of spirit or energy on
| the part of those who have undertaken 10
conduct it to success. nor to the hostility
of the employers. but rather to the base
/ ness Of the very persons whose welfare the
movement Is mainly intended to promote
/ that Is to soy. the unemployed wOrhngmen
/ of America. JAMES DILLON,
/ General Organizer for Virginia American
Federation of Labor.
THE Di'potrh report was written by one
/ Of the most active participantsin the meet.
70 abbreyiate the account of Mr.. Mullen's
speech. The statements to which Mr
Dillon takes exceptions were parts of that
speech. not expressions OF the editor
However, Mr.. Dillon's card is cheerfully
given place in these columns, as the only
purpose the Dispatch ever had was faith
fully to present to tho public tho aims anc