St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-01
FAVOR AN EIGHT-HoUR DAY.
PowderIy Speaks for the Great
Army of Knights.

PowderIy Speaks for the Great
Army of Knights.
SCRANTON, Pa, April S0.-General
Master Workman Powderly, of the
Knights of Labor, was seen at his home
to-day by reporter. He was asked his
views concerning the labor demonstra-
tons in New York and elsewhere to-
morrow, and at first stated that he had
nothing to say. and that all such infor-
nation should come from Mr.. Gompers.
president of the Federation of Labor,
under whose auspices the demOnStra
tons would be held. Mr.. Powderly
said that he would address labor
meeting in Jersey City tomorrow
evening, at which time he
would air his ideas concerning this
great labor movement. Warming up
to the subject later, he said that his
position on this question was TOO well
known to need explanation. He had
always favored an eight-hour law. The
Knights of Labor had also Endorsed it,
adopting preamble favoring it at the
general assembly in 1878. As he under
stood 1t, to-morroW's demonstrations
throughout the country were to con-
vince the public that the labor element
was really in favor of shorter hours for
the toilerS. 1t had been alleged by
many that the eight-hour movement
was simply for effect, and that the
workmen did not really favor it.
After the demonstration of tomorrow, 1t
was to be hoped that there would be no
further charges OF the Kind. 1.-The
movement to secure an elght-hour law
is universal one," said Mr.. Powderly,
oil x,,OrlyinCr cfpQdilu for
Within the last few years about thirty
industries employing labor have adopted
it, and still others have adopted the
nine-hour system. In some instances
workmen received but eight hours
compensation and in others they got
ten hours pay for eight hours work.
Other industries pay their work
men ten hours compensation for
nine hours work. The plan which |
recommended to thegeneral assembly,"
continued Mr.. Powderly, ''was to re-
duce the hours of labor one-half hour
each year till an eight-hour system could
be obtained with ten hours pay. This
has been adopted by the Union Pacific
Railroad company, and in three years
their men will be working eight hours
daily. l believe that the American
Federation of Labor is concentrating It's
efforts in favor of the carpenters just
now, and if they succeed it will be
great gain to labor generally. The car
penters are the largest class of me-
chanics who have membership in the
federation. The cigarmakers are
already working on the eight-hour
system, at least all who were
members of the Knights of
Labor are. "You will see," concluded
Mr.. Powderly, ''that this eight-hour
law is a most righteous one when you
remember that man can perform be-
tween the hours of and IL in the morn
ing more labor with the implements Of
the present than two men could per-
form in two days of ten hours each with
the implements used forty years ago.
The genius of the mechanic provided
this labor-saving machinery, and it is
but right that he should share Its ben
etits. However, the solution of the
whole problem will come when the
laborer shares the profits of his toll. AS
he will then he working for himself he
can labor eight or ten hours. as he may
DESIRE"