Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-04
EIGHT HOUR SERMONS
A Request for Them to BE Made by
the Central Trades Council.
CARPENTERS ARE STILL VOTING.
Local Representatives Leave for the Con-
gress of Inventors.
GRIST OF A DAY FROM LABOR CIRCLES

The Central District Council is taking an
active interest in the eight-hour fight.
From now on it proposes to enter the agita-
tion with vim, and will assist whatever
trades connected with it. that are interested in
the movement, to the greatest possible extent.
At the regular meeting tonight resolu-
tion will be introduced asking the clergy
of Allegheny county to preach at least one
sermon between now and May l on the
eight-ho ur question. Without rejecting in
the least upon the laboring class, it is ex-
pected in this way to reach the employers
of all classes of labor on this important
issue, from moral standpoint.
In view of the action to be taken by the
council, an effort was made yesterday to
secure the views of the clergy on the SUBJ
iect. A call was first made at the Episcopal
residence of Bishop Phelan last night, but
the Bishop is not at home. Father Wall,
Vicar General of the Pittsburg diocese, was
next seen. He thought it hardly possible
that the Catholic clergy would consider the
request of the Trades Council, as they
would not be permitted to do so without the
consent of the Bishop.
What Father Wall Would Like.
"As to the merits of the case," said Father
Wall, 81 want to see the laboring class Sc
curing the best terms possible with their
employers, but 1 am afraid sometimes that
they ask too much. We have had several
instances of this within the past few
months. Workman should never make de-
mands for shorter hours or increased pay
without reasonable certainty of winning.
1t too often occurs that when men strike for
betterment of their condition their places
are filled with an inferior quality of labor
ers who are willing to work for less
money.
II am hardly sufficiently posted on the
situation to express an opinion on the abil-
ity of the laboring class to win eight hours
in Pittsburg. 1t depends on the exigencies
of the trades in which the demands are to
be made. In my opinion the character of
the work performed should be taken into
consideration in placing a value on a
days work, carpenter, for instance,
can well stand ten hours work with
less injury to his physical strength than
mill man can Six or eight hours. A painter
can endure more than bricklayer or stone
mason, and so on. 1 do not believe, how
ever, the Catholic clergy will be permitted
to discuss this matter from their pulpits."
Rev. Charles E. Locke, pas
tor of the Smithfeld Street
NJ. E. Church was seen. 81 cannot say now
whether l would discuss this question again
or not 1 have frequently referred to the
matter incidentally, but to comply with all the
requests received for sermons on philan-
thropic themes, 1 would not have time for
anything else.
The Duties of the Church.
"That is not what the church is for. The
business of the minister is to preach the
gospel. 1 have, however, the greatest SYM
pathy for the workingmen, and l believe
that men should not work over eight hours,
il they can only be taught to make proper
use of their spare time. At present they
will not do this. Many of them spend their
extra time in saloons, and as long as they
do this they are better at work"
Local Unicn No. 230, OF carpenters, voted
on the eight-hour question last night. There
was the largest attendance that the union
has held for months and the vote was almost
unanimously against the movement. Union
1885, of the East End, votes tonight A
member of this union said last night:
"The question we are to vote upon is
whether we shall ask the general headquar-
tiers for SC week strike money to help in
the proposed eight-hour fight. There is no
doubt about the result. 1t will be voted
down, now that the men have an
other chance at it. Our gen.
eral officers are responsible for all
the trouble we are now having.
They have gone so far as to endeavor to
force us to enter a fight for eight hours and
leave the wage question to care for itself.
Secretary Mcguire has written to his hench-
men here to insist on the eight hours first.
1t seems to me Mr.. Mcguire should stay IN
his own territory until after we decide to
call upon the general headquarters for
aid. The majority of the carpenters
have expressed their will. time and again.
and if we cannot have our rights any other
way we Will put ma jorIty in the district
council and change its composition. We
have refrained from extreme measures, un
til the district council began its gerrvman-
dering scheme, but we know what we can
do, and we will not hesitate if forced to H."
Other unions will vote tonight and also
during next week. 1t is impossible to pre-
dict the result, but so far the indications
are Tor large majority against the move
ment