Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-08
LABOR DAY ECHOES
Sore Things Said and Done on
the Holiday.
GOV. HILLS SPEECH AT BUFFALO.

He Says He Will BE Governor No More,
and Talks of Eight Hours and Cheap
Goods-Simpson's Remarks to Chicago
Workingmen-A Color Line Incident at
Cincinnati and How 1t Was Resented
The Alliance Makes Quite a Feature in
Kansas and Ohio.
BUFFALO. Sept. s.-The principal speak
er at the Labor Day celebration at Ger
mania park was Governor Hill, and a
significant remark in the beginning Of his
speech was one in which he set at rest
any speculation as 20 whether he would
run again for governor. Referring to the
fact that Labor Day had been established
since his occupancy of the governors
chair and had received his approval, he
said it was perhaps felicitous that this
official visit here, which will be my last
one as chief executive of the state" should
be as the guest of the workingmen, and
upon an occasion devoted to the celebra-
ton of the holiday. He was sure that
neither himself nor the labor organiza-
lions have cause to regret "our joint par.
ticipation" in the establishment of the
holiday.
The Eight Hour Question.
The governor then took up the eight
hour question and said: The subject Of
the reduction of the hours of labor, is one
entitled to respectful and serious consid-
Grafton. 1t is a question which can not
well be ignored and in some of its differ
ent phases it is always before US 1t is
evident that it is a question which can not
be etfectually disposed of until it has been
wisely solved, and its solution presents
one of the important problems of the hour
Recreation of course is not the chief end of
man, and while. the desirability of some
relaxation from continuous daily toll
should not be exaggerated, and while idle
ness should be deplored, yet on the other
hand the fact must be recognized that the
necessity for the arduous toll which char
acterized former days does not exist. We
need not work either as many hours or as
hard as our fathers worked before us.
Regulating the Matter by statute.
"The regulation by statute Of the hours
of labor is matter not free from practical
difficulties. Corporations which are the
creatures of the law can be controlled to
certain extent, but regulation by custom
and public sentiment, alike applicable to
individuals as well as corporations, would
seem to be more effective in the long run.
The trend of the times is in the right
direction, and while laws may facilitate
the accomplishment of right results some
times they are more speedily produced by
an appeal to reason rather than to law-to
agitation rather than to legislation. Pow
erty Is one great source of discomfort.
Overwork, poorly compensated, is an
other.
Things May Be Unreasonably Cheap.
Let me add another suggestion right
here. Let US be reasonable III our ciamor
for cheap things. 1t is natural that we
should desire to obtain whatever we need
at fair rates, but we should be careful not
to insist upon prices so moderate that the
interests of labor will be jeopardized. To
live and let live is a good motto which
may be safely followed in all pursuits.
Do not insist upon a newspaper so cheap
that the proprietors are unable to pay
fair compensation to their employees We
expect cheap transportation, but the en-
gineers, fremen, brakemen, switchmen,
trackmen and other laborers connected
with the operation of railroads should be
well paid. was going to suggest that
something should also be reserved for the
directors, but upon reflection | think the
directors will look out for themselves.
The Hours of Labor Again.
Il have no new views to suggest upon
the much debated question as TO what
number of hours out of the twenty-four
should properly constitute days work
for the ordinary mechanic or day laborer
My sentiments were fully expressed in an
address which l had the honor to deliver
before the Chautauqua county fair at Dun
kirk as long ago as Sept. 10, 1856, in
which, after an elaborate discussion of
the subject, l came to the conclusion that
eight hours of labor-four in the forenoon
and four in the aforementioned Up
all the year around Sundays and holidays,
of couse, excepted) ought to be sufficient
to enable any workingman to live. and
all that he ought to be required to per-
form. Subsequent reflection has only
confirmed the conviction then expressed"
ICDRA CIkAnSnkI