The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-11-13
The First American Labor Ohampion.


generation know that the first sys,e.
matte struggle in Massachusetts, to re-
duce the hours of labor was suggested.
planned, and fought by that white
haired veteran. General Butler. forty
years ago. The unhinching courage
with which the slim young lawy.r.
alone, surrounded by enemies, and de
serted and antagonized by his friends,
stood for,l in the face OF all opposition
and proclaimed the rights OF the labor
cr, claims the admiration of every friend
of reform.
When young Butler was ten years
old, his widowed mother moved from
Deerheld, N. H., to the new town of
Lowell, then only village.
The place grew SO rapidly that in
1896 it was the second city in New
England and the largest city in the
Union whose business was solely man
ufacturlng, and whose population, men,
women and children, we're daily en-
gagged in mills. A days labor in the
factories was then thirteen and a half
hours. The time of work was from
six in the morning until seven.
a rule established among the super.
intendents of the different organiza.
tons very effectively black listed any
operative who for any reason or cause,
left the employ of one of the sister es
Establishments, and unless such operative
could give good reason and show a
document from the first employer, it
was almost impossible to obtain work
in any of the other establishments.
Young Butler early made the &C.
Cuaintance of DIR. Hildreth. whose ac
complished daughter, by the way, he
later married This able physician, a
man of most conservative views. who
had no connection with the mills in
Lowell, or with the operatives, save
when called in as medical adviser, cx-
planned to the young lawyer that thir
teen and half hours day for six days
in the week, with only thirty minutes
to eat thei, dinner (Which could not
readily be digested when the laborer
was at work. as work requiring the
most constant attention was a great
strain upon the lives of the operatives.
While it was not Immediately destruc.
tive, it certainly permitted the survival
of the httest only, and IN the end de
teriorated the physical strength of the
whole population.
Among such people, men, women,
and children, who were tolling from
morn till night, six days in the week,
who did not have chance for recrea
tion or education, from whom was
taken the most sacred right Of Amer
can citizens to seek employment where
they chose, young Butler grew up.
Convinced Of the crying wrong that
was being perpetrated, he determined
if at any time he should be represen
tative of his state, his first attention
should be given to the amelioration OF
the condition of the working people,
not only of his own city, but of the
country.
He gathered round him few men
of like mind, but, unfortunately for
him, not of like spirit and courage,
and the struggle began A more un-
popular movement at that time could
not have been thought of. The man
ufacturers loudly denounced the move
ment, and the stockholders would not
listen to anything that might reduce
their big dividends. The matter was
placed before them from philanthropic
standpoint: that they were using up
in their business the health and life OF
their operatives, destroying their con
stitutions, which destruction was being
transmitted to their children. This
they naturally did not admit, saying:
The operatives need not stay here; +;
they are at liberty to so anywhere else
they choose. The stockholders con.
slider it their duty to give the people
as cheap calico as can possibly be
made
As he was always a champion of fair
play and equal rights, and as he IN
stinctively took up the cause of the
oppressed, he naturally became the
leading spiritin this great struggle which
resulted, few years later, in the pass
ing of the eleven hour law. He was
candidate for the legislature on the so
called ten hour ticket, and fought the
battle with all the vigor and tact which
was Unborn in him. He made speeches
in many parts of the state wherever he
could get time away from his law bus
inoss. The manufacturers newspapers
exhausted all their wrath upon him.
There was no vile name that could be
used that was not literally bestowed
upon him. But his marvellous energy
perseverance, tact and indomltable
will, finally produced the effect that
has been the opening of new era Tor
the American working man.
On Monday, a week preceding the
election, notice was placed on one