St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-09
Annual Sale of Shirts, Collars, Cuffs
The Plymouth Clothing House.
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW.
An Argument it Its Favor, From
Both Sides OF the Case, by Attor-
new HerbSt

An Argument it Its Favor, From
Both Sides OF the Case, by Attor-
ney Herbst.
l do not know that l can add any
thing to the literature of the eight-hour
movement, writes II. II. Herbst,
but would like to give my rea-
sons for the belief that the enact
ment of law by the legislature making
eight hours legal days work for man
ual labor, except in such lines of en-
ployment where it would be absolutely
impossible TO adopt that rule. would
prove beneficial to both employer and
employed. We are spending thou
sands OF dollars and much time
a hinds LABOR DO cb yearly, for +, various
port of the unfortunate, the distressed
and needy,and also in the support of the
criminal classes; if it could be shown
that by the enactment of this law part
OF this money spent for these purposes
could be saved by the employer classes.
and that they, the employers, as we'll as
society at large, would be benefited in
other regards, it would do away with
the most serious objections to the pas
sage of the law. In my Judgment, to
reduce the days labor to eight hours is
just, reasonable and humane, and will
benefit the employer in the long run
fully as much as the employed.
Assuming that the employed will not
do any more work, proportionately, in
eight hours daily Work-though many
contend that he will-then the loss to
the employer will be the extra help he
Will be forced to employ. In other
words, man who employs twenty hands
day to do certain amount of work
where the labor is ten hours per day,
Will have to employ four more hands
each day, provided he is compelled to
complete certain amount of work
daily, If the eight-hOur law goes into eff
feet. If he pays $3.50 a day to each
man, he will be TO All extra outlay of Sc
day, assuming that there is no reduc-
ton per day on account of the reduced
hours OF labor. and we shall have to as
sumo that IN order to realize a sufficient
Deneht TO the labOring classes on &C.
count of the law. This extra outlay to
the employer may seem all Injustice un-
less it can be shown that he, too, reaps
some tangible benefit to replace this
loss.
In all communities there are always
large number of unemployed persons.
These unemployed individuals form,
largely, the reservoir which supplies
the almshouses, warehouses; and abodes
for criminals. Now these must be fed
and clothed, and this can be done
either by their own honest efforts. or
they must be fed and clothed by indi-
Vldual charity or at the expense of the
state. In all other methods for the sup
port of these individuals except their
own honest efforts every employer,
more or less, contributes a certain
share. Now, in the employment of
more individuals, which the passage of
this law will neceSSitate, there will be
less money needed for the foregoing
purposes, for charities and otherwise.
and consequently the employer will
save portion Of this extra outlay
caused by this law.
1t may, of course, be contended that
person cannot be compelled to spend
money for charitable purposes unless
he wishes, but 1t is nevertheless true
that most employers. if not lost to all
humane instincts, do spend consider
able for charities; at all events, no one
can avoid his prOportionate share in the
expenses for the support of poorhouses,
warehouses;. and the feeding and hous-
ing of evil doels generally, and which
places are largely repleniShed from the
idle classes.
Secondly contend that the pro-
posed change will very much help to
improve general business, and that the
employer class will share in this in
crease of prosperity.
There is no class of men who spend
their earnings so freely as the ordinary
wage Garner. The grocer, butcher. shoe
dealer, dry goods and other merchants
get their share of it. More than that, it
all stays in our midst. while the capital
list and well-tO-do employer carries con-
siderable of his means to other countries
III his various pleasure trips. The more
men employed in our midst the more
freely money will circulute; this pro-
duceS prosperity. tangible share of
which most employers receive. The
general increase of wages equally pro-
duces this result. and it is recognized as
a rule by political economists that good
pay and prosperity 60 hand In hand.
Thlrd-The employer will be further
benefited by living in community
where there is less misery, want and
crime, and will feel happy in the
thought that he is contributing iowa I'd
this blessed result.
This result will be produced, as al
ready stated, by the employment of
many more labOrers, which have been
Withdrawn from the employed classes.
This class of individuals who, we are
told. are open to all temptations by the
bad one % 1t will, undoubtedly, have
TO be admitted that the complete bene-
its of this law will not be suffice ntly
felt unless other communities also adopt
similar laws, for should this state be
the only one which has such a fayora-
bic law to the labOring classes it will
induce continued immigration of labor
er5 from other parts Of the country.
This would benefit us in some particu-
lars, but inlure the laborerS in others
by Overstocking our market with labor
ing men. | have no doubt, however,
that the good example would soon be
followed elsewhere.
L hear another objector say: ''WelI, if
cutting down the days labor to eight
hours produces such grand results, why
not make it six or even four hours?'
answer that if we continue to make
such strides in labor saving machines,
in lighting inventions, ETC, six, or even
four, hours day may be sufficient for
hard labor fifty years from now. At
present, eight hours is just. reasona-
bic and sufficient length of time for
hard days labor.
In my foregoing remarks / have tried
to show that great share, if not all. OF
the extra outlay which this law will i'm
pose upon the employer will return to
him directly and indirectly. l shall
now try to show that the benefits to the
laboring man himself will be so great
that the law should pass, even though
it entail some loss to the employer. That
it should pass upon the grounds OF the