The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-29

the name Of Burke. the murderer, who dis
patched many victim for the sake OF
assisting the doctors with corpses in the dis
secting-roOm. To "buTke" q question Is a
well-kn0wn phrase.
James Payn, the novelist mentions a
curious instance Of very strict adhesion to
Sunday observance. An acquaintance was
so scrupulOusly orthodox that when play
ing backgammon on the Saturday he would
close the board punctually at midnight even
if beating his wife, and often he would sit up
until after midnight on the Sunday for the
purpose OF commencing backgammon with
his spouse. This was certainly ObeYiHg
the letter, but it probably involved break
ing the spirit Of Sunday observance, foT
what could the good man have been think
ing about when he sat up late In order 70
have a bout with his faV0rite game. He
doubtless looked at his watch frequently
and wished ardently that the hours would
fly that kept him under restraint HIS
spouse must also have been very fond OF the
game when she humored her lord in this
peculiar gambling OF mild degree.
The American habit Of refusing to give
tips to walters is producing one good effect
in Europe. The walters are organizing and
demanding wages from the hotel-keepers.
They refuse to be dependent upon the pre-
right. As much as anything the contempt
with which walters are spoken Of is due to
this habit of receiving small change from
customers In payment for Indispensable
services. But the ridiculous position they
hold to-day, existing on tips, Is quite indie
fensible. The employers frequently exact
payments from their walters for the priv
ilege of serving at table. They actually
make profit out Of men who
are as necessary to them In their
r,,,- he zl,, I, a
the 1eeced traveller has to pay for all. In
addition to his tips the traveller has often TO
pay the hotelkeeper'S rapaciOuS charges for
attendance-an exaction which never by
any means benefits the servants in the
smallest degree IL the walters can secure
tair wages they will be on an independent
footing and may leave the landlords to the
exigencies of tips, which they may charge in
the bill with better conscience when they
give wages to their employees.
Labor is now demanding State Depart
ment in the English Cabinet, and if it
will assist labor there is no reason why the
requirement should not be granted. The
example may be followed in other countries.
but it is trusting to broken reed to expect
that any bureau system of dealing with
labor questions can do much good TO masses
of people who are far more competent to
attend to their own interests than others.
II
much in diffusing information, and this 1t
could do in correspondence with the labor
organizations. A much more important
question to labor is being agitated. Is an
eight-hGur day practicable? Some of the
machinery in use represents the labor of
hundreds of thousands of men. Can this
machinery lie idle 10 hours out Of the 24P
There may be danger to a wOrkingman's
interest in pressing the solution of an eight
hour day too fast. If human life can
he made progressive and happy by only five
hours of labor day. good and we'll. Man
may have been made to mourn, but not nee
essarily 20 work longer than he can help. A
solution is suggested in Black wood. 1t is
that the working day should be sixteen
hours in two shifts of eight hours each.
This would not suit the farmer, butt might
suit the manufacturer, who could then keep
his machinery in full employment. Under
this system there would be danger of over
production. but that is a matter self-regu-
lating by competition in the markets OF the
world. 1t is somewhat ahead Of present
conceptions to suppose there can be any in
ternational agreement on the subject.
BRUSH.