The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-06
BY THE PIECE OR THE HOUR.
A Method of Avoiding One Phase OF
the Labor Controversy

Thus far the experiment at Connor's
Creek has resulted just about as most men
or good judgment expected II would; the
diggers have made better wages than they
did by day work and the city makes a saw
ing in the cost OF the worK. There is no
man so angelic and unselhsh that he will
well by the day as he Will by the piece or
by the job. The work moves at a different
gait when the laborer knows he is TO be
paid for precisely what he does and all that
he does and no more, from what IL does
when his pay goes right along whether he
goes right along or not, and he is left under
farmers there used to be a vocal ilustra-
ton OF the difference in the two methods
by drawing out. by the da-a-ay, by the
job. by the job, by the job. job. jobi'
Piece work, which rewards the laborer
exactly according to his skill and industry,
10 the advantage OF both parties in all
work which can be done that way. The
all day with shovel, or hoe. or hammer does
not deserve TO carry home the same wages
at night as the man who has worked dill
tgently and intelligently for the same time.
Men always need encouragement 10 do the
best that Is in them. Those who work with
heads need il. The ditcher. the carpenter.
the clerk, the lawyer, the minister and the
men of every trade and profession in the
accomplishment and reward of good work.
IL a man wheels twenty loads OF coal he
S should ns,e be pald + for a1 swsa1y w leads o aHH not not
teen he should not be paid for twenty.
1t would be an injustice TO the other man
Il he were.
a just and proper method of adjusting
wages when the service Is not OF such a
character that il can be conveniently per
formed as piece work is 10 make the pay
By the hour. "A days work means nothing
IN particular and may mean almost any
thing. The working day may be ten hours
long. or a dozen, or twenty. or six, or any
other number. There are some hundreds
OF men in Detroit who work twelve hours
or more out OF every twenty-four. and they
must naturally feel dissatisfied If they see
others making the same pay for nine or
ten hours. While q labOring day means
anything we choose 10 call IL, and from its
uncertain length is a constant source OF
discomfort, the hour Is a definite and fixed
period of time measured by the beats OF an
inexorable pendulum. and there is no way
10 stretch II out or shorten IT, What men
want and ought to have is pay for the pre-
else time they work. no more and no less.
In some occupations men may advantage
ously work as many as twelve hours, per-
haps. In others ten. In others eight. and
so on, and the simple and straightforward
way Is 20 reckon the wages at so much an
hour. Just as a carpenters or plumber
time is charged 10 any citizen who goes 20
q shop 10 have a bit OF work done In his
house. Whatever tends 10 the most direct
and shortest way or getting at the matter
OF working time and rate or wages must
tend 10 the fair and just payment OF the
labOrer. Men have a right 10 demand and
receive pay for every stroke OF work and
every minutes work they do. This is sim
pie justice, and by the adoption OF the plar
OF piecework wherever II Is applicable and
OF hours work in all other cases we shall
make the nearest possible approach TO ex.
act Justice.