The herald., 1894-05-15

THE HERALD uuder this heading prints COM
munications. but does not assume responsI-
bility for the sentiments expressee.l
Long Hours sfJsurnsymsn Buton.r..

billy for the sentiments expressee.l
Long Hours efJeurneymsn Butchers.
EDrroRs HERALD: Knowing that the
HERALD 10 in sympathy with all pro-
gressive ideas and movements, and lie
especially friendly to the workingman'c
cause, would be very thankful should
you give space in your esteemed paper
to the following:
According to newspaper reports there
are hundreds Of thousands - if not
millions = Of idle workingmen in this
country they are idle because they can
not find any work, no matter how earn
estly they are in search of such; and
therefore 1t looks like sheer irony that
in this fair City of the Angels great
number OF trade8men have to work day
after day from IL to IA, and on Saturday
from l6 to IL hours, in order to hold
their jobs and in order to earn meager
livelihood.
Az t.iis is true in regard to several
trades, it is particularly true as to the
butcher trade. The journeymen butch
ers seem to be especially favored by
long hours-inexcusably long hours. At
4 O'Clock q. m. you see and hear them in
a good many shops. chopping,
saving, Juggling and rustling ali
around; and this is kept up till
7 o'clock p. M. On Saturday. closing
time is set at IL O'Clock p. m. But at
this time good. elderly lady with a
sweet-looking daughter is rushing ID,
wante to have steak for breakfast and
a roast for Sunday dinner. The tired
butcher-true to his nature--smiles,
but it is queer smile; he reaches for
his knife, saw and clesver in succession,
puts up the demanded meats in
blameless style, and at a
quarter past 10 o'clock thinks
himself ready to 20 home. Bat he is
mistaken. At this time another lady
enters the shop. She ia in big hurry;
she laughs big, broad and good
natured emile and asks the butcher in
the most civil manner. "Do you keep
open Sundays?" mo, ma'am; we go
to church Sundays" answers, still good
natured, our hero. swell. then, give
me two bits worth of mutton chops;
but they must be tender and
not all bone. The last ones l got
of you were fesrfully tough, and
all bone; my husband was very angry
and told me to try another butcher; but
] thought would give you once more a
trial" you shall have the best in the
shop" replies, still politely, our butcher,
and at half-psst 10 O'Clock he is ready
TO 90 home, and, dear reader, bear in
mind, that this butcher has been at his
post from O'Clock am, with but short
recesses for meals, or over Is hours.
1t IL easy to DO seen that a life like
this is little short of slavery. What is
butchers home-life? What can he do
to assist his wife in educating his
children? What time does he have for
recreation? What can he do to advance
his intellectual and moral standing, or
doesn't he need any improvement in
this direction?
The writer OF this knows many q
butcher whose program of life 10 "a fol-
lows: Rice between and O'Clock in
the morning, work the whole day like a
draft horse--or q mule, if you like-get
home shortly before O'Clock in the
evening, ewsllows a half cold supper.
makes haste to go to bed, SO as
not to oversleep himself in the morn.
ing, and not seeing his children
awake except Sundays. The un-
married journeyman butcher is little
if better off than his married trades
brother, and it ia fact that good
many jou-neymen butchers don't get
couldn't enjoy home life; they only
would have to carry the burdens Of
matrimonial life, without it's happiness,
moral and intellectual blessings.
If these are the conditions OF the
average butchers life should these con-
dtions be improved? And If so how
could they be improved? Every fair
minded person will agree with me that
said conditions should be remedied as
far and as soon as possible; the question
remains to chow how to better them.
We are pretty sure that great ma
jority Of the journeymen butchers have
no malice toward their employers, and
would not injure their bosses' business
in the least; therefore the improvement
of the journeymen butchers situation
should be drawn on lines not diametrical
to the interest of the butcher BUSH
ness. A butcher must be early
in the morning at the hotels,
restaurants. and good many private
families must be supplied with their
establishments, and it is well-known
axiom that, II q butcher can't rise early,
he better sell out or his creditors will
sell him out in time. But we are of the
opinion that all and every butcher shop
should and could be closed at 8 o'clock
p. M. except Saturday evening. The pub
lie would have ample time to get their
meats, not one butcher would sell less,
because the consumption of meats would
not be affected, and the butchers would
have one good long hour more to spend
with their families; they would have
chance to attend once in while good
lecture, attend clubs and lodges and
other beneficial and intellectual socie-
ties. and be therefore more useful men
in the business, and better citizens gen.
orally. A VOICE OF MANY.
A Superstitious Bride.