The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-09-06

I'll 1s45 when the first national labor convention
was held in New York city, which voted for the
reduction of the hours OF toll. The agitation
continued, but unfortunately little progress was
made Another convention was held three
years later, in 1885, at Fanuel Hail, Boston. to
advance the demand. Employers refused the
radical change demanded, but all through the
country the agitation went on until one hour
less was conceded, followed later by the conces-
sion OF another hour, until 1893 some OF the
trades had secured their demands, but quite
generally eleven hours were agreed upon, tho
many OF the large establishments adhered to
the old time. In 1919 there were many strikes.
The large number OF workingmen in the army,
battling for their country's preservation, pro-
duced scarcity of labor, and in consequence
employers were obliged TO conform TO wishes OF
employees, and the eleven hour system was en-
tered upon. When the war was ended and the
men who defended the flag returned to the
peaceful pursuits of life the labor market was
oVersupplied. The old system or long hours
was revived. The over abundance of workmen
compelled submission to the injustice, and the
employers were masters OF the situation. The
laborer still hoped for diminution of the hours
OF toll. The New England ten hour league or
| gained for a ten-hour worlk-day and pressed
thelr demands so urgently and forcibly that
massachusetts enacted law making ten hours
legal days work. This example was followed
| all over the country. Labor asked that nine
hours be made days work, and i'll some in
stances, after prolonged strikes, success crown
| ed the effort But in many CAGES disaster and
| failure was the outcome. The agitation for
hours goes on. II is only question OF time,
Tor the justice OF the demand VIII impress itself
| upon all. The interests of manufacturers and
employers VIII not suffer, but In the end all Will
be advantaged.
| gressive step along the way in which the indus
| trial world has been travelling for some years.
| Already 10000 workers in skilled trades are
required TO toll only hours in every "a II
is understood that the first of next May will be
| the time the effort will be made for general {
hour day. The movement began in 1885, though
IL was fnaugurated in 1881. In Nav, 1886
! there were great many hour strikes; the
most important was the one at the Mccormick
works In Chicago there was some disorder and
o collision between the police and strikers. A
few days after, q meeting was held at the Hay
| market, Chicago, to protest against the action
| OF the police. At this gathering an anarchists
bomb was thrown. This inflamed the people
and labor was unjustly held responsible for the
| act OF The frenZed and murdeous anarchists
| very properly the murderers were tried, found
guilty and executed. The mad act ruined the
| pour movement in the United States for q
| tlme. In 1883 there was revival of the effort
anu IN mat year progress followed; also in 1899
In In ioSo series OF mass meetings were held In
various portions Of the country and several
trades gained hours, peacefully and without
disorder Since then many trades have come
9naer the ts . hour rule Next May universal
| hours. hope those in control will be prudent
and wise in the agitation. Strikes should be
avoided where 1t IS possible. II is estimated
that the strikes of the past six years have cost
the country $4,000 600: n large portion has
come out Of the laboring people, who were lily
able to stand the losses. 1t is to be hoped that
II the movement is inaugurated there will be no
aggravating strikes or violence. 1 know there
| are some employers where strikes are made
necessary they can be illustrated by this story.
An Irish workingman had row with fel-
low laborer. He went to see lawyer; the law
yer said: "Your case would have been strong
err, Mr., Mcclure, If you had only acted on the
defensive: but you struck first If you had let
him struck you first, you would have had the
law on your side" Mr.. Mcclure answered
promptly: Yes, know I'd had the law on my
side, but he'd had me on my back and I'd had
him on me stomach smuggling the life out OF
me-"
But seriously the strike is to be avoided
whenever IL 10 within the range OF possibilities,
Cancellation and concession prevent strikes.
In Massachusetts the state has board OF
arbitration and Its work has been very success
full in adjusting differences between employer
and employees Illinois has n similar board,
just established The parties are brought to-
gether and differences are talked over in a
friendly way. In this manner labor wins the
support OF popular sympathy ip attempting 10
obtain redress for wrong. II is glorious to
have the strength of labor union properly EN-
ployed for the Advancement of the cause OF
labor AS 1 1have remarked before, 100000
mechanics and laboring men enjoy the hour
| law in various portions of the country. 1t was
secured quietly and without trouble. In Ne
hrasSa New York. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin,
Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. with
labor in manufacturing, mining and mechanical
business, hours constitute days work, UNI
less otherwise stipulated in contracts. In Call
fornia the hour law includes all industries
but street car men can work IL hours; minor
child is prohibited from working over hours
In Wisconsin, 8 hours is the law, but contracts
for week, month or year may be longer; wo-
men and children under Is cannot legally work
more than hours. You see here are 10 states
already by legislation on an hour basis. In
| New Mexico days work on mining claim is
| by law, fixed at hours, and the law fixes the
wages at S.OO per day.
COOPERATION.
Arbitration and industrial cooperation will
end some troubles. In England cooperation
was begun in 1874, on small scale. These co
operative societies, whose capital was made III
| from small contributions from the labOrng
people have lessened the cost of goods and .
dividend paid to the investor Membership is
established by subscriptions of from So or Sl(
| TO the CAPITAL stock. There are ZOO coopera
| tive societies in England, with membership OF
800 900, u capital of 9O,OO0,OO0, and an annual
business of $3.50 900 900, and yearly profits OF 3d.
| 500 600 They own boot and shoe factories
| SOAP works wooden mills. and seven ocean
| steamers which bring their purchases from
| abroad These institutions originated among
! the working classes and have been built up
! and wholly controlled by them. The first one
| was established at Rockdale 81 years ago, and
| started with capital of $780, raised by assess
ments upon it's members OF four and six cents
week There is "a good lesson in these associa-
| lions for our people
1t was some philosopher who remarked cen
turtles agone that no woman was happy until
| she got herself home. 1t is the duty OF every
| struggle if he can, to share his joys and soothe
| his sorrows The building of the home builds O
nation, and happiness in this world is all more
| or less home made. In the United States there
are 5000 building associations composed oil
nearly two million holders, who own property
| to the amount of 4g million dollars. In the
| i,O59 savings banks in the country there are
| 4777 900 depositors who baye 1741 million dol
| lars to their credit THE hope of the Republic
is in a citizenship that is faithful to home and
family and dcvotedly loyal to the country."-
| The home should be the trst thing in the
| thoughts OF every man, to make it pleasant Ii
woman
| Robert Burns truly wrote years ago:
| TO make happy tireside chime
| To weans and wife,
That's the true pathos
| And sublime of human life.
| OUR COUNTRY.
| The advancement OF the United States com
| mands the admiration of mankind. The stats