The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-26
APPEAL TO W0RKINGMEN.
Benefits that Would Accrue to
Everybody.
Magnitude of the Interested and
Selfish Forces Arrayed Against the
Eight-HOur Observation-Disclosures
ence of the Working People
ThemseIves-An Eight-Hour Day
Means Better Food and Raiment
and Happier Homes.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March 25.-
The executive council of the American
Federation of Labor adjourned this
afternoon. 1t was given out that
headquarters will be moved at the
close of the present year to some other
city, probably Chicago. The following
committee report on the eight hour
day question was unanimously adopted
and given out as the sentiment of the
council:
AT this hour when nyriads of work
ers are seeking employment, and, in
their despair, numbers of them are
captivated by the seductive theories
and glittring promises of securing
state help. we, the American Fedora
ton of Labor reaffirm the necessity of
concentrating all the forces of the
practical labor movement by the
voluntary and collective efforts of the
trades unions, backed by a sympa-
thetic opinion. The general and con-
slant
the minute subdivisions of labor, the
irregularity of employment, the con-
tinually recurring periods of industrial
stagnation and financial panics, the
hopeless wall of the unemployed all
ties that will come in the general
adoption of the eight-hour day An
other lines ard economic theories with
in our ranks should be subordinated
to the great task Of giving work to
the unemployed and of lettering the
wages and conditions of all who toll
There is no movement of more
value to the working people than
that which VIII tighten the burdens of
!
paid, and which will give employment
to those who wander over byways and
| highways and search in vain for a,
better chance TO live. The realization
of the eight-hCur day to them means
better food and ralment,
HAPPIER HOMES,
better citizens, nobler manhood and
a higher civilizat ton.
las we approach this question we
realize fully the magnitude of the in
terested and selfish forces arrayed
against us, the Indifference of the
working people themselves, their old
time prejudices and the many dissen-
sions which divide them. More than
all, we recognize the need for a more
thorough and complete organization of
every craft and occupation on trade
union lines before we can undertake a
general or simultaneous stand for the
eight-hour day. This
SEVERE INDUSTRIAL CRISIS
from which we are emerging, however,
should be helpful lesson to lead the
industrial classes into such compact
organization which, when once at
tanned, will bring still greater achieve
ments for the working pople.
I'VE heartily approve the shorter
work day asked for by the Journey
men Horseshoers' National union, and
tender it and the United Bro
therhood of Carpenters our &C
tive cooperation and united as
sistance in their present efforts to re-
duce the hours of toll. We congratu-
late them that they are in a position
to undertake this movement without
our financial aid.
ITO insure continued and successful
efforts by the working people in this
direction, the president and secretary
of the American Federation of Labor
are hereby directed to issue an address
to the wage-workers of the country,
urging them to join the trade union
movement with a view of securing
ALL POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES
resulting from organization, and es-
pecially to put into operation the eight
hour work day as soon as business
will justify such action without injury
to the public.
',That the aforesaid officers notify the
executive heads of all unions affiliated
with the American Federation of La
Dor of such action and seek their CO
operation and assistance, and request
them to correspond with employers to
the end of securing an expression on
the voluntary concession of the eight
hour work day, and that all unions
whose members now work more than
eight hours day be required to select
committees to wait upon the employers
with the same object in view.
Further, that the press, pulpit, pub
lie speakers and reformers generally
be urged to make the need for the
eight hour work day a theme of con-
oerted and persistent discussion.
1--WE hail the decision of the Brick
layers and Stonemasons' International
u1rion to adopt the eight-hour work
day in their trade as hopeful sign of
the irresistible movement for the es-
! tah1iehrne of the eight hour work