The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-25
THE EIGHT HOUR BILL.


Sir:-I beg that you will allow me
to make a few observations upon this
eight hour question All labor agita-
tors and also trades unionists advocate
the eight hour system. Yet at the
same time the question of its consti-
tutionality crops up. Anything that
will better the condition of the tosling
classes should it interfere in any way
with the interests Of the moneyed
classes is generally declared to be I'M
constitutional. 1t was so with the in
come tax, and it appears to be the
same with this labor question.
The senate and house labor commit
tees 1 firmly believe were anxious to
do the best they could to benefit the
condition of the toiling classes. They
had, as it were, to face an insurmount-
able difficulty Could they serve two
masters-labor and capital?
Fain would 1 have seen the
eight hour system made universal in
this new state of ours. but the ques-
ton of its constitutionality stared US
in the face. Therefore, our legislators
to dangerous occupations.
ton of the toiling classes, as l am my
self working man, 1 brought this
question prominently before the senate
and house labor committees, using as
an argument the long hours of labor,
and the dangerous occupation of those
men in mines and shelters.
The law as it now stands comedies
that eight hours shall constitute a
days work for municipal labor, and
can we who enjoy that privilege see
our fellow working men toiling ten
and twelve hours in mines and smelt-
ers, doing work more dangerous and
unhealthy than that which we have to
perform?
An editorial in the Tribune" a few
days ago against this miners eight
hour bilr' caused me to write a letter
in defence of it but which the Tribune
refused to publish. Is the Tribune TAX
ing the part of large mine and smelter
owners? Yet, at the same time, it
published letter purporting to come
from working man. But, by its tone,
it is evidently the product of trades
unionism, for it says that such a law
was not demanded by organized labor
Such statement as that comes with
i'll grace from any labor organization.
From what l have seen since our
unioniSts, or board of labor as it is
called. have attempted to run things
all its own way, and ignoring the
great masses outside of unionism.
The Tribune says the miners and
smelter men have not demanded the
eight hours and yet petitions were
presented from Park City and Mercur
and labor representatives urged 1t who
came from Eureka, Sandy and Salt
Lake. L have had communications
from various, mining districts, and the
men are extremely anxious Gas a let
ter in your Sunday issue shows, that
their hours of labor should be short
ened. That this eight hour system is
demanded by the working classes is
shown by the attitude of the federated
labor conference. at Indianapolis, yes
terday, who limited at a general strike
to obtain it. | feel sure that influence
will be brought to bear upon the COVER
nor urging him to veto that eight hour
bill. Yet it is to be hoped he will not
do it. No doubt the mine and Smelter
owners will reduce the mems wages
accordingly and by so doing the owners
VIII get the best of it. It is a well
known fact that you cannot get much
out of man after eight hours hard
work and it is inhuman to try and
Of men out OF work and it would be an
easy matter to have double shift, or
if necessary a shift and a half. Then
as your correspondent says "a man
would not have to lay off two weeks
to recuperate his health and strength"
Generally speaking miners are large
hearted men, and they would like to
see others live, as we'll as themselves.
Some mine and smelter owners say
that the men will protest against this
eight hour system when they see the
result of it, For the last two or three
years wages have been gradually going
down, and the generality of employers
have endeavored to prolong the hours
of labor. This is not justice to the
working man. 1t is an easy matter to
say that this, that and the other IS
not paying. and they cannot afford to
pay the wages they once paid.
Pullman said so at one time because
he was not making as many millions
as he once did.
The real fact of the matter is, our
country is being gradually flooded with
foreign cheap labor. This is bringing
down wages or else increasing the
hours of labor, in order that few may
get rich at the expense of the many
The work in mines and smelters is
both laborious and dangerous What
pleasure has a man of his life whose
life is one of incessant toll, and whose
hours of toll leaves him no time for
self.improvement, or little pleasant
recreation2
He who tolls hard for eight hours
alone knows that eight hours hard
manual toll is quite sufficient even for
the strongest constitution. Our NUM-
opality considers eight hours days
work; therefore it is to be hoped that
should this contract system not be
abolished, that all contractors who
take city work shall only work their
men eight hours. and at a reasonable
wage. Yours respectfully.
JOHN STUBS.
March "a, 1896.