The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-21


morning yesterday with John Burns, the
socialist and labor leader at his pleasant
though humble home at Battersea, in the
southern section OF London, where he
lives on $25 week allowed him by the
political committee OF his district as their
Representative In parliament. Mr.. Burns
was working at his trade as an engineer
when he was first elected, and continued
10 do so for a year or so after he took htI
seat, but he found that he could not car
ryon the two occupations without eight
ing both. II he worked all day in a. en-
CINE room he was too tired to give proper
attention to the proceedings OF porlla-
ment all night II he sat IN the house OF
commons all night he was unfit for labor
the next day. Therefore, as members Of
parliament receive no compensation, ana
as he has no private fortune to furnish
him an income, the executive committee
for the socialist labor party OF Battersea
arranged to pay him a salary of Sl,2OO a
year In weekly installments, which Is
raised by subscription among his con-
stituents.
Mr. Burns does not look or talk like
worklngman, although he lives and
dresses Ike one, From his picture you
would Judge him to be shrewd and en-
ergetic barrlster. He Is small OF stature
and slight of figure, but Is muscular and
has great nervous energy. His voice is
good, and, although not a trained orator,
he has much Evolutionary power. He
writes forcbly and in good English, and
has surrounded himself with we'll.
selected library that relates chiefly to
social and economic questions aid In
cludes full setH of the reports Of the labor
bureaus of the United States government
and the several states.
Mr.. Burns does not think the engin-
GERS strike will last long, He says It Is
only question OF few weeks, when the
Employers Federation will surrender
and grant the demands OF the engineers
for eight hours time or forty-elght hours
week at the wages now paid for hfty-
one and one-half hours. Mr.. Burns Is
not only in sympathy with the strike as
an engineer. but he has been one Of the
chief agltators for an elght-hour day,
and believes in strikes as Il legitimate
means OF obtaining concessions and
bringing capital to terms. He organized
and directed the great dock strike In
England some years ago, which was the
most formidable that ever occurred In
London, and won his fame that way. He
Is recognized as the shrewdest strike
manager in Great Britain. While he is
not the active head Of the present strike
Of his craftsmen he IL in daily conference
with the managers and makes speeches
every evening to encourage the men and
create public sentiment.
at will be a short fight" said Mr..
Burns. "Thc masters have go. to SUR
IL L. a fa,
the resistance has fallen Car short OF
what l expected, because the employers
exaggerated their own power ana uttler-
estimated the strength Of the engineers
and the loyaltyof the allied trades IN
volved. The strike originated from O
peaceful negotiation between masters
and men for an eight-houT day. which Is
required by special industrial circum-
stances In London. There are over 200
firms In London employing 10000 engln-
GERS, besides many thousand more out
side the engine rooms. OF these 40 firms
promptly conceded the demand. leaving
little more than thirty firms against
whom the strike Is directed. Altogether
they employ about 1000 men. but firms
in sympathy with them In other parts of
the kingdom have locked out about 10000
engineers, as against nearly 10000 who
are now working eight hours.
1.-THE Employers Federation has not
made a convert. They are quarrellng
among themselves; they know that
public sentiment Is against them, and
they are now seeking TO convince people
that the strike 10 a mere political aglia-
tion to strengthen the trades union.
whereas every intelligent man in the
kingdom knows that reformers and phil
anthropists have been working for
elght-hour days for many years. and the
necessity Of less time for labor and more
time for rest, recreation and education
10 the recognized and irresistible ten
dency OF this age.
THE government works It's employees
an eight-hour day. and has recognized
the benefit. The duke OF Norfolk, who IL
postmaster general, In n recent report de-
clared that Its introduction into the
postal service has been attended with
successful results both in the govern
ment and to the men. In his last official
report he says:
Except in tho5e cases where tho
speed OF the work is regulated by the
speed OF the machinery or where other
conditions interfering with its success
have prevailed, the men have bee. able
70 turn out as much work in the elgh,
hours az they had previously done In the
nine. II Is gratifying to find that. on the
whole, the experience OF the postoalce
confirms tho results obtained In other
cases where the experiment has been
tried. The guperlntendents OF the fac.
tories / ought to add, report that the
men have evidently derived much bpne.
nj from the shorter hours OF labor. which
IS displayed In marked improvement In
their appearance and general behavior
Tho firms that ale holding out" con.
Nnued Mr.. Burns, ARE the least progrns-
siye and the least prosperous. Those
Whlcn nave conceded eight hours hav0
learned by experience that the additional
cost OF production ~ always conn tcrb1l-
anced by the gtoppage of waste, lost
time, economies In light, heat and other
lenkagea, and the better ability OF tho
men TO do their work. Those firms have
found that men can do more and better
work In eight hours than In nine, and
thosewho refuse 20 cnncede shorter hours
on the ground that they cannot afford 10
DO 20 are simply behind the times. Thelr
mex on success and prosperity has been
Que 10 obsolete machinery ana anti.
quated methods, poorly equipped estate
llshmentB, ignorant and ungltllicl labor
and hAnd.to-mouth administration. on
Che mistaken principle OF saving penny
they are forever losing q pound
Intelligent, progressive ana pbllan.
thropic manufacturers arc IN synpaiby
with tho movement" continued Mr.
Burns, although they are. ~ course, 70.
luotant 70 ray no for fear Of exciting the
Indignation OF their competitors In trnde.
But they appreciate the situation They
uhdergldnd that the sIze Of London, the