The Van Buren press., 1900-05-12
uCHEH(DR MOVEMENT.
Report Of Chairman Gardener OF
the Committee on Labor
to the House.
THE GOOD EFFECTS OF The MOVEMENT.
II Makes Men More Tempe rate IN
crcases Their Personal Pride ana
Love of Home, Raises Their Morni
status and Makes Them Better
Consumers of Labor Products

|
Washington, May 9.-ln view of the
recent eight-hour movement through
out the country the report made TO
the house of representatives by Chair
man Gardner of the committee on la
bor on the Gardner eight-hour bill
and the general subject of eight-hour
legislation, has timely interest Ihe
bill requires a clause in all govern
ment contracts that the labor under
the contract shall not exceed eight
hours daily. The report says in part;
Abstract of the Report.
at Is contended by the advocates OF
the shorter day that the additional leis.
ure given to labor In every instance OF
| the shortening of the work day, as II mas
been shortened step by step from l6 hours
to IA, ~, II, TO- 9, and In many instances
8, has resulted In decrease OF intempef- :
ancc among laborers, the acquirement Oh
better taste, and new and better DESIRES
resulting in better homes, greater domes-
tic felicity, and higher degree of intel
lgence, with an increase OF laudaple
prize as to the clothing of themselves
aud those dependent upon them, IN u
word 1t has Increased their interests IN
home and better social relations, raising
their moral status, and has made them
much better consumers of the products
of labor and hence resulted In Increased
proopction.
stands without Impeachment.
"Tho proposition that, without varia-
tion. the elimination OF intemperahce,
poN trty, pauperism, ignorance, crime ana
their accompanying evils move parallei
uttth n nd a n increase
the social opportunities of the laborinS
class, stands without Impeachment OF IT'S
historical accuracy No recognized au-
thority to-day combats the proposition
that the condition Of the laborer has I'M
proved with every reduction In the hours
OF daily service that has up to TINS time
been made, Nobody Is disputing that ne
has become n better consumer with eacn
reduction No reasonable person would
for q moment entertain the proposition
that the work day should again be
heightened to IA or u hours, When the
hours of work were so long that workers
had no social opportunities they resort
ell to stimulants for, solace, and the
saloon for society, where they encount-
cred an Iron law for spending, which
could not be disregarded without loss Of
caste in the only society which they had
opportunity to enter. a gentleman OF re-
sponsibility and exceptional opportunity
for observation has borne testimony lhat
the shortening of the work day has ban
ished Blue Monday
A Signiilcant Fact.
"a significant fact in connection with
tho shortening of the workday at various
times during the present century Is the
entire silence OF the older school of econ
oniists with regard to the effect of the
shorter work day on society, business,
Industrial conditions, or the laborcrs
Themselves, II Is nowhere claimed, In so
far as your committee IL aware, that any
reduction In the hours OF labor, has had
Il detrimental effect on business, on man
ufactures, on labor as unit, or individ-
ua aborers The advocates OF the short
hour theory, on the other hand, trace the
moral social and financial Improvement
OF the laborer to this cause and allege
that business was at no time injured but
improved, II affected and that produc-
ton was stimulated and consumption In
creased,
Econou,ists' Contentious.
Economists who advocate the eight
hour day contend with great plausibillty
that the shorter day results In an In
crease of price, as greater consumption
enlerges production, and the larger the
scale OF production the cheaper the given
article Is produced that the laborcr
when he has the leisure, resulting from
the shorter hours, has new aspirations,
ambitions and greater personal self-rc-
spoct and, as before stated, wants bet
ter mouse, better FURNITURE better clothes,
better food and becomes a great deal
bottcr consumer; that the scale Of wages
Is controlled by the wants of the laborer
IN any given state Of society, rather than
by the "Iron law OF wages that modern
men cease to work under normal condi-
tlOns II the proceeds OF their labor do not
satisfy their normal wants; that, there
fore, the social status of the laborer con-
trolls the law of wages 10 as great an eS-
tent as the law of wages controls the
status of the laborer,
A Variance OF Opinion,
"While there is still variance OF opin-
ion OF the general question whether
modern machinery and methods so light
en- the physical drodgory OF most
occupations as to have an equivalent of.
feet on the shortening Of hours In the
conservation Of energy, or whether such
machinery and methods operate to 80 tax
the nervous powers as to be equivalent
IN exhaustive effects to the lengthening
Of hours, your committee are of the
opinion, after what has been said on both
Sides that the higher tension OF modern
employment IL at least fun offset to the
saving accomplished In muscular force"
The report also presents an elabor.
atc review OF the eight.hour legsla-
tion in all the states, and the previous
elght.hour statutes enacted by the
federal government