The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-05-12
DCHT-HOUR MOVEMENT.
Report Of Chairman Gardener Of
the Committee on Labor
to the House.
THE GOOD EFFECTS OF The MOVEMENT.
II Makes Men More Tempe t In
crcases Their PcrsOnal Pride nud
Love of Home. Raises Their Moral
status aud Makes Them Better
of Labor Products.

Washington. May 9.-In view of the
recent eiSht-hour movement through
out the country the report made to
the house of representatives by Chair
man Gardner of the committee on la
Dor. on the Gardner eight-hour bill
and the general subject of cight-hour
Legislation, has a timely interest. The
bill requires a clause in all govern
H,cnt contracts that the labor under
the contract shall not exceed eight
hour; daily. The report says in part:
Abstract of the Report.
st Is contended by the advocates OF
tar shorter day that the additional leiS-
IRE given to labor in every instance of
the shortening of the work day. as 1t has
been shortened step by step from 16 hours
TO II. IL. IL, 10. .. and in many instances
S. has resulted in a decrease of intemper-
;rncc among laborerS, the requirement of
better taste, and new and better desires.
resulting in better homes, greater domeS-
tC felicity. and a higher degree of intel
liscnce. with an increase of laudable
price as to the clothing of themselves
aud those dependent upon them. In 4
WORD. 1t has increased their interests i'll
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
prediction.
Stand. without Impeachment.
The proposition that. without varia-
lion. the elimination of intemperance.
poverty. pauperism. ignorance. crime and
their accompanying evils move parallel
with and proportionate to the increase of
The social opportunities Of the laborinS
GLASS. stands without Impeachment of its
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 hat has up to this time
has become a better consumer with eacn
reduction. No reasonable person wouiI
for 9 moment entertain the proposition
chat the work day should again be
Heightened to II or IL hours. When the
fouis OF work were so long that workers
had no social opportunities they resort
ed to stimulantS for Solace. and the
saloon for society. where they encount
cred an Iron law for spending. which
;Couid not he disregarded without loss OF
caste in the only society which they hal
opportunity to enter. a gentleman of re-
Sponsibility and exceptional opportunity
for observation has borne testimony that
the shortening of the work day has BAN
,5si,+l 'Riue Monday
A Sig niticant Fact.
"A significant fact in connection with
times during the present century is the
entire silence of the older school of econ
OHf1StS with regard TO Inc erect OF the
shorter work day on society. business.
conditions. or the laborcrs
themselves. 1t is nowhere claimed. in 81
far as your committee is aware, that any
reduction in the hours of abOr, has had
ii detrimental effect on business, on man
on labor as a unit. Or individ-
.Ini iabOrers. The advocates of the short
hour theory, on the other hand. trace the
moral. social and financial improvement
the iaborer to this cause and aIlege
that business was at no time injured. bu:
tion was stimulated and consumption in
creased.
Ec0nOn,tsts' contentious.
Economists who advocate the eight
day contend with great plausibiiiIy
that the shorter day results in an ir-
crease OF price, as greater consumption
Snl2IseS production, ard the larger the
scalc OF production the cheaper the given
article is prn!S ced;. that the labOrer.
v hen he has the leisure, resulting from
the shorter hSurs. has new aspirations,
ambitions ana greater personal ~self-rc-
.pect and, aSSDefnre stated. wants Il bet |
ter house, better furniture. better clothes.
food and becomes 4 great deal
consumer: that the scale of wages
is controlled by the wants of the laburrr
in any given state of society. rather than !
by the Iron law of wages that modern
mon cease to work under normal cond:- |
tioiiS if the proceeds of their labor do nor
their normal wants: that. there
fore. the social status of the laborer con-
lIt Id" VI "dENS W d. Sitsl III y ,
tent as the law uf wag controls the
ST rtus of the laborer.
4 Variance OF Opinion. !
''Whiie there is still Il variance of Opin- !
ion OF; the general question whethe- /
modern machinery and methods 50 light ,
the physical drodgery OF most
occupations as to have an equivalent ei- i
feet on the shortening OF hours in tn |
conservation of energy. or whether such
and methods operate to so tax |
the nervous powers as to be equivalent :
In exhaustive effects to the 1engthnnin;; |
uc hours, your committee are of the 4
after what has been said on bo-h |
sides, that the higher tension Of modern |
employ ment is at least a full Offset to the |
saving accomplished in muscular force" |
The report also presents an eiabor.
review of the ei%ght-hour ieSisla-
ton in all the states. and the previo's;
statutes enacted by the
government. |