Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-08
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY.
$ome Facts as to It's Origin and
Difficulties Of Originators.
MOVEMENT STARTED IN NEW YORK
81 Now success-Many States Al
Ai'eady Adopted the Eight Hour Law
-History as Compiled by Labor
II Bureau at Des Moines.

State Labor Commissioner Wenner-|
Sstrum of late as been the recipient of
many inquiries regarding the origina-
ton of the eight hour movement. Sta
tistics concerning this important mat
ter to wage earners appear to be
somewhat confusing, but after large
amount of investigation the labor
bureau has set forth the following
facts:
la brief and hurried glance over the
s last thirty years reveals rapid ad-
yances. In 1868 Daniel Walford Of
New York, plasterer, called meet
ing of the building trades to give the
Imposition of changing the work day
: to eight hours some consideration, but
beyond giving it some discussion
nothing definite was accomplished at
that time.
George Mcneil, of Boston, is popu-
larly called the father of the eight
hour movement, and his efforts were
Y largely due to the inspiration gather
ed from the matchless eloquence OF
sssthat great humanitarian Wendell Phil
lips; this dates back to 1867.
A shorter work day agitation had
preceded this for many years, but
none dared to reduce it to the humane
standpoint of eight hours previous to
valford and Mcneil.
~ The proposition created consterna-
4ipn, then ridicule, but Mcneil never
svsyered and today, while no absolute
Hs5,yes are at hand. yet a conservative
ssssti3 ate shows that 100000 wage
ss,x is in the United States are en-
iov;2 the eight-hour day and many
nSnr1 IRE reaching toward the same
roaI gradual steps as the following
5Tssvies tshows.
s,fghe se states have adopted the
asgh1t-hour day covering all state en-
!, MA lyment, and some Of them include
T INK nicipalities:
california, *Colorado, *Connecti-
Yo,,,I District Of Columbia, *Idaho, Hi
|sos Ss. Indiana. *Kansas, Nebraska,
m ssouri, montana (enforces it also
iii mines), *New Jersey, *New
1D5rs3k, Ohio, pennsylvania, "Wiscon-
s{n and Wyoming (also includes
s $tates marked Include municipali.
Iktah, however, has gone step
furt her than any other state, and
a10FE bteds clause in the state consti.
tutiq in. authorizing the legislature tc
LII
ter, Sin order to avoid the unpleasant
nessE 3 az the courts ruling out such
Iegj gslation as being of a class distinc
The United States government
s4zS dopted the system in 1858 as fol
SS lows Eight hours shall constitute q
q DAYS work for all laborers of the
n United States
$sy But this has never been lived ur
Hi 10 In cases where private contracts
Il have been given, only in such cases
i where the laborers were sufficiently
veil organized to enforce the law, by
x their refusal to work longer hours.
The last and present congresses
M have passed eight hour laws covering
ss these deficiencies in detail which have
Il been approved by organized labor, ant
by those unorganized whose attention
could be attracted, but unfortunatel!
the United States senate has never
yet acted upon it
During the Spanish war workmen IL
arsenals and navy yards worked
y 4 twelve hour shifts, and special ap
preparation of 81, 500, 900 was necessar.
10 to cover the item of overtime, ant
which was vigorously opposed by OF
@ ficials in such establishments AM
competing manufacturers.
Those Who Work on Eight Hour Basil
A hurried summary of trades work
ing on the eight hour basis, in who'll
or in part, is the following: Brick
layers, brickmakers, carpenters, cigar
makers, electrical workers, grant
TIA cutters, glass blowers, hoisting engir
sA GERS, fathers, linotype operator
M (printers), machinists Gin railroa
Isl shops), miners (bituminous), miner
Ss (western federation gold, silver, COZ
per and lead), plumbers, plasterers
81 tile layers, woodworkers, all Unite
States employees and all Union Pacifi
railroad shop employees
M Mechanics and laborers in the built
v ing trades have enforced the eigh
hour dass:s in spots accordingly as the
SKI have groMa in strength and influence
COLDS