Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-12-11
CIVIC FEDERATION.
The Second Days Meeting Of TIE
Industrial Department.
The MOVE FOR SHORTER WoRED
George u. Barbour, Of Detroit. Opposed
the Eight. Hour bill ~ 1t Affects Some
Manufacturers Periodically With
ont Affecting Others.

New York, Dec. 1O.-The second
days meeting Of the industrial de-
partment of the National Civic fed.
GRAFTON began with a large attend.
ance. Ex-President Cleveland was
one Of the early arrivals. He and
Senator Hanna spent some time in
conversation. Mr.. Halsey's topic was
"The Premium Method Of Payment.
He said: 1.-THE system Of premium
payment is in a sense intended to
split the difference between day work
and piece work. By that mean that
it has st bottom rate Of pay
ment per day just like day work,
but above that is placed an add.
tional premium dependent upon the
amount Of output, the net result be.
ing that the employees pay increases
with tho output, but not so rapidly
as the output. In that respect it diff
fers from piece work alone. With
piece work the pay is in proportion
to the output. With premium pay
ment it increases with the output,
but not SO rapidly. The result is the
employer gets part Of the gain and
the workman gets q portion Of 1t,
the employer receiving his portion in
reduction Of the cost Of his goods
Therefore, in sense, the system is
cooperative"
Prof. George Gunton, editor Of
Gunton's Magazine, spoke ON the
philosophy Of the Shorter Hour
Movement" He said: "The capital.
lists function is to go on producing.
It II the business Of the laborer to
sec that the laborer receives better
pay; that he receives opportunity to
improve his condition and better his
capacity as market furnisher, and
the shorter your problem is the one
that offers the frst opportunity to
the laborer to better his condition.
All should cooperate to gradually
reduce the hours of labor until the
eight-hour day has been secured"
A. F. Weber, statistician of the
New York bureau of labor, dis.
cussed "The Eight-Hour Movement"
OF late years, he said, the idea was
advanced and in many industries the
-eight-hour day Is the standard.
Lewis Nixon, president Of a ship
building company, said he objected
to the distinction made at the meet
ing between the employer and work
ers. He wished it known that the
employers also were workers. In
America, he said, the employer works
with the employe instead of over
him. When the men come to the
employer and say to him that they
want more pay there is occasion fol-
each side to get together and con
slider the situation Of each other
The employer has his problems to
solve and the workmen should be
willing to consider these, too.
Mr.. Mosely protested against the
suggestion made by Mr.. Nixon that
drink was necessary to the workers
of England. Mr.. Nixon replied that
he had been in England and the la
borers there had told him they had
to drink to do their work and he
took their word for it.
Theodore F. Harburg, vice presi
dent of the American Economic as
ISOLATION, said the actual experience
Of localities in which the shorter
hour day had been tried shows that
the morals Of the locality had i'm
proved. To abruptly reduce the
working day two hours would, ii
his opinion, work hardship on tht
community. A reduction of a quar-
ter OF an hour at time, repeated
at intervals through several years
would be the better and safer way.
George H. Barbour, of Detroit
president Of the National Association
Of Manufacturers, discussed thu
shorter hour question from thu
standpoint Of the manufacturer. %,
would never oppose the eight-houl
bill," he said, ''if its effect could b.
universal. But it would affect preju
dicially the interests of certain
manufacturers without affecting 9th
ers.' The effect Of the passage Of tn
bill, he said, ultimately would be t.
injure the laborer, so that in speak
ing against the passage of the bill HI
felt that he was speaking for the in
terests of labor. At the present tim
he believed It would be impossible
for manufacturers to run these shift
Of men for periods of eight hour
each, there not being enough work
men in the country to permit OF 1t.