The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12
AN EIGHT-HouR DAY VICTORY.

The recent adoption OF an eight-hour day
by the four-mill owners of Minneapolis
will probably give a decided impetus to the
movement throughout the country. 1t is
not a new question. 1t was agitated in the
United States several years before the civil
war, and after the war was just gathering
strength when the panic Of 1878 again post
poned its contamination. During the next
twenty years the railroad strikes of 1877.
the Industrial depression of 1888, the panic
of 1898 and the Pullman strike of 1894 all
contributed to keep the question in the
background. Recent conditions have been
favorable to the revival of the movement.
and it is coming to the front again. 1t has
a philosophical and natural basis, which is
briefly put as follows:
Economic ills come from poverty, poverty
In turn is due to overproduction and the
presence of the unemployed in large num-
bers In society. Society can be relieved
from this burden by larger wages and
shorter hours of labor. Shorter hours in
turn mean an increased standard Of living.
wider consumption, and, in consequence,
larger demand, causing the creation OF
goods at a lower price and the continuous
employment of labor in order to meet the
philosophy the standard of living is gov
erned by wants, and wants are determined
by the social opportunities of the masses.
All of this can be accomplished by reducing
the hours of labor. Wages under such sys-
tenn, it is argued, will be increased in two
ways-by reducing enforced idleness and
by creating wants and raising the
standard of living.
This view does not take into account the
desire Of employers to get the greatest pos
sible amount Of service and to turn out the
greatest possible amount Of products, but
the friends of the movement contend that
tartan nor wise.
Without discussing here the merits Of the
movement the victory which it has won in
the Minneapolis -four mills will probably be
widely felt. Minneapolis Is now the ruling
producing flour market of the world, and
sets the pace in that business. The city's
natural advantages for manufacturing and
it's nearness to great wheat-producing re-
gions enable it to do this, and the estab-
lishment of an eight-hour day for the mill
workers in that city will almost certainly
be followed by its adoption elsewhere. The
victory was won without strike. The
Minneapolis mills have been paying higher
wages than any others in the country. and
when the employees demanded an eight-hour
day with twelve hours pay the employers
offered to accept the eight-hour day with
wages nearly equal to the twelve-hour rate.
The workmen were surprised by the lib
crafty of the offer, and promptly accepted
it. The Minneapolis Journal says: 1.-THE
men fairly danced and shouted in their sat
isfaction at having agreed with their en-
ployers on such good terms, and there were
enthusiastic cheers for the mill owners"
The adoption of the new rule gives each
employe four hours day more to himself
than he had. before at a very small actual
day-wage reduction. 1t is a substantial
victory for labor, and all the better because
it was won without a strike and without
leaving any scars on either side.