The copper era., 1903-02-05

AT other co1utu-. !u Postal union 91
 TIE eight hour bill. for miners only.
 pa.-ed the house with a whoop and
 hurrah, but ran upon a -uag in the
 council, and that is probably a- far d.
 it will get, without being seriously
 and perhaps fatally amended. This
 bill was promised by the democratic
 platform. but it wa understood at the
 time that it would include all wage
 carucr7. 50 far d. the miners are con- carncd, they practically rcpudiated
 thi- platform at the recent election,
 at Ica-t almost every labor union camp did -o. The miners a. cla-9 have
 not been anxious for an eight hour day. In fact there ha- been DO crying demand from laborcr- of any cla5, for an eight hour day, but as it was som
 i-"d in the democratic platform, the leaders of the party want to make a show of redecmin@ their campaign
 pledges. But what i, the matter with
 the smeltcrmen- 'he =, -cuept2rs- h-ick- layers. 00llcrmakers, blacks x .S.s, 1n- ginccr-. machinists, the plumbers, the
 printers and the tcam-ters, the clerks, the book-kreper, and all other classes of laborcrs? Are they not entitled to an eight hour day? And while they are about it why not give the farm laborcr and the cOwpuncher little rest? Why single out the miner and say that he shall labor only eight hours? lt i- certainly not because he works harder than any of the others named. for he does not. Perhaps it is b b.cau-c he iS organized in some sec tions and therefore his political aflli-
 ation is more sought after. No one can object to an eight hour day. pro- vIdcd it applies to all classes of labor,
 but it should not be done by law. A law preventing q man from working more than eight hours reduces his earning capacity, and to a man with a family to support it k a serious matter.
 Hours of labor can bo settled by the laborcr7 themselves, as has already been done in many camps in this terri tory But with such q law in effect, the next step will be far a full day. pay for eight hours work. which some companies will not stand for, and Oth CTS already having hard struggle for existence, will be compelled to shut down, and thus many laborcrs will be thrown out of employment. Up to the present time labor and capital have been working hand-in-hand in Arizona. Wages ar" good and steady employ mcnt furnished for good mon, hence the agitation of question of this kind, at this time, when the copper companies, the bone and sincw of the country, are struggling almost for eX- istcncc owing to low prices, can only be regarded by mining men as q serious mistake. If carried out it. will result in the closing down of many mines, and the driving away from Arizona of
 millions of dollars which otherwise might have been invested here. A graduated eight hour day, starting
 with nine and q half hours, and drop ping nall hour cach year, would not have been so bad. It would have come on so gradually that people would become accustomed 10 il. However, the whole thing seems to he a silly proposition, and it k certainly mi- chief maker, and will cngcndcr strife and bitterness of feeling. 1T the poli- tician, must do something to secure votes let them pass a sunday law which must be enforced and give the miners, the clerk, and all laborcrs, one days rest during the week, and they will have done well, and accomplished ! d real good.