The Topeka state journal., 1904-02-29
TWO OPPOSING LABOR FORCES
[From the Pittsburg Post.l

LFrom the Pittsburg Post.l
The so-called Citizens Industrial as
sociation. which is bound to oppose all
the ends aimed at bv the labor organi-
zations, had its first meeting in Indian
apolis. and was attended by some five
hundred delegates opposed to the
growing despotism and tyranny of the
trades union movement" The Indus
trials, representing the organized en-
ploying interest. took extreme ground in
dvancing their own ideas. and in con-
demning the organized labor movements
IN all parts of the country and in all
vocations. They We're declared to be
''aAarchistic uprisings" and their sup
preston was held to be essential that
''the freedom of the people" may be
preserved
The 500 DELEGATES at Indianapolis don't
count for much numerically or in voting
power, compared with Mr. Gompers'
Federation of Labor. with it's million of
adherents. The Industrials may operate
as a counter foil when face to face with
the extremes of labor associations, but
that seems to be about ali. They both
teach the foolish doctrine of an ire
pressible conflict between capital and
labor, and that is set down by the com
d
and dangerous snare. The Industrials
adopted a platform standing up bravely
for the open shop. for no limitation Oh
apprenticeship. for government by in
junction" for the right of private con-
tract and the abolition nf all legal re-
strictions on the hours of labor,
and especially the amended eight
hour law now pending in con-
gress, with the strong probability
that it will pass and be approved by the
president. The eight-hour law was the
main point of resistance at Indianapolis,
and this opposition invites attention to
the wide spread of the law in the
United States, and the general agitation
for it's enactment and maintenance
The Labor Bulletin of Massachu-
setts. Just issued by the state. gives
some striking facts as to the success OF
the eight-hour movement, which the
Industrials would do well to consider
as indicating the forces which it an
tagonizes. There are in the Unior
twenty-seven states and territories, be
sides the United States, having ar
eight-hour day In six states eigh
hours is prescribed as the limit of E
days work, unless specified to the con.
trary- In a number of states on al
public work and in mines and smelter.
eight hours is prescribed as the limit
and in the United States the eight-houl
day is provided for by congress upo1
government work In many states
much litigation has resulted from thes
eight-hour laws. and the courts are con
STRUNG them in different ways It i
largely regarded as experimental. 1t i
guarded in certain states SO as not t,
apply to farm laborers. persons work
ing by the month or domestic service.
In opposing any legal regulation o
the hours of labor the IndianapoI In
dustrial movement is running agains
certain defeat. OF course in some case
it is pushed to an extreme, and become
impractieable; but for many years sine
the demand sprang up in the first plac
for twelve-hour day, and then for tel
hours the sentiment has been CROWN
until it has become the established prin
ciple of a legal restriction on the hour
Of labor in the betterment of the condi