The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-15
LABOR PRESENTS
STRONG FRONT

Ing geared up 10 a certain number OF
revolutions per hour. OF course tne Tess
number OF hours he ran the less reVoiu-
| tions he would perform. But man is not
| a machine. but living, breathing, SEN
tient being, and improves in health NOR
| ais. citizenship manhood, when ne II not
| used as a dumb driven brute.
For some years we have listened 10
stories OF the unexampled prosperity or
! the country told To US from the president
down. Yet during this time that pros
| perty' Is being made the hallmark OF
| the full dinner pail our city government
has not considered the welfare OF those
| city employees, so far, at least. as reduced
| considered.
duced and Increased wages were being
| conceded In all outside lines OF industry.
the employees OF this city realized nothing
but an Increased cost OF living which this
| prosperity brought with IL.
| 1T is no assumption TO say that being
unable 10 meet this increased cost OF Nv
Ing win " their present wage their Sond
| In proportion as the necessities OF life ad
vanced against their stationary wage
scale
| lean workman without a trade is only
| AB year, according TO the 18th annual
government labor report. Those not hav-
trade constitute the larger number OF
wage workers In the country. The report
shows that although each received $i7
ne produced an average or $245O year by
received and what he produced s2olS, in
| dicates that the worker receives but little
| OF the product OF his labor.
mo wage laborer feels more the neces-
| sity OF organized assistance and attention.
| whether II emanate from the city govern
ment or from the associated efforts OF his
| fellow workers OF the various industrial
| occupations, as do the unskilled laborers
The skilled workman when unable TO
| find employment at his trade or calling
| can very readily adapt himself 10 the ~
where his services may be needed, there
| by displacing some other unskilled work
man who needs employment but who is
unable 10 adapt himself 20 the require
ments necessary To MI vacancy that
| may be open among the skilled occupa-
| tions. In other words. all wage labor
unskilled mans Job.
with the statement recently made by
one or our city fathers, as a comparison.
likening the animate labor OF the city en-
| ployes 20 the monopoly value OF a lot OF
inaminate iron at so much per ton we
most emphatically disagree and charac-
| terize IL as an inhuman differentiation OF
how human labor ought TO be valued. Are
| the positions In our city government val
| ued and filled such?
The city employees are made after the
image or Almighty God and should have
| their labor valued 80 that IL will bring TO
them increased comforts Of life and so
that Il Will widen the area OF opportunity
times and our civilization.
Remember. those men In their desires
are not very much unlike others better
clrcumstanced In life. They have the
same aspirations TO live well and decently
the same desires TO educate their children
In our schools instead Of the factories a
better Willingness TO promote the general
welfare of the community when given the
opportunity; therefore, IL Is hoped that
they have not appealed In vain to their
ciy iathers Tor favorable endorsement
james X. Coleman Of the Plumbers
Ohion was the next speaker. and said:
MR.. CoLBMAN's SOUND LOGIC.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee:
In discussing from the standpoint of
those who are favorable TO this pending
question, i desire TO say In behalf of this
Petuoh' that we are asking the city of
froNluence 10 institute a reduction of
the hours OF labor for city employees
The laboring men OF the city are to be
congratulated for the success that they
have attained by having this public hear
Ing granted and we hope the petition will
be favorably acted upon.
I'VE are not asking the city 10 be the
nrst TO reduce the hours of labor II its
work, but maintain that the hours OF
labor are being gradually reduced In every
walk OF life where laboring men are en-
gagged in a labortng capacity For ex-
ample we have only to look TO the other
cities or our own state and find the cities
OF Pawtucket and Newport have been en-
joying this efght-hour day for a few wears
back, at wages equal 10 what lis now paid
In this city for ten-hour day
Look to our adjoining state the state
or Massachusetts, and find n law of
eight hours being enforced In almost
every city In the state. for this informa-
ton / refer you to the Labor Bulletins
Nos 81 and 81 issued by Mr. Pidgin. the
commissioner OF the bureau OF Industrial
statistics OF labor In Boston.
we believe that all city governments
should be first In increasing wages and
reducing the hours OF labor Of it's en-
pioyes. and surely the city government
should be better and exemplary en-
ploycr of LABOR than any private concern
The city government. a large employer
or labor, but so large as to overlook this
important question as Il has had. and
when II adopts the eight hour system II
sets a good example to the other employ
ers of this city.
For several years this matter has been
In the hands Of committees OF our honor
able city government the question
was not considered important enough 10
be given consideration. although there are
employed by the city certain employees
who do now enjoy this eight-hoIr and
Saturday afternoon. There seems 10 he
a discrimination by some one or several.
why then make this discrimination We
find II for the few and not for the many.
Is II because these men are not de-
serving OF II or In II on oversight on the
part of the city government
Then the men who are Disseminated
against should be able 10 make the re-
mark and they should be upheld In II
when saying. II this man can earn n Nv
ing by working eight hours a day. why.
then. cannot | earn mine by working a
day OF eight hours7'
THE betterment Of home conditions for