The San Francisco call., 1907-03-01

should naturally expect. is In bad condition and
that the cars are in worse condition. But
what need Of testimony Is there for any one
VINO has been compelled 10 ride In the carsf
To be mere passenger is positive torture;
but what must ii be TO stand at the con,
troiler with the responsibility OF that mixed
jumble of humanity upon your mind, or TO he
conductor and have. the very clothes torn
fight your way through the sweltering mass to
collect fares7 To condemn men 70 ten hours
Of this work is TO my mind downright cruelty.
which no opinions of officials about time tables
can excuse. and no plea of inconvenience to
the company can justify.
The majority opinion lays particular stress
on the fact that the company did net cause
the earthquake. and therefore did not impose
the men work. Whether the company imposed
the conditions or not does not concern us here.
II makes no difference TO me whether my land
lord burns down the house that ! live in, Of
malice aforethougnt. or that II IS burned down
BY chance, the fact remains that l am stlli
without a house. The conditions which make
an eight-hour day imperative exist today in
San Francisco and the reason why they exist
does not mitigate them single particle
But a matter Of fact, the statement that
the company did not impose the new condi-
Fable only in part. The main source of the
long continuation OF the disagreeable circum-
the shortage Of cars. When ] come TO consider
the question Of wages ! will show that this
caused by the company and that therefore in
this respect. at least. II imposed unsupportable
and grievous burdens upon the backs OF itS
men. Now, when the effort VIII not cost a
nickel. Il refuses TO stretch forth its little finger
to alleviate them
To conclude this question Of the eiSht-hour
day 1 must dissent from the action OF the
board in shelving it. The universal .eight-hour
day is coming surely the day follows
nsght. The demand for an eight-hour day
ia the working world is like the demand
FOR representative government or manhood suf-
frage in the political world. It may be refused
for times il cannot be permanently denied.
SHORT DAY HERE TO STAY
The eight-hour day is already here and It is
here to stay. Half the workers IN San Fran
CISCO nave the elsht-AouT Iay slreauss une resi-
have the Rine-hour day Outside Of the carmen
those who work ten hours are few and far be-
tween. Just as il was impossible to have
United States that was half slave and half free,
so IL is impossible TO have an. economic COM
munity that is half eight hours and half more.
The carmen will not rest content, and should
hot rest content, until their conditions Of work
are as good those of their fellows. 1t seems
to me that it would be the part Of wisdom to
men what they are entitled TO. the eight hours
~ mI-INCREAsE IN WAGES
The carmen have asked for minimum rate
OF 81 a day 81 u cents hour. instead Of
the graduated scale Of % cents an hour for the
1rst-year men, 261i cents for the second-year
men and q ~ cents for the third-year men. The
ma jority OF the board grants increase Of @
Gems an hour to the frst-year men, 81 cents;
an increase Of 52t cents to the secOnd-year men.
or 81 cents. and an increase Of 81 cents to the
third-year men. or 33 cents an hour. In other
words. the hrst-year men get an increase Of p
per cent, the second-year men get an increase of
not quite % per cent and the third-year men get
an increase OF 20 per cent.
cannot agree with that award
During the hearing OF the the question of
the graduated scale came up for discussion once
or twice. The carmen made clear their position.
They looking for a minimum wage and If
the company wished to graduate the men above
that minimum, that was the conpany's affair.
1t is not necessary here TO enter on an exanina-
ton OF the reasons for against such device.
Suffice it TO say that the employers generally
prefer II. II gives them q means to induce
men to remain IN their service and also a means
TO punish those who may be inclined TO neglect.
The principle Of the graduated scale is that the
longer employe is In service the more wages
he gets.