Year: 1868

upon its labor. Suppose. now that this
whole cosmopolitan firm adopts the
eight-hour law. The effect will be that
only fonr fifths of the demand can be
supplied. The mechanic will gain two
hours rest per day at the cost of dispen-
sing with one fourth of the luxuries and
ne1essaries which he now has. a gain of
rest, by the way, which he is at any time
able to make on the same terms with
out the aid of any eight hour movement.
But we will not dwell upon this gene
rally exploded eight hour idea.


The labor Congress just in session has
seemed to devote its attention more es-
pecially to demand for increased wa.
ges. While we do not doubt that such
demands are entirely necessary and prop
er in individual and exceptional cases,
we consider that general demand by
=" National Labor Congress" for an augs
mentation of wages throughout vast
extent of country is not of less chimer-
ical character than the eight hour move
ment. Too many laboring men conceive
that they are at war with capital in
stead of being its ally, and imagine
that the more money they can obtain
from their employer the better they are
off, and their idea often is correct so far
as individual cases are concerned, but so
soon as they attempt to apply their theo-
~ to the entire country it becomes alb
surd. 1t is all very nice for the butcher
to get twenty-five per cent more for his
meat, but when he pays the baker, the
grocer, the farmer and all other parties
twenty-five per cent more for what he
buys, it is hardly to be seen where he
betters his condition, and so il is with all
other occupations. The truth is, that
too many forget tina: the value of money
consists not in itself, but in what it will
purchase. The history of the world,
more especially during the last four CEN
turies, has proven this TO be true, for no
sooner were the rich mines of South
America and Mexico discovered than the
prices of the necessaries of life increased,
and they have become continually highs
er in proportion as the supply OF money
has become more abundant. While.
therefore, admitting that certain bodies
of laborers under certain circumstances
may require an advance in their wages.
we cannot see. that a general change of
this character throughout the country
is either necessary, desirable, or practi~
cable. There is one phase o. this labor
movement which is particularly inter-
esting to mining community and on
account of which we have, more especi-
ally spoken of the subject. We refer TO
the practical depreciation of the miners
labor which would result from the en-
forcement of the Labor Congress theory.
In this respect the miner would be an
exception to the rule, for he is the one
that takes the money from the ground.
This money he sells for the necessaries
of life, but instead of receiving twenty
FIVE per cent more for il, as do those en-
gagged in other employments, he obtains
only four.fifths of its former value, or. in
other words, he is compelled to give FIVE
days work for what he could formerly
secure by four Thus would be rem
dered useless a large number of mines
which are at present worked with good
profit. We have no faith that the
schemes of the Labor Congress will be
blessed with any fatteriDg success,
for their very impracticability would
prevent it, but we have touched upon
the subject for the purpose of showing
to what absurdities and actual evils the
ideas of the aforesaid Congress" might
lead. The laws of supply and demand
are as fixed as those which govern the
Universe and no resolutions can change
them.