People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1895 — RESTRICT IMMIGRATION. [ARTICLE]

RESTRICT IMMIGRATION.

President Mcßride Also Talks on the Eight-Hour Question. New York, Dec. 11. —At this morning’s session of the American Federation of Labor a supplementary report from President Mcßride was submitted and referred to appropriate committees. This was said on the question of immigration: “Inasmuch as the last convention decided that no future restriction of immigration was needed, except in the work of keeping out such laborers as come herb under contract, all criminals other than political and such persons as are likely to become a public charge, It would be well for this convention to give some attention to the adoption of methods by which assistance can be given to government officials who seek to ferret out and punish those who violate the alien labor law.” The question of shorter workdays was touched upon as follows: “The supply of labor in this country is greater than the demand for it; hence the power of production exceeds the force of consumption. Surplus labor is used as a lever to reduce wages, lengthen the hours of labor and increase the burden of toil on the part of the employed. Our workdays should be short enough to permit the employment of every wageworker in the land. At this time the establishment of an eight-day workday would secure such a system by giving more days’ work and employing more workers, by providing more leisure and less idleness, by forcing production and stimulating consumption through means of pur/ chase being provided for all who lahsc. “An elaborate argument is not needed to convince you that our workingmen and women have not received a fair share of the benefits accruing from invention of machinery, either in increased pay or in a decreased number of hours they are required to labor for a day’s pay. You will readily agree with the decision reached by the last convention that a shorter workday is needed to ameliorate the conditions in life of our wage-workers. I desire to remind you, however, that is is now your duty to determine upon the feasibility of inaugurating a movement to establish the eight-hour workday, rather than to consider the beneficent results which would follow its accomplishments; to determine whether a fight shall be waged for its establishment, and, if you so conclude to provide for a campaign in which one or all of our affiliated organizations may become direct participants.”