Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1890 — AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY. [ARTICLE]

AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY.

Labor's United D -muml nod the Plan of Campaign. An ominous cloud, says the Indianapolis News of Monday, hangs over the labor world. Organized labor, believing that the time is at hand when the eight hour day should be established, and that tradesmen should be able in those eight hohrs to make a fair “living,” is prepared to enforce its demands. In the recent years of comparative plenty, preparations for a contest have been made. It will be peaceably' but powerfully' fought. Labor is banded as never before. The plan of campaign has been made known. As outlined by Presn dent Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, the carpenters are to lead in the demand for eight hours (and an advance.in wages different in amount in different cities where different circumstances exist) if their demands are not acceded to in the several localities they are to be aided by the national treasury, and reinforced by kindred trades. The funds of all the organiza

tions will be available for assisting the strikers. As a last resort, a universal strike of all organized labor is hinted at strongly, Developments of the last few days are along two line: The carpenters’strikes, by design begun two weeks in advance of the general demand for an eight-hour day, and the railroad strike, local to Pittsburg and a few other points, precipitated somewhat earlier, perhaps, than was intended. The last named is an important element, because it has already developed a sympathy between the trades unions and the railroad men’s organizations. Many of the railroad men are now part and parcel of the federation. The Conductor’s Association (O. R. C.), will no longer be able to prevent a railroad strike from becomiug universal, as heretofore, because if the Conductor’s Association does not amend its conititution and abolish the anti-strike feature, many of its members say they - will unite with the Brotherhood of Conductors (distinct from the O. R. C.), which is already enlisted with the firemen, engineers, brakemen, etc., in the federal movement. It seems possible, in a work, for a strike tp become well nigh universal. As to the probabilities no one has more right to predict than another. In some localities and trades the disposition of employers is to grant the demands of labor; elsewhere the contrary feeling prevails.

“The eight-hour day is the sole idea now being considered by the labor world,” said Samuel president of the American Federation of Labor, at Chicago on the 22d. “In the history of the social and economic questions of the world there has not been one which received at once and completely the same ’sympathy that has oeen accorded to the eight-hour movement. It has covered Europe, and on May 1 the working population of that continent will demand the eight-hour day. “The labor organizations of this country are deveted solely to this idea. We think we can do one thing at a time better than a multiplicity of things. To the end of obtaining the eight-hour work day we are concentrating all our energy, all our abilis ty and all our intelligence. We are doing it with the least possible injurious results to business or commerce. We do not want to stop the wheels of industry. Wo want to help them work more smoothly. We want to remove instead of increase friction. So [ we proceed by des grees. We have singled out the eight-hour day movement as the first thing to be attained. Then we have selected only one trade for which at firs* this improvement must be secured. We have chosen tho carpenters as the first- craft for which to win this benefit. When the carpenters shall have won wo will demand it for the miners and mine laborers. Then other trades will be taken up and pushed forward. In this way the entire change of the industrial system to the eight-hour day shall have been accomplished with the least effect on the country’s business. There is no doubt of the suoces3 of the movement. In the American Federation of Labor, to which, by common consent, the beginning of the eight-hour movement is granted, there are 630,000 members. In the movement, besides these, there are more than enough to bring the force to 1,000,000 men. The movement lor the eigbt-bour day is on a different basis now from its status in 1886. Then we **ad an army of enthusiastic raw recruits. Now wc have a force of cool, trained veterans. The movement of 1886 was chaotic, disintegrated, unsystematic. To day it is methodical, organized, prepared. We will secure the eight-hour day for the workmen of the world, not if it takes all summer, but if it takes the rest of our lives.”

The efforts of the local labor dealers says a Chicago special of the 15th, devoted during the next week to an endeavor to restrain the strike fever which seems to have seized the workingmen of the city. Chicago was chosen as the battle ground on which the first general engagement was to be fought and the carpenters were placed in the advance line. It was intended that all other trades should remain at work until the carpenters should have won, Trade after trade has organized and de dared that it, too, must have the eight hour day. According to current reports the monster demonstration which has been arranged for May 1 as an expression of sentiment only, may, it is now feared, turn into the beginning of a strike which th e leaders will be powerless to direot much less control. Certainly many strikers will be added to the carpenters. Thu stock yards and packing house employes, the stair builders, mill carpenters, gas fitters, Iron moldersand harness makers have, already announced their intention of striking. Besides these the tailors, shoemakers, plasterers, lathers, cornice makers, metal workers, and many other lines of labor seem determined to join the ranks. It was rumored among.the men Friday morning that the building bosses would antioipate the proposed general strike by a total suspension of business Saturday night next. By this .move the bosses would put the men on the {defensive to a certain extent. The idleness nmaag the building trades consequent upon thpeamwlinfurikels increasing. The

president of the Bricklayers’ union called at strikers’ headquarters Friday and said that fewer than three hundred of the 4,500 bricklayers in the city Ws-re at work. The same state of affairs prevails in most of the building trades. y LABOR NOTES. - Two thousand spinners at Newry, Ireland have struck for higherVages. The carrying trade of Cork is paralyzed, owing to a strike of shipping and railway men. Several hundred shoemakers at Frankfort, Germany, have struck for higher wages. The barbers, bricklayers and cigar makers of Muncie have all organized unions. Carpenters and. plasterers exjSect to follow. Sixteen thousand Berlin shoemakers have struck. They demand a working day of ten hours, and wages not less tha n 18 mai-ks per week. The union painters of Indianapolis went on a strike Monday morning for shorter hours and better . pay. The strike was ordered at the meeting of the Painters’ Union on Saturday night. About ninety men are out, and as there are only .a few non union men in the city, but little painting is being done. The Indianapolis carpenters’ strike was compromised on the 23d by cenepromial, the basis being eight hours work at thirty cents per hour. This is considerable of an increase over former wages. In Chicago the strike is assuming a serious aspect. Non-union workmen were attacked by strikers, and several of the former- were injured. Several rioting strikers are under arrest. There is strong probability of an extended strike- oL- -the-—employes of the United States Express Company, whose wages are to be heavily reduced May 1. A general strike of rail roaders, beginning cat Pittsburg, seems imminent.