It was more than ten years ago that the National Legislature caused to be placed upon the pages of the statute books a law that eight hours should constitute a legal day's labor in the various departments of the government. With but one exception it were as well that the law had never been made, so far as benefiting the laboring men for whom it was intended is concerned, for the simple reason that the law has never been enforced. The exception referred to, was wrought by that "noblest Roman of them all," General U. S. Grant, who, after his election by the people, and registering his oath to faithfully execute the law of the land, gave direction that the eight-hour law should be enforced in letter and spirit. It may be superfluous to state that his order was obeyed. General Grant is the friend of the masses, and to-day, the sweetest incense of sympathy wafted to him, arises from the honest hearts of the laboring poor.
Find, if you can, a law favoring Wall Street gamblers that is not promptly and strictly enforced! Not one. Should such a thing occur—should a law favoring other than the laboring poor be disregarded, there would arise a howl of indignation from every portion of the country. The press would open its columns in denunciation. Orators would declaim against "tyrant oppression, and instance how our forefathers, of glorious memory, fought, bled and died for law and liberty." The pulpit would open Are all along the line, against him or them who were so derelict to duty as not to enforce the law. Scripture texts would be forthcoming, pregnant with wrath for those who disobeyed the law.
It is a crime in our law makers to imagine that the masses—the under million, fail to see the operation of laws which discriminate against them, and favor the exclusive upper ten. There are mutterings of discontent from every quarter. In Europe, it expresses itself in dynamite; in America, it evolves rioting and bloodshed.
