A SIX HOUR LAW. 259 



hinder us from employing two sets of hands, and thus, in our 

 judgment, no curtailing of production can be brought about by 

 simply reducing hours of labor, while there is no power to stop 

 machinery." Page 157. 



(/) "Nor would it be impracticable to reduce the time to 

 six hours, and this reduction would be preferable ; for we could 

 then run our mills eleven or twelve hours per day by employing 

 two sets of operatives." Page 158. 



( ra ) "If the agitation is kept up for still shorter hours, I 

 would favor it, and place it at six hours per day. We could 

 then work two gangs per day, and get something like a fair 

 production from machinery." Page 162. 



The Chief of the Bureau, Hon. Carroll D. Dwight, 

 comments as follows : 



" In addition to written statements, we have conversed with a 

 large number of proprietors ; and, while for the most part they 

 are willing to adhere to the requirements of the law of 1874, 

 they strenuously oppose any further reduction unless to six 

 hours per day ; and thus they would practically demonstrate 

 the wisdom or unwisdom of the theory that the true solution 

 for over production lies in less hours of labor. We have no 

 faith in that theory as a solution for over production; for, 

 under a six hour rule, two sets of hands would be employed. 

 Lessened hours of labor will come, must come, as the absolute 

 outgrowth of the effects of machinery ; and, could the regula- 

 tion for the legal reduction be national, our manufacturers 

 would not object." Page 163. 



It will be observed that the manufacturers, as also 

 the Chief of the Bureau, look at the proposition for a 

 reduction of the hours of labor as affecting solely the 

 question of over production. But the real fact is, the 

 matter does not touch the question of over produc- 

 tion, which really does not exist, but rather of under 



