The excerpt below is from Samuel Gompers’ testimony before the Senate Committee on Education and Labor in 1883. I maintain that the hours of labor ought to be reduced. From every standpoint the hours are too long in modern industries, more especially where the individual worker is but a part of the machine and is compelled to keep in motion in accordance with the velocity with which the machine turns. What does this testimony demonstrate?

This testimony demonstrates the desire of a leader of Labor Union to attain shorter working hours for his workers.

Explanation:

Samuel Gompers was a leader of American Federation of Labor (AFL). His union represented workers from different domains such as weaver, carpenter, cigar makers, etc.

On August 16, 1883, Samuel Gompers presented his testimony before the Senate Committee on Education and Labor outlining the demands to reduce working hours of workersin factory. He testified that workers who work from early morning to late at night need time to retrieve his strength by resting for sufficient hours in night. He asserted that though people work with machine but they are not machine.

The given testimony demonstrates that a leader of Labor Union desires that his workers get proper working hours instead of disorganized working hours. He desired to achieve shorter working hours for his workers.

confederacy: supported slavery, believed states should be able to nullify federal laws, supported low tariffs

union: everything else