The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-22 00:00:00

TO TN! =nos OF THE WEISS.

Sio,—ln answer to the reply of the eight
master builders of the 17th instant, permit us
to say that we are far from imputing to them
a desire to introduce a system with any vies
to prejudice their men. What we have undertaken to
show is this, that the hour system (be it good or bad) is
really repugnant to the great majority of the workmen.
whether members of societies or not, and that upon clear
and reasonable grounds. They are resisting it r • change
which tends in the first place to prolong the hours of work,
and in the second to deprive them of customary rights.
The statemeu t of the masters that they do not wish their men to
work systematically more than 10 hours per day, or to deprive
them of their former privileges, is very satisfactory and im-
portant. They thus practically acknowledge the recognised
"day " for which the men are contending, as well as the
rule respecting overtime and other Mee which de-
pend on and imply • definite length of daily labour.
The value however of this pledge is much diminished by
the fact asserted by us and not denied, that under the hour
system men are now systematically working twelve and
even mole hours, and are actually deprived of their most
important privilege, the extra pay for overtime. This in
fact is a right which cannot exist without some definite
standard of time. Will the masters positively state what
that standard is to be ? We feel sure that much would
Ibe done to close this dispute if the masters would distinctly
1 declare that they recognise as before the day of ten hours,
and would define and guarantee the privileges which they
desire still to maintain.

We see also with pleasure that if they refuse arbitration,
it is on the ground that the question is practically settled
to the entire satisfaction of the great majority of the men
eegaged in the building trades. From this we infer and
hope that they would listen to the proposal, should the con.
teary prove to be the case. Now it is our thorough convic-
tion, after long and careful inquiry, and upon much written
arid oral evidence, that the genuine feeling of the trades is
almost unanimous against the hour system, quite apart from
the efforts of any union or committee whatever. We feel
certain that the masters have been misled by their agents
if they suppose that this repugnance is moaned to unionists,
is kept alive agilely by agitatiou, or is at aU on the point of
subsiding.
We areaseared, and cannot but express our belief, that
out of 5,000 or 6,000 regular masons and bricklayers of the
metropolis scarcely 500, exclusive of boys, labourers, sad
strangers, are now working upon the boar system. We
are informed that on its introductioo nearly all, in some
eases all, of the men in those two trades quitted their em-
ployers, and that on the average not one in ten has re-
turned. It is positively asserted that some firms who have
introduoed the new system are now almost wholly without
masons, and that more than thirty firms employing in the
aggravate more than 200 men already have adopted the
teems of the men. The carpenters we are aware are no
longer on strike, and still for the most part remain with
their employee. But in several arms they have presented
a distinct protest, and the trade generally (whether mem-
bers of societies or not) have just adopted the practical pro-
test of a weekly levy in support of the masons strike. The
plasterers again have just decided by more than two to one
(the numbers taken from their voting papers are now Wore
us) not to accept the hour system Oven under protest.
We say this with documents, accounts, and witnesses at
hand, and from inquiries of which we propose shortly to
publish the malt. In the face of facts like these, we
cannot believe that the question is settled to the entire
satisfactiou of the trades.

But, after all, we Mk why (if the dispute is virtually at
an end) are masons being imported from Scotland? Why
are Sappers required for the Chelsea Barnicks Why does
report suggest that the Sappers will be required for the
Exhibition! Why are great works, such as the house of
the Duke of Buccleuch, visibly at a stand still? Why are
works of those who have adopted the new system sublet to
contractors upon tho terms of the men.
_ _ _ . .

Again, In the face of the following facts, can it be ha
hived that the movement is confined to the unionists Of
those who struck, and are now receiving strike pay, the
majority are nonaociety men. Both claws of workmen
set, meet, and contribute in common. Funds are raised,
delegates elected, and votes taken equally amongst both.
Their leaders are chows as possessing the confidence of their
fellow workmen. Personal intercourse has satisfied as that
it is a system of rough but real representation, expressing
the real feeling of the best workmen, and based on a con-
viction of the justice of their case.
It is true, as the Malian state, that the attempted intro-
duction of the hour system is the result of the nine hours
agitation. But it is also true that that agitation has been
abandoned, mid that, so far as any new terms are now asked
by the men, such terms are clearly meant by them to be in
auhatitution for the nine hours, and in fact represent
reaction amongst them against that movement.

In conclusion we would point out to these gentlemen who
tell us that the new hour system was intended solely to
remove a cause of strife that, wberess until it was intro-
duced no strike existed, its introduction has been followed
by • struggle now protracted for 17 weeks. If the only
object of the change was one of "conciliation," we ask
dam whether that end bee been attained. If what we
leave slated be true—if eves half of It be troe—we would
earnestly appeal to them whether it can be to the true
interests of the employers and the public to force upon a
great body of working men (whatever might have been their
errors) an innovation which has met with so stubborn a
resistasoc

TRONA/ Humus. R. B. LITCIIMI.D.
B. H. Holum. GODIMET LUSKIN/370A.
J. M. Lusmow. F. HAamoox.
N. 8. Bszat.T.

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