The Sun.
London, England, 1833-10-07 00:00:00

fl4lB of the society did not admit of this being
lone to the full extent desired, it was partially
141 e by the allowance to members out of work,
fling limited to a certain number of weeks in
t4Cli year. It is evident that directly a trades'
14 lion is brought to such perfection as comfort-
4111Y to maintain all its members whether in or ow
ei work, an influx of apprentices will take place
tit° it, which will, in a year or two, bring such a
trade to the level of any other. In other words,
object of the association will be completely
fated by the competition among its own
nbers.
!learest The society or union approaching
to
perfection is that of the tailors, and
"las been repeatedly nut forward as an instance
°f the
advantage of such unions to workmen.
see wages of journeymen tailors have certainly
n better kept up than those of others of the
rvo,htet. classes, but it is matter of great doubt
that circumstance can be so in-
:, traced to the operation of the
Ides' union, as some have imagined. In the
even
place
wages have been somewhat lowered,
4." among the tailors, and, in the next, the
Umber of men out of employ has been, we are
info
a rme d, increasing for some time past. If the
-ges of tailors should, notwithstanding the
4tp!raticr
n of this natural cause of competition,
keep
will somewhat higher than those of other
the °llMen, it may more reasonably be attributed to
disadvantages under which that trade labours
othe shortness of the lives of those who de-
l:4 themselves to it, and the kind of slur cast
;. take
them, than to the trades' union. we
another trade, in which no such disadvan-
lesexist, we shall find that the natural causes
41,1 t work against unions have fully operated
ere are in London two printers' societies)
ollt neither of them are in a very flourishing
biliditi°o• Not above one-third of the trade
'°ag to the two, and we do not believe the work-
ti 41 of that third to be a bit better off than those
oSrt enrolled in the societies. At one time the union
th the third was, of course, advantageous to
1,,,5e who joined it, but the influx into the trade
or 4lortly SO great, as to throw many men out
14,71(3tk• If the wages of printers are now
a `lo " than those of other workmen, it is on
abei;urit of the greater skill, intelligence, and
ace Ity .
•lutred in their business, and not on
tlie°l„lntt of their union. The length of time,
to talent
and superior qualifications required,
cornbaitti the business of a printer, would give a
ervElation for keeping up wages, at full
o
sue Pllent in that trade, a better chance of
beree's than others ; but it failed, and num-
-4.8 of printers are now out of work. Such
n,ing the case, any attempt of workmen, in a
4-Itantlfacture into which thousands can almost
tatte
ohe shortest notice be introduced, to keep up a
highf wages which competition pronounces too
ta Must clearly fail. Nevertheless, the work-
win has an undoubted right to combine
rh his comrades not to work under a
pe!taiti rate. If they be mistaken in their
a the effect of their act is to bring
comes" supply of labourers into the market to
seiv Pete with them—no one suffers but them-
whee; and no one has a right to complain. But
trittarit w°rktnen agree not only that they themselves
th,it I,llave a certain price for their labour, but
for ht."eY will prevent anyone else from taking less
as nril:s labour, they attempt to establish a tyranny
."41,`°us as that from which the repeal of the
'ea,,lll,;_ination Laws freed them. The time
by -I,"en workmen complained of being obliged
Le law to take less wages than they could
left
* They very naturally and justly asked to be
1,1 to make their own bargains with their
kr,tis!'B. That right was procured for them,
ken 41 that right the enlightened spirit of the
Nrwill maintain them. They will not, how-
teal 'thbe supported in their assumption to con-
-11414 ie sale of' other persons' labour, and it is
bins 4' for them to expect, that if they corn-
the 1,,4t to let any one work except at
WilCeea fixed by their unions, the masters
Ia thelllhine to get fresh workmen. This
ter ma Precise position in which the Inas-
1116r "facturers of Leeds now stand towards
401 sc4kn'en- They have a deep interest in
for 1181'ending the work of their factories even
leek;they have sunk an immense amount
doito
11 ptat
in them, which will be all placed in
4turbe:lt peril by any long continuance of the
e Position
le' to the usual course of' industry.
Gttrclt v°Bition of their workmen is, however,
tl;eiW°rse ; for, whether they succeed or fail
4411; immediate object, they will soon, to
cli-siblY) be worse off than they were before
tlite Pute• If they succeed, the masters will
the firs
tkr,titi f 4- opportunity of withdrawing their
l'tth r°lll a losing concern, or will call in
/vark:orkrnen. If the union fail, the fresh
•tien .
1:1 0, Will equally come, though not perhaps
eve great numbers, and the unionists will
141411 addition, to sustain all the misery that
lot.,i.tot
-`,..tend the struggle. As friends to the
L'Pive g classes, we would entreat them not to
NI of to extremity ; not to follow the
11 erro:le" vvho, they may depend upon it, take
~etrlo, Ns view of their interests. We assure
4/ere):l4t the advice given them by the Leeds
411,1,::9 Will be echoed by all their real well
444 At wh iir Contemporary says :
Period the master will begin to require the
no r_. ° tir the union is, we believe, not yet fixed,
be in jeuncilia
tittree tion takes place, it is probabl
time or
the IN, therefore Meads to, the resent, and whoever.
Itt,erte, Way of that adjustment, on fair and equita-
11,it'tucloo);° between master and workman, will incur a
4(1,j0i,t re'Punsibility. As a principal upon which
4,111!'d, um,:nt of all existing differences is to be
from;
theadvice to the masters is, to re uire
opt !nen that will infringe upon their liberty,
11'ot their , Ttere with their obtaining a fair remunera-
ks °eel. wl'lnour, which is the article in which they deal,
141i.kpittlieet. faroae'eil
httyought to have as much control
, out r over the price of. his grain in the
'Oq 404 in
vuu advice to the men to renounce all
St° let ne management of their masters' concerns,
tt:t:tit,aod alil,iBdifrerences which may arise between any
hand
the
wotktnen, as to the rate of wages, be
psrties themselves, without any interference
I,tl 'lOl thn. sons
'bb are ignorant of the peculiar relations
ta,,Q stand to each other—and, above all, entirely
ABrde ce_tu,iiiihandon that system of intimidation
Yed6the
h has been so notoriously. eerci ed
:Yes wbo have thought fit to determine for
415+% %yst re at which they will sell their labour.
AtirrciPl~ of furneejudst and oppressive as it is repugnant