New-York daily tribune., 1842-07-25
Reducing the Pay Of Watch men.

Reducing the Pay Of Watch men.
U.vinq received several communications urgs
ing u. to oppose and deneuncc the proposed reduc-
rion = the pay Of our City Waichmen from Il p
~ a. for each nights service, We have been -
4,,od 70 consider tho matter. and our dcs.ion i'.
decidedly contrary 70 that Of our corresPonfenis'
,h,, the reduction ought to be made, Tor the ioi-
lowing reasons: /. Because the price OF al .a0or
IS low in our City and every where else and many
have great difficulty IN obtaining employ oyment even
# low prices ? Because the prices oi all The ne
,.,..ar;es of life are ~ reduced that ! per day
now is actually q. much as q - last year or
a. sol. 1896: J. Because all Labor OF Service
for the public should be paid just such pFce a.
+, would fairly command in the market, aud ta'
administration which pays - per cent. more tnaa
The required service could fairly be obtained tor
leal. unius,ly With the People Of whose interests
II i. the chosen and sworu guar1ia., and Is guilty
If fragrant breach Of trust; 1. Because the only
question which an administration should a,H 10
settling the compensation OF It's ,ihcers i this
What would probably be tho naturaI ami iaiF r.
ward Of similar service. If required and performed
for individuals or private association instead oi
the Civ s. Because II Is wrong TO tax virtually
the labor Of those who cannot perhaps ssrn fifty
cents day to pay five quarters OF dollar per
man for services which couh be obtained for four.
These are the prominent reasons which induce "a
TO believe that tho proposed reduction ought at
once to be effected.
As TO wha, our correspondents write about tho
dissatisfaction Of Wachmen, the ciamor which
will be raised by the Loco-Focos that the Whig'
are in favor of low wages, that they are tor cut
ting down poor men, &c. &c, We cannot regard
il a, argument. or matter that shoud weigh with
tie Common Council. We presume the Watch
men wish to earn the money paid them, and not
receive snv of il as gratuiiy. They must see
that if they nre paid twenty-five per cent. roIe
than the work could be well done for, the exces,
Is not recompensc, but gift or brbe. And II
laborng men can be deceived into blaming those
who refuse TO pay more than Just and equal wages
under the state of thing. actually existing, yet
sustaining the advocates of the policy which must
infailiblv approximate the reward of labor here to
that in Europc-if they can be made to coniound
ono of these things with the other--we may regret
it. but cannot therefore do or recommend what j:
clearly wrong We trust the Common Council
will never hesitate to do right because they may
thereby encounter hostility or even odiun.
Whether / per night Ia fair compensation tc
Watchmen, if the point be disputed, is easily
tested. If the ncumbens resign, and no suitable
.ucce.sors caa be obtained at that rate, then it il
too low and ssould be increased If good service
can be procured at tina; rate, by what right .hal
the Common Council tax the Git, some $jO,OOI
more for it Our correspondents do not say.
The suggestion that ether and higher sslsrie
should be still farther reduced if this Retrench
ment be made, We heartily concur in. 1t is no
right 70 cut down $4,000 salary onc-sixth onl,
and a sio0 man one fourth. But our way o
equalizing works by cutting down and not b,
keeping sp. We mean to pursue i, until the pub
lie service shall to be the object of uniycrsa
ambition. from the Statesman to the bootb.ck
Work for the public ought to be done chsapl,
a. for individuals but IS il Wa have Tough
some battles already for the principle that Office
Holders should not be a favored class, but shouls
fare like other mcn-in the faithiulness of thc
work, the amount OF compensation, and the medium
Of payment. We are ready to strike for it again
If need be.