New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-07-09

81, Of Association 10 different in tone and tenn
ncr from those usually appearing In that paper tna'
re feel impelled to give it respectful and earnest
sueu,ion. though an extraordinary pressure on oar
columns for some days pas, and to come will compei
rs to study brevity. =.
The Courier disclaims any intention oil insulting
the destitute by counseling them TO study INDUSTRY
and economy. We accept the Couricr's disclaimer
and then ask !, TO look at these facts;
Our City Of New.Yo rk is now enjoying an unusual
degree of thrift an! prosperity growing ana eA
handing on all sides increasing in Popuiapon' III
business. and in wealth Her Working Glasses are
probably as well employed as ever before anu IA
better than they can hope to be through any ~.
wear. 10 come Their labor, thanks 10 our eAcehcn'
Tariff. is no, to any considerable extent exposed
decreasing Foreign competition. Our Prisons are
% organized as very slightly TO interfere WIN ou'
homes, Mechanic labor rapid yet continual IN
crease Of buildings ships &c gives employ meh' 10
earoen,ers masons joiners, laborers &c 10 an tx
,r.ord;ns,v extent. And yet, it is our deliberate
es,;mae the result Of much inquiry, that the aver
age earnings Of those who live by simple labor In
our City-embracing at least two-thlrds OF our
Populaton-scarcely If at all exceed one doH0r per
re.k for each person subsisting thereon On this
ptancc, and very much less than this in many thou
sands o! instances three hundred thousand persons
within sight Of Trinity steeple must pay City rents
and City prices for food buy their clothing and Obtain
such medical attendance religious consolation,
mental cal,ure and means of enjoyment as they have
Is this the condition which God intended for the
mass OF humsn beings
- The Courier says;
ava think The Tribune IL greatly mistaken in It's al
lodged facts nothing like the suffering so grspnlca
Contractors tell usthan they have been for Inohs %
vssrs aud very few who really wish work. 20 without
Il The matter. at all events even II founded IN uuih u
greatly ovef.wrought with view to ehect &c
We wish our contemporary had extended its inqui
rjes TO other classes beside contractors who
though very worthy men, doubtless, are not so
likely to know whether the wages OF working men
and the demand for their labor are adequate to their
comfortable subsistence as the laborers themselves
would be- We do hope the Courier VIII pursue
this inqairy much farther and favor us with the re-
suits ia a more specific and tangible shape IL Is
doubtless true that the aggregate demand Tor aoof
Ia our City is very good Just now-unusually So
that many receive better wages as well as steadier
employment than they formerly did This. then, is
4 time exceedingly favorable to the Conriers posi-
ton. Bot what is the actual condition of the labor
ing mass OF our ci,zensl We have not all the
facts necessary to show this before us-we wish we
had. and will thank some member OF each trade or
avocation TO send us a clear statement oil the con
dition Of bis own craft-how many, as near as may
BE-. are employed, and how many, as near as may
be- are vanly seeking work-what is the highest.
wba, the lowest and what the average weekly earn
ings of workmen theren-bow these compare with
the prices formerly paid, &c. &c. Let us have the
whole truth Meantime LET us state few OF the
facts within our own know ledge;
l. There is hardly day in which we do not re
ceive applications from printers and others, entreal
Ing work on any terms which will keep starvation
at bay The facts within possession warrant
the estimate that there are time less than twenty
thousand persons vainly seeking work in this city.
Q We are assured by the President Of the Jour
neymcn Shoemakers Association. that the wages of
his fellow craftsmen in our city have fallen lower
and lower until the grca, mass OF them work at
rates which will hardly keep soul and body together
no, averaging over five dollars week. There
are q few employed on nice custom work who dc
better bat the above is true of the great majority.
D. In our trade printing! the average earn
ings Of the journeymen Of our city, including those
who do not work because they cannot get work,
must fall shor, of Sc per week or 5000 per annum.
T. The regular pay Of Day Laborers in our city is
Il we mistake not, 81 per day. Rainy days, severe
cold weather. &c. are Of course excluded 1t would
be liberal estimate 10 say that the willing laborei
has employment four days per week, and earns
e2oo per year Dat of this he has TO pay rent, buy
food fuel clothing medicine. &c. for his family, OF
ton including six or seven children too young tC
labor.
S. There are probably fifty thousand Women ii
our city dependent on their own efforts for subss
tence. One half of these are engaged as Teachers
House Servants &c, and can live while they have
employment The other half are employed as Seam
stresses. Book. Folders. in Manufactures &c, al
wages averaging less than tico dollars per scech -
Thousands cannot by steady industry earn doiia'
and half per week, On this they barely exist
while they haze employment and when that fails
they must starve OF do worse Hundreds are anRu
ally driven to infamy and ruin by absolute desttu
ton.
o. Ihougn the Ignorant ana siinpe idte "ois', ih'
capable and educated suffer also. Hundreds OF youns
men crowd in here from the country. sangune Of
finding employment as clerks. artisans &C. spend
their last dollar in Ruthless efforts cheated out
Of ii BY fraudulent Intelligence Offices or mock EN-
ployers and have TO borrow or beg the means OF
getting home again We have in our eye an ex
oelen, young man, native here, just graduated al
College with honor and esteem. most capable and
worthy and having strong family interest who has
for three months vainly and steadily sought any re
putabe means of gaining livelihood.
7. To an observing eye, Anarchy is written al
over our Industry and modes OF lie. Four times as
many persons as are really needed are engaged al
three times the needful cost in supplying families
with Milk Fruits. Vegetables. Groceries &c. and
In the various departments Of Retail Trade. AL
these must live by their business and the sum Of
their subsistence and profits is Of course an indirect
tax on Productive Labor. Ten times as many per.
sons needfal are employed in conveying pas
sengers and their baggage to and from steamboats,
ac.-so that while they obtain bare living the
.l,., kc ,ho