American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-05-04

,i ia oniuons and sentiments are unrtlerru ny par
ezan and scctarian prejudlces thereby ElVna It a
rn,pe rrceptiun among all classes and conditions o SO
eietv aud especially those who constitute ,n' ne w
trade and ba,mess make it medium Tor ault'' ,1E
eaaaI to any other paper published IN ul' '''y' y"
chants ana citizens generally should be aware ol u''S
important fact
Tue WAGES or LABOR. Insome comments
on the subject of the wages Of labor, the Pro-
violence Gazette endeavors to show, that the
prices paid for labor are nothing like equivalent
to the prof; made by the merchant. In Illus
tration ofthis position the writer says
GA merchant buys barrel OF Hour Tor four
dollars-a drayman carries 1t to MS store l0r
twelve ana half cents, and the merchant sens
it to a customer for five dollars, making e'9nly-
soyen and half cents by the bargain ne
whole amount Of capital employed by nun IN
the transaction was four dollars and one eIghth,
and on this. in fifteen minutes, he makes seven
times as much money as the laoorer does III
twice the time with his horse and drag
As this case is presented there is an apparent
jnconanty in services and compensatonj but 1t
is not fairly presented. The merchant buys his
Hoi, at certain price, but is not certain that
he will be able to sell it at profit, and ire
dueuty has 10 dispose of it at loss. be risks
a LARGE sum- the d,uyman risks nothing; and
probably at the end Of the year he has realized
moro than the merchant. The profits of the
drayman are small bat sure. He does cash
business, and is cntireIy independent of the
fluctuations Of the market. The mercantile
business is nazardous-som engaged in it are
fortunate and accumulate wealth; but how ma
ny fail ana become poor.
The skilGll and industrious mechanic, who
practices prudence and economy, Is more GER
tain of becoming independent in bis circum-
stances, than the Spectator in produce. Let
both start ID the world upon perfect equality,
and in nine cases out Of ten, the mechanic will,
at the expiration Of twenty Yeas, be worth the
most money. The most substantial men in
the community are those who have accumulat-
ed their fortunes gradually, and by their own
industry.
The principle applied by the writer to the
merchan. and drayman, would be equally just
in reference to the farmer and his hired hands
They work for Il stipulated price, and are not
dependent upon reasons or prices of produces
whilst the farmer, if his crops fail, or prices be
low, may be unable to realize as much from his
land as will pay for its cultiyation-and yet,
according 10 the reasoning Of this writer, be-
cause the farmer may, by chance, obtain good
prices for his produce, he does injustice to the
=, b;s Much hnS
been said about the wages Of labor; and, in re-
ference to one class of society, the seamstres-
ses, there is Just cause of complaint; for they
are seldom adequately compensated for their
work. BIZ. this grievance does not exist in
reference to labor generally, when there is full
employment. We grant that, in 1912, when
we had tariff of only 20 per cent. wages OF
nearly every description were reduced. This
was necessary consequence OF having so ma
nv persons thrown out of employment: and
such will again be the condition of things
should the tariff be brought down to what is
called the revenue standard. But let us look
at wares as they nov exist. a good mechanic
can make al least $50 per day, and some OF
them make considerably more-a laborer re-
ceives from 81 to Sl25 per day. A wood
SAWYER, if he have constant employment, will
earn 81 per day. Some trades have been
seriously injured by the great influx of foreign
workmen, who underworld regular hands But
with these exceptions, labor is much better
compensated in this country than in any other.
Here the road to wealth and honor is open a
like TO all. and some Of the most distinguished
men of the nation, commenced the world as
humble mechanics. Instead, then, of COM
planning that the merchant sometimes makes a
rapid fortune, let each persevere in his voca-
tion-cultiyate his mind-practice rigid econo-
my-and preserve his integrity unsullied-and
the inequalities of society will be much less
than are supposed. Character is equivalent to
capital; the poor man has it, therefore, in his
power to shape his own course, in great mea-
sure, through life. If, like the soldier IN the
song he "spend half crown out OF slXpence
day,"it is very certain that he will neither
attain wealth nor distinction; but if ne viii
stake care of the pennies, as Franklin advis-
ed, he may rely on it that he will soon become
possessed Of the pounds.
"THE SPAWN OF TuoN; or the Bier Bit