New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-07-25
Rights Of Labor in France.

Rights Of Labor In France.
Correspondeaoe Of The Courier & EaqTtrer
"The Executive announcing that the National
Workshops bad been entirely dissolved presented de
cree advancing $1,000 70 an association -. e vsv
extensive operations, and thereby AFFORD employment %
large numbers OF unemployed Workmen Inc Dill
alter being considered in Committee, was adopted
bin reported by the COMMITTEE on Labor appropriatlng
&C 900 10 encourage by way Of experiment, Industrial
associations OF wOrkmen between themselves or III
conjunction with their employers was passed without
opposition Tue same Committee has also presented
proposition 10 annul the decree Of the Provisional Gov
eminent lmisiDg days work 20 ten hours
The b0saur are now engaged in the discussion OF the
Constitution and their votes viii have great eneet 10
giving 10 the in.trument its final shape. The debers
which have already taken place, have resulted 10
one decision OF small consequence, ana winch wa
arrived At almost unanimously The clause when
guaranee. the ght OF labor and makes II obligatory
upon the State 10 furnish occupation 70 un mpoye"
workmen has been 80 modined that IL recosnizes no
such absolute right but merely declares the duty OF the
Government 10 relieve the poor from the eXtfees 81
want and TO encourage home industry by every means
not incompatible with its own interests
Gen Cavaignac appears TO be a true Republi-
can, aud is doing as much good as he sees how To
do. His modes OF afording employment, by up
holding and strengthening the arm OF private en-
terprise, and still more by aiding the laborers 10
combine their own efforts and work for their own
mutual benefit rather than for the benefit Of an
employing class, are admirable. There is no dis
pute as to the principle that the State should only
interpose where private enterprise has not been
impelled or has proved inadequate to accomplish
the ends desired. 1.-THE State can aid individuals
or companies to proffer and provide employment
at fair wages TO all who wish itstill better, If 1t
can enable them to employ and pay themselves
it will have happily surmounted the necessity for
National Workshops or any such awkward and
expensive expedient. Employment by the State
i, only desirable when all other employment shall
have failed.
But we cannot for all this, observe without re-
greet the mutilstion of the proposed Constitution
OF France by striking out the acknowledgment OF
Mans Right TO Labor. If sucn are 10 be the fruits
OF the late victory OF the Middle Glasses, we ap
prehend they will seriously modify the exutaiion
with which many have regarded that triumph
To strike out that acknowledgment is to put back
the suns shadow on the dia-pste OF Tlme-to de
grade the French Republic from the advanced po
siton il had so fairly to the level OF the most
commonplace subversions of established and I'M
popular rule. Let us look once more at the prin-
ciple embodied in the original draft OF the Constr
tntion whereof the preliminary Declaration Of
Rights and Duties afhrms
q The Constitution guarantees to all citizens
Liberty Equality Safety Instruction, Labor, Property
Assistance
y The right Of Labor s that which every man has Of
living by h,s work. Society Is bound by the produe.
i've and general means at it, disposal and which Will
hereafter be organized, 10 furnish labor to every man
who cannot procure II themselves.
These sections, il is understood, are to be thrown
overboard-whistled down the wind as Utoplan.
cxtravagant, Improbable; and instead OF them
we are 70 have tho old.fashioned devices Of soup
kitchens and aims houses for the unemployed as
well a. the crippled and incapable And this is
said to be the less extravagsnt and more Conser
vative expedient. Let us consider;
Here is a man healthy. vigorous and skillful,
able and eager to earn comfortable livelihood for
himself and family if he can but find work to do
aud the fair recompense Of his dong But he has
no work, and is bafed in all his efforts to procure
any His family inevitably sink from comfort to
destitotion and misery--ther natural pride of cha
rac,er is crushed, and they fall gradually into
bcegary very likely into disease and despair
Noo tae State iDterferes, virtually saying 81
long as you tried 10 find means OF earning your
living, we regarded YOU with the coolest indiiier
.eDee. bat now that you give up beaten and drift
shelplessly down the current, we will come 10
syour aid We will rot trouble ourselves 10 find
syou chance TO live by your own labor, but the
.moment you resign yourself to live without labor
we gaara ntee you and yours subsistence is
not here diree, premium offered 70 idleness
thriitlessness and pauPerism
Now. the new thought the more excellent
way is to deal with Pauperism by way OF Pre-
vea,ins rather than melting 10 and SUSTAINING II
II does not seem worth while TO hire and pay meI
10 pauperize themselves the tendency that way
does not need such stimulus. Better pay mei
no, TO be than to become paupers. Here, for ex
ample. is a man with no industrial educat'on-n'
decided faculty for any productive labor Still, h
must live. and so mus, bis family though it Il
nobody's interest at present TO employ him ct I
price which will give them tolersble subsistence
Now. would il not be better for the State to hire
this man at fifty cents per day, and sell his labo
to some one for twenty-five, than to let HIM stant
idle. and soon become public charge with hi
family Atwork, be viii be acquiring skill TO ear
more and become truly independent; is he hkei.
. to learn anything as good at the Poor House
tia wise, the prudent, the conservative wui oa
fairly consider, they must decide that the full anS
fair establishment Of the Right TO Labor woui'
cos, the community less than would be saved &
IL in the instant dimination and srsdaa. extinc
zee n Pssesrsa'