New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-22
ties are sharp enough to compel them thereto) and
gives them the most solid matter, even a. that

l..
But although II cents is not q common price, %
cents per thousand as, and we would ask if that il
o fair compensation FOR the toll both mental aud
bodily, which Printer must undergol Allowing
for time lost in waiting for letter. copy and proofs
In correcting extra proofs, and other unavoidable
delays comgositOrs DO not average over 5000 pe,
day, which will bring not quite 81 per week; and
when the price o. fod, the expense Of fae co.hinO
and other necessaiies and the enormous rate O.
house rent is cons dered, who will say that ever
the moot prudent can any portion OF his scsnty
earnings for the time Of sickness or debility or e
provide for his family when he shall be removed
from among them.
1t may here be objected that al are not paid 81
low, some get good wages, etc. We admit it bal
il we understand The objects Of this Union Alright
and more particularly in its direct action in order
ing this Report, II is, that all who are capable o.
doing fair days work should have far days
wages for doing il.
To prevent any misconception on this subject.
your Committee will Low show what is the acreage
earnings Of our craft
Our statistics tell us tha: in five of the best pay
,ng Offices in the City, that is 10 say, in those
offices where men ere able 70 earn the most money.
the men average az the rate Of 5l2 50 per week
but our statistics also tell Us that those Offices are
DAILY Paper off es, where from the nature OF the
WORK they are obliged 10 offer extra pay 10 tempt
the very best hands ia the trade 70 labor an aver
age Of l6 hours per day, and to expose themselves
TO certain premature old age, and probable early
death. II proof Of this were wanting, your Com
mttee could point 10 a certain Office (which is not
a whit more unhealthy badly managed than
otbersl where they reckon TO lose, that is TO Xii,
one man every eighteen months or TWO years. but
those whom we are addressing must have had
more or less experience IN these matters, and they
will not for a moment disputeit TO those who have
not, we will only say, we sincerely hope they may
never have such experience.
We come now to the second class These are
the best workmen the Evening and Weekly
Papers, and In the best Bookwork and Jobbing Of
fees The Compositors get from rs to % cents
per thousand, and the Freshmen from % TO $40 per
week, or an average of 90 per week, when they are
an pOrk for il must be remembered that the print
er is as subject to the fluctuations Of trade any
other brakeman and even when in work, II he
has not 10 wait for fine weather, he has 10 wait for
copy for letter, for proofs, for sorts and for many
other things, each OF which, taken separately, is
triing but the total Of which makes itself seen and
felt in the weeks earnings.
Let Us now consider the condition Of the third
cass-those whom circumstances compel to work
in the :neaner kind Of book and job eflices, and
whose compens alton varies from IT TO rs cents
These men get the lean, solid dg;" and truly it
would be better for them tOdg dirt In the fresh,
pure air. with the shining brightly above, and
the cheerful sounds and pleasant scenes OF nature
they are buried in "the office" from earliest dawn
to dewy eve" even il they did earn little less,
and had less TO spend in excitement.
But what do these men earn! Our statistics
show that pkeR an uoTk their average earnings do
not exceed &c per week which is literally less
than laborers' wages IL must also be remember
ed that this class (which is by far the most numer
ous,l are more frequently out Of work than any 9th
G. owing 10 circumstances 10 which We shall pre-
senty slude, they are to be had at any time, and
In any quantity, thus great numbers Of them are
only taken on for the job, and when the job is
completed they are discharged, to be out Of work
perhaps longer than they were in. 1t will be at
once perceived that this precarious description Of
employ reduces their earnings to a miserable pit
lance indeed; it depriyes them of all the comforts
and many oil the necessaries OF life, and renders
life itself mere existence, hardly worth the strug-
gle necessary to maintainit.
We believe it was chiefly TO raise this lowest
class Of our fekow- orkmen that this mon was
formed and II was to expose the evils under
which they labor and by bringing the light oil pub
lie opinion 10 bear upon them, 70 cause them to melt
away before more liberal policy, that this Report
was ordered and prepared and we have no hest
tation 10 saying, that If this class Of the working
Printers will exert themseh IS in this matter as
they should do, great and permanent benefits will
inevitably ensue.
Your Committee would here state, that from the
best returns which they have been able to pro-
cure, there is an average OF 300 men out Of work.
ali the yearround.
Another evil " hcb presses heavily on tho work
men, is, Bad dad Irregular Pay. In this respect
New York is better than it has been, but there is
still plenty OF room for Improvement and we feel
convinced that we have only 70 point out this evil
and lin some cases. It will be remeded. In the
returns in the hands Of your Committee the offices
marked as Bad Pay" that is Offces in which
the workmon are doubtful il they will ever get
la,r hntf huf fbOsa ms RI a1 Ira
lar" are quite too numerous. By" Irregular" we
distinguish those offices which have the means of
paying in full every week, but precrring their own
interests to those of their employees. pay once
fortnight" end then pay only in part and alvays
In Country Bills.
word or two on the Good Pay" that u.s. those
offices which pay On FIJI, every Saturday, and in
Gold. Silver ana in good Bills which are taken
in the way Of trade, whether City Bills or not
Most OF the Daily Papers, many of the Week.
lies, and some few of the Book and Job Offices
come under this head, AMI they are now sufficient
ly numerous to make the Irregular" paying Off
ces appear the more odous, and the men who
work In them the more discontinued thereat.
The working man generally knows by sad ex.
perience that II he does not receive his money
when il is due he must 90 for what he wants on
credit and he also knows that when he gets things
on credit he either gets worse articles or he pays
more for them, than if he purchased them for
cash. This makes him discontinued, he considers
himself wronged, and defrauded of his "hard
earned penny fee and it ten to one if his en-
poyer does not in the long run lose more by his
workmans concealed dissatisfaction than he has
gained by the wrongful use Of his money.
There is another practice which prevails in some
Offices and to which, as il causes much dssatsfac
ton. we think we should not be doing our duty If
we did not direct your attention; slude to the
UHfAIR DISTRIBUTIONS OF Corr.
MI. r<.or,.tfea Aoas NOT ollagc this q ra,a-.l
thing; quite the reverse, bat we have returns be-
fore us which show that the practice is carried in
some offices to an extent 10 which we can only APP
ply the word Disgrocsfa Without going very
ar, we could point out an office, in which all the
Poetry, and work Of like character is given to
he two ihirders the saded matter 10 the hands on
ime, while the solid invariably falls to the piece
lands.
In other cases it assumes the shape of Favorit.