New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-26
NEwYoRK DAILY TRIBUNE Tuesday, NOVEMBER 90, 1850


wards of industry and leaves many unemployed
Large cities, from the attractions which they pre-
sent to adyentnrers. nre constantly eXpo9ei 70
this evil Tor which their own resources cannot III
the nature Of things provide ~ adequate remedy.
Hence the uniform failure OF all the oitrePeatei
| attempts OF the phanthropic to turnlsh TABOR io9
tire redundant population u such piaCes IL IS
demonstrabe that beyond : certain limit winch
lin is defined by what may De termed the law
/ of reciprocity, there can be no demand Tor la5oT,
because the community is supplied TO its utmost
capacity. 1t follows that the Surplus laborcrs 1t
they remain, for the time being are doomed u
idleness; and ii without means to suffer the mis-
cries of want unless relieved by the hand of char.
ity Evidently 10 aSsoCi alton of citizens j. com
! petent TO change this state o. things by perua-
/ nent employment beyond the actual demsnd.
For such result presupposeS sudden lncraasc
OF capital enterprise commerce, manufactures
and indeed OF all the elements essential -
state Of unwonted prosperity, to an extent which
shall put in requisirion the labor OF all the uheol
>ployed. All this, too, must be done and peuua-
nently sustained by artificial means In direct oP
position to those infexible principles and natural
processes by which such results alone be Sc
cured
Nor does the difficulty end here. Admitting,
for the sake OF the argument, that the desired 90
iect was for once obtained, and the thousands OF
the unemployed men, women ana children III the
city were provided with work, the knowledge OF
this fact would attract other thousands, equally
needy and deserving; these supplied, osnefs
would press in, and so onward al tnRn't1m, al
WAYS leaving the demand unsatisted, and the
community in as nece ssltous state as II vas oe-
fore any thing was attempted.
The great number OF the unemployed, more.
over aggravates the difficulty CT providing reilef
II there were but few scores or few hundrtds
in this destitute condition. their case might posi-
bly, be reached by the special exertlons oil the be-
nevolent. But when they amount to thousands
of diverse occupations, as IS generally tile case
in this CITY, to supply them with employment be-
comes matter altogether too vast and complex TO
he undertaken by any association, however am
pie its resources.
1t is urged that temporary and not permanent
employment IS contemplated In reply 1t may
be said, that nothing less than permanent employ
ment will meet the exgence for here, there is
always a large deficit of labor. But waving the
further consideration of this point, and admit that
only temporary employment is required, this cir
cum stance neither affects the premises nor the
conclusions to which they lead. II all the exist
ing wants If the community for labor are supplied,
leaving large surplus OF unemployed persons, 1t
does not appear how any association can create
new demand beyond this, even for q week or
month II by the interference and special exer
lions of third party, such information be gwen
the needy as that they are enabled toootain TEN
porary employment, this, 1t IS obvious, would De
n very different matter from creating demand Tor
labor the result would merely prove that the de,
mand for labor previously existed, which demand
would of itself eventually have put in requlsition
the services of the unemployed to the extent re-
qnred without any foreign agency whatever.
it is also found that deficiencies of labor are Of
ten aggravated by fluctuations of business, which
suddenly and sometimes unexpectedly deprive
many persons OF employment. But when suCh
is the case it is evident that the cause ltseit Is
beyend the control of an association OF private
citizens who must share themselves IN the COM
mon disaster. When employment fails from this
cause, the chief difference is that the suffering
consequent upon il will be OF shorter duration,
and that time will work the remedy. All that
can be done is to mitigate the force OF the calam-
ity where it falls most heavily. For to prevent
such state of things, or to reverse the results,
and give employment to the unemployed when no
demand exists Tor their la0or Is eFldehtly lihPluc
ticabe.
Without enlarging on these views, the course
which should be pursued, with respect to the able
| bodied unemployed poor is clearly Indicated A
wide distinction should evidently be made be-
! tween them and the i3np0teM. ii the hale and
| vigorous cannot earn their subsistence here, they
should earn it elsewhere. There should be no
! pledges of employment, which generally de-
ceptve and mischiev0us; and no proher OF com
foftable aims houses or OF liberal ont door relief
to encourage them to remain. On the contrary,
their own best interests and those OF the commit
nity require that every proper motive and nHu
ence should be presented, and every practicable
facility afforded to induce them to emlgrate. And
in order to effect this, we possess decided adyan
tages over the crowded cities Of the old world
There, they are obliged to provide local relief, be
cause the rural districts filed to their utmost
capacity, and afford no outlet 1t is very different
in this country. If our cities are burdened with
a population beyond the means Of employment
and subsistence, the country is ample and abounds
with all the essential elements OF plenty and pros
haotN rynEf no q Oof
extent Of unoccupied territorial surtace, with a
fertile soil and genial climate, for the benefit OF
our fellow men and considerations OF humanity,
self security and economy, alike urge u.s. so far as
is practicable, to put the suffering and needy IN
possession OF these advantages. And in order to
effect this, the city should be stripped OF the at
fractions it presents to this class for while these
exist, many of the able-b bodied poor will remain
to become an intolerable tax and scOurge to the
community. The greatest kindness that can be
shown them, is to cause them, il necessary, by
rigorous measures TO choose the interior for their
home, where, by honest industry, they may recov-
Ell set-respect and independence and become
blessings instead of burdens to the country
This it is believed is the principle with respect
to them, which should govern all the organized
and unorganized charities OF the city
The Boston Employment Society, having dis
covered the utter nutility Of seeking labor Tor the
unemployed poor, where 1t could not De found Is
not acting on the policy above suggested. 10 all
unsuccessful applicants for work. The advice is to
leave the city at once and seek i IN the interior
And more, there is reason to believe, have found
relief by following this counsel than in any other g
way To deter persons, moreover, abroad from
coming to the city for that object the Society pub
shed an Official manifesto, earnestly recommend
Ing all the unemploy ed, who would avoid disap-
| continent, and loss of time and money, not TO
hope tor success in Boston. The inference from
these facts is obvious. If true philanthropy rem
much more important and necessary that similar
policy should be pursued in this where the evilin
/ question is experienced in a ten-fold degree
Tile mpotcat poor and those 'eao by unar0id0-
57e calamity yequ0c temporary aid, comprise a
class with which all are sofaniliar, thattle need