New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-22

snv,bing that /. offered them. These extrsm
lovs prices then become "the established scaiO o
urces" In the. Office, AID II any gooi AID rcsPsc:l
III workman be forced, by adverse circumstances
10 VOL therein, he must also su;c11b, or be OIL
of work when he can leas: aiiJri 70.
Bur perhaps the chief cause Of the present lo1
rate NJ remuneration, and all the other evils which
affect oar trade. is the unaccOontsb.e apathy az
indifference OF the workmen themselves. To de
scribe Il infinitely WOlld BE- a work Of supe-sr0ga
ton all must be aware Of t-Inost sust feel il IN
themselves; aud We might pass il altogether ii II
were not for the hope that some might be aroused
sufficiently 20 awake 10 the necessity Of speaking
out now, or forever after holding their peace.
In this hope your Committee would respectfully
but carr esty ask every jou-nsyman printer First
II the statements in this Report are not strictly
true Second If the present state OF things is de
sirabe, or as it should be- Third, II be expec:s
that it vii get better Of ITSELF that empl )yers
will make it better for Our especial benef. .
Fourth II he has any right 70 expect hat bis fellow
workmen are to do all the Dort, that he may reap
the benefit without even putting forth dis hanl -
help or assist F1h Or rather II be Is not deter
mined that from this moment he vii devote all bis
best energies - the regeneration o. his once hln-
orec, and always honorable because in the highest
degree useiu craft and strive 70 work out its sal
walton, without fear or trembling bat with the fixed
resolution 10 leave the trade at least li.!e better
than he found il
If the JOurneymen Printers will DO this generally,
each one for himself, and quite irrespective Of
"Wbat are the others going to dol" our work will
be easy, and our triumph complete. Remember
that the assistance ask is so mall on your part
and so repete with benefits to yourselves that u IS
directly 10 your interest to render it. We recon-
mend no Strike on the contrary we deprecste all
violent measures. Our weapons must be Moral
Suasion and combined and vigorous Action, by our
selves and for ourselves. II they tcish good 10
Themselves, let them como up pith ns and help u.s.
Your Committee having thus pointed out the
more prominent grievances of the Trade. and what
they conceive to be the chief causes Of them will
now endeavor to indicate such remedies as appear
best calculated TO eradicate them.
We will first speak of the immediate or present
remedies, and afterward Of what We believe b be
the only ultimate and real remedy, for the evils
which must always exist, 10 greater or lesser ex
tent, in the relations Of employer and empOye.
First: A UNIFORM SCALE OF PRICES.
The advantages Of the general adoption Of such
a Scale would be To the Journeyman it would
secure uniformity OF payments, which would rem
der his earnings a matter Of certainty instead Of
doubt Under such Scale his remuneration would
depend on his own exertons instead OF the Office ia
which he might happen 10 work, and it would pre-
vent that heart burning and dscontent which be
cannot help but feel when compelled to labor for
less than he has been accustomed to receive.
be Of still more value, its tendency would be to
destroy the present system Of competition, which
not ony cuts down Journeymens' wages, bat also
Employers profits. If all were compelled 70 pay
one uniform price for the same kind Of labor all
would be on an equal footing in their attempts to
get work and their respective success and profit
would depend their own energy, skill, and bust
ness capabilities, rather than their capability Of
screwing down men TO the lowest possible price,
and filling their offices with boys.
Second, By REDUCING THE NUMBER or AP-
PREETIcEs
This should be done by the mutual agreement Of
the employers and the men. The employers might
get rid Of their worst boys, and employ good and
efficient men twho would earn their money!
instead. Those boys who were kept should be
bound by an lndenture, or legal instrument which
would compel them to serve certain number Of
years at the business They should be placed, at
the commencement of their time, under some ex-
perienced work man, who should have some interest
in the proficiency of the Apprentice, and who
would then do his best to make him good and
capable workman, fit TO go into any office.
Your Committee believe that such an arrange
ment rs the above would be advantageous-TOt the
employer, by giving him a few good steady Ap
prentices, on whom he could depend while IN his
Office, and Of whom lie would not be ashamed
when they went out OF II. To the men, by reducing
the number of boys, and making those who are to
DC tNtH lclOW WOThmcu W DC 80 Anu
to the Apprentices themselves il would be Of in.
calcuable benefit; for instead Of having to wander
from office TO Office, picking up, here a little and
there little, Of that knowledge and Information
which is now always given grudgingly, and as
though it were direct robbery Of the men, they |
would then be regularly bound to somerespectable
emBloyer who would be bound 10 teach them Tor |
cause them to be taught their trade They would |
be placed under the care and instruction of some |
experienced workman, who would feel an interest |
and take pride in their welfare and proficiency. |
They would be recognized by all who knew them |
as having right to work at the business; and |
when they had completed their term of apprentice
ship they would have their lndenture to serve as a
certificate Of their right to work at the business
wherever they mightgo.
Third, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHAPELs IN |
THE OFFICES.
The Chapel" is the best and least objection |
able mode Of regulating the internal affairs Of the |
Office, and settling dsagreements between EN-. /
ployers and men which can possibly be devised /
The Chapel is a meeting Of all the Journeymen |
and the Apprentices in the last year of their tme
who elect one OF their number as Father" who |
presides over their meetings, and Except on ex. |
traordnary Occasions), acts as their spokesman.
The Chapel may meet at certain fixed times or
may be called together in the csice at any time or /
in any emergency, by the Father Tor BY two or |
three Journeymen signiiying their wish or the ne.
cesslty tor Chapel) to consider and settle any
business which may arise which concerns the men
generally.
Employers who might obj ect to the general body
Of Printers legisstDg for their offices, cannot
reasonably object 10 their own workmen, lwho are
Immediately concerned meeting together and
having voice in matters in which they have so
great an interest
To the men, too, it is Of the greatest,mportance,
or it is well known that many things may be cor
ected and satisfactorily adjusted whenit is known
o be the wish OF al, Which would be utterly neg
ected if mentioned by one or two As an iliustra.
ion OF this, your Committee are Of opinion that
Irregular Pay might very soon become Good
Pay in most Offices, if the men would unitedlv
ay the matter before the employer. Unfair Di;
r1tHt'oH Of Copy and F'avOrItiSm might also be
adjusted In the same way; and number of other
,rievances, which prevail in certain Offices, might
hus be corrected by the men working in those