New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-10
Association at Paris.
PARIS. "Wednesday, June p, ls5

Association at Paris.
PARIS. Wednesday. June p, 1851.
To The Editors Of The Nc,r- York Tribune:
have Just spent pleasant forenoon IN
company with an English friend, visiting two
Fratemal Associations: an Association Of Cooks,
and an Association Of SUgical instrument Makers.
By ordering strawberries and cream the first
instance, and examining Speculums IN the sec
ond, We soon broke the ice, which. truth to say,
was not very hard, and found ourselves launched
at once on the broad sea OF miercommunlcatlon.
Our immediate OBJECT was to inquire, IN all good
faith. a. to the nature and success of the Assocl
alive principle The intricate and important pro-
blem of the ORGANIZATION of Labor" seems 10
us enc which every sensible man ought TO exam
Inc for himself There are temptations enough,
indeed to AVOID H. and even 20 denounce all those
who do not, as lnhdels and Jtoplans but we lett
all such temptations behind us. and com.
menced our work of examination with the most
perfect candor We were met IN the same spirit.
The numerous questions we put were all an
swered without the slightest hesitation. Ii was
evident that ", were not conyersng with mere
tradesnen but with men conscious OF occupying
an important position, and resolved 10 adorn ana
dignity H. I'm word. they were men OF prnci-
pie ileaSts, certainly. but still more reallsts
men who present YOU Their theories IN the form
OF lite
The dissertation n Surgical Instrument HaSers
was one of the first Associations established IN
France II was organized IN 1878 under the aus
pices of the Government, which granted II a loan
Of about $1,000. This loan Is continued 10 the
present day, but at a rate OF charge, ana win an
extent and expense OF suTraliance which makes
It cost nearly eight per cent The Associates are
ten m number. and work together on terms OF the
Is IL
ored more than another. 1t - the most dIllgent.
There are MANY kinds of labor 20 perform. some
of them what the world calls mental. and requlr-
ing little capacity. except for endurance others
Of a more dIgnted character, SO 10 speak, ana re-
curing the utmost care and skill but the man
who turns the grlndstone or blows the bellows is
as much respected IN his vocation a. he who
gives the last finishing touch to lancet, or traf-
hcks behind the cOunterwlth an nclpient surgeon.
This air IF perfect freedom which pervades the
the Socialist workshops Il don't cut the word
Socialist because ignorance ana superstition
may have given II bad Odor) Is one OF the hrst
things which strikes a Spcctator-eSpoclally an
European spectator II Is worth all the homi-
hes on the dignity OF human nature, and all the
songs about the good time coming, which
were ever written In such a presence we feel
We are m company with MN. If you are drone
IN the worlds hive, unless YOU are also an IN
Neierate snob. YOU feel YOU are IN the presence
q
to agltate a country from one end to the other
about the glory OF work--It Is at least harmless
for Young poets 10 chant INTO the ears OF an eN
hausted world that - labor J. worship - but It
stack me this morning that one mandatory
conducted on sound principle, and quietly SOW
ng tor liSeli--or. al least seeking TO soive-the
great question OF Labor, was worth all the meet
mgs, and T. YOU Will pardon the word, all the
workinguan'> newspapers III The world. Bul
wer saws truly enough. that " the agitation o
thought IS the beginning OF wisdom 30 IL Is
and the end OF II, too, sometimes But agitation
like thunder and earthquake, should be the tN-
ceptlon. not the rule Talk Is 4 too common
substitute for thought and stlll worse subsu
iute tor WORK Let the world desplse mass meet
lngs and monster demonstrations az II viii, It can
never desplse though II may oppose well-ofgan-
lied and vigorously prosecuted Labor. mass
meeting Of farmers, owning their land jontly
and gong 10 H. cultivation with strong hands and
cheerful hearts monster demonstration Oh
miners. having am equal interest III their enter
Prise. and diving INTO the bowels OF the earth as
cheeriuliy Is If they were gong To repast such
exhibitions alas that they are 20 unirequent are
better adapted to convert men than all the con
NentlOns IN the world
But 10 return. In reply 20 our questions as 10
the rate Of payment which each received Tor ms
work whether they were all PAID equally, or
according 10 the nature and amount OF his work
ii.
satisfied with the working OF their system, the
reply OF the AssOclalry was. that a. there was
almost an infinite variety OF labor, they were
compelled rom the FIRST 20 depart from the plan
0f equal remuneration. adopted by associations
engaged IL simpler kinds 81 business. and 70 al
low every associate Teirbutl0n IN a. near as
possible an exact proportion 10 his labor and
skill that they were all perfectly agreed upon
this lOlnt. - there were no leal0usles nor DICK
erIngs that they had to w0rk very hard 10 meet
with an average success, on account OF the
slackness Of business since the revolution, and
the general prejudice against their enterprise
that after allowing each associate % draw from
the concern enough for his comfortable support
there was placed 10 each ones credit an equal
share Of the wears profits that no money,
with the exception lust named, could be drawn
oul by any associate until the whole debt had
been paid of that from the commencement no
one mad shown the least disposition 10 shlrk
either labor or responsibility that although, Tor
tie reasons already named. they had not Yet
earned much. If any more, than they could have
done as hired workmen still they were aDua-
dainty satisfied with the correctness Of their
principle. hrsi because Of its Inestmable social
advantages Seeing that - all men are created
70 b, free and equal ana then because II con
tanned the elements Of pecunlary success and
that every day public opinion, a. Indicated
In the newspapers. and III the everyday IN
tercourSe Of lie. was becoming TO say the
least less and less InIUlcal 70 them. -
As an Illustration OF this last statement let ne
relate a significant Incident. As We were walk
ink near the shop IN reference, my companion and
myself noticed two dry deInure looking persons, !
~ no 1rpnoSJng costume of JfSulf Priests walk.