New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-10
WAGES AND STRIKES.

WAGES AND STRIKES.
The large and STEADY influx of Gold from
California and Australia into the great centers
of Commerce is producing very natural effect
upon prices Money in becoming more album
dant, becomes cheaper, just as an extraordi-
nary Weld of Corn would cheaper that impor-
tsnt staple; and, if Corn were the recognized
medium of payments and legal measure of val
ues, we might say that ererythiHg was rising in
prjce-Corn being the standard.
A general enhancement OF price under such
circumstances is natural-well nigh inevitable
A farm or house may be absolutely worth no
more now than it was in ls37-that is to say
it will contribute no more to human comfort
or sustenance-and yet the number of dollars
that would fairly balance it may be considera-
bly, greater than at the former stringent period
The rising prices of our time are therefore
not wholly speculative. They have a broad
foundation in undeniable fact. An ounce of
gold OF silver, being in the average more easily
obtained from the earth in 1923 than it was
ten, twenty or thirty years ago, il follows of
necessity that il will pay for a smaller sggre-
gate Of labor or its products than it did prior
to Is49 Lands and other fixed property SYM
pathze with products. And, as every general
increase in Wealth raises mntitudes in the
social scale from consumers of necessaries
only TO consumers of Injuries as well, an ex-
pansion of the Currency naturally involves in
creased activity in Manufactures, Building,
Commerce, &c. &c. And thus the ground
plots of Cities and Villages, actual and en-
byO, naturally increase in value much faster
than the average of Real Estate, because
Trade, Manufacture, and all the Arts most pc.
tently affected by the movement, center here.
The cost of living, We say, has been consd-
erably enhanced since 1850: Not that a given
amount of Labor dees not produce so large an
aggregate of necessares and comforts as be-
fore, but that their money price is higher.
This enhancement is not uniform. nor even
universal for any one may buy as good a news
paper for two cents in this March, 1853, as he
could have obtained for that price at any for
mer time-and so of many things. The cost of
Travelling is at least as moderate now as at any
former time. Breadstuffs are little higher
now than they were year ago, and hardly half
as dear as they were during the winter of
1901 Fuel (Coal) also costs but little more
than half so much as il did daring that winter
Potatoes, We believe, are much cheaper than
they were one year ago, or have been at this
season for number of years Apples and some
other fruits are remarkably cheap for this time
Of year; Butter is much cheaper than il has
been of late, and about as cheap as last year
at this time; Meats are generally higher; and
Rents are being stuck on rather savagely in
cur City. The truth is, too many people riH
live ON the few square miles within sight Of
Trinity steeple, and some of US will have 10 be
starved out by the rest. 1t is harsh medi-
cine, but no other appears to operate. so we
must cen test the virtues Of this
We wish those especially interested in the
question Of Wages whether Journeymen or
Employers would compile a digest of the
expenses Of living in our City al
this time and at the corresponding season Of
asst year and of several years preceding. Our
own impression is that the fair average cost
Of living in our City will be about ten per cent
higher from the first of May next than it was
asst year-yet We may be quite wrong in this
estimate. AT sn events, the truth should be
ascertsned and made public
There ought TO be, and can hardly fail TO be.
general advance Of wages in our City this
spring, though We think not 50 large as is by
many anticipated We do not say that all
wages should be raised, for many trades are
now Tar better paid than others; We d m,
assume to decide which trades should or sbouls
not be better paid, nor to what extent the al. !
vance should be carried in any but con.;d
triDg the abundance OF money, the aetiyitv Of
business and the enhanced cost of living wa
consider some advance natural il not iasv;,,
bic.
We believe if no more than reasonable al.
vance Is demanded in any trade-if Just and
'mcable spirit is eviucsd BY the Joansymeu