The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-22

List of Prices paid for the Effects of Daniel Webster
at Washington; Commercial, Court, Theatrical and
Miscellaneous Intelligence; Advertisements, &c.
The Collins steamer Atlantic is fully due with
four days later European news
The Strikes and the True Policy Of the
Operatives.
There is some ground for apprehending that
the recent strike at Baltimore is the precursor
of a series of similar demonstrations on the part
of the operatives throughout the country. In
New York, especially, fears of general agita-
ton for higher wages are entertained by many
| Of those who are interested in the preservation
ola good understanding between employers and
employed High rents are the chief ground as
signed for these fears. 1t is stated-and, we re-
greet to say, incontrovertibly shown-that an
operatives present wages will not pay for q
suitable lodging at the present rents. Shelter
from the cold and rain is the first want of the
civilized man-the New York operative states
that he cannot pay for shelter, and his state
ment is true.
Here is a grievance which must be account
ed for. then remeded. The rise in the value of
real estate is not natural. 1t cannot be ex-
planned on any theory Of the growing prosperi-
ty of the country. Prosperous we are undoubt-
eddy, but not to such an extent as will account
for the exorbitant prices at which city lots are
now selling. Real estate is out of all proper
ton to the value Of labor, money, and mer-
chandise. The recent rise is abnormal, acct
dental, and must be ephemeral. It results from
the fever of speculation. which is yet raging in
Wall street. Real estate holders have allowed
themselves to be SO far deceived by their hopes
as to set an immoderate value on their proper
ty, and similar delusion has afflicted purcha-
sers. The extraordinary expansion of credit
has offered to the mercantile community I'M
usual promise of wealth, and the realization Of
this fattering promise has been anticipated by
all those who would be indirectly bcneatted
by its occurrence.
We hardly need here repeat our firm convic-
ton that the promise will never be realized in
full Money will, we doubt not, continue to be
made by shrewd operators in legitimate bust
ness. But those schemes which are got up on
the strength of the expansion of the day must
collapse and burst. Then Wall street will re-
sumo more healthy tone. Then real estate
will fall to its real value.
What is to be done meanwhile? IF the rise in
rents is purely accidental. and can be laid to
the charge of no class of individuals in particu-
lar, then those should bear it who are best able
Not the operative, who barely earns enough to
support his family, but the employer, whose
profits in these times must be enormous. The
latter reaps a rich harvest from periods of COM
mercal activity like the present. Shall it be
said that the cause which pours gold into the
pocket of the employer ought to impoverish the
operative?
If on the other hand. any are rightly charge
able with the crime of having raised rents above
their value, it is assuredly not the workmen.
bat the employers who own and deal in real es-
tate. On them ought to fall the burthen. They
and they only ought to pay the penalty of their
rash and cruel experiment.
We hold, that so soon as it can be shown that
the rate Of wages paid in any particular trade is
inadequate to provide the workmen with fit and
proper lodgings-and we believe it has been
shown aready-that rate Of wages ought to be
increased. We consider it to be undoubted in
principle and we doubt not for an instant that
employers would find it the best policy in prac-
tice. Men who are ill-lodged or ill-fed will not
work well. At the present day no one who
employs labor needs to be told that his own in
terests, and those of his workmen, are Identical
The principle once established. the means of
putting it in practice remain to be considered
And we will here take the opportunity ofrecord-
ing an indignant protest against those pseudo
phlanthropists who are for ever DINING into
the ear Of the operative communist notions
about his rights" and the tyranny of CAPT
tai = and who. under guise of serving his in
terests, are laboring with will to effect his
ruin, and that Of all society. These mscreants
we apologize for the term, but the doctrines
they inculcate make an honest mans blood boil
| have done their best to convince workmen
that the present organization of society is
| all wrong, and that it were wise and a
humane thing to knock it to pieces, and
| try to build it up on new basis. Ideas
of reconstruction they have nonc-indeed It
would be bitter irony to ask for such from
| the projectors of Brook Farm. All they ask il
| to be allowed to pull down. Faithful to the
cause in this emergency, they hypocritically
denounce strikes; but, at the same time, they
call upon the workmen to "put the word ahead
Of the blow The parish demagogue re-
minded the mob that stones were at hand, and
that glass was brittle; then, pointing to the
windows of the unpopular magistrate, entreat.
ed his hearers not to break them. So the men
we speak Of let not o week pass without re.