The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-08

present thought should have been had recourse
to, we trust that they will, nevertheless not
be permitted to escape " unwhipt Of justice"
but be made to feel that the law is the
defender of the public good, and that none, how
great soever their influence, can escape its
lash.
Termination OF the Labor Movement-Dut
OF the Workmen.
We may now congratulate New York on
having safely passed through crisis of no or
binary difficulty and danger. The labor move
ment is over. With one or two Insignificant
exceptions, the operatives and mechanics have
obtained the increase of wages they sought. So
far as we can Judge, their triumph has involved
no serious sacrifice on the part Of their employ
ers. Nearly all those commodities which had
not advanced in value simultaneously with
rents and provisions, have since struggled to.a
rise. Though the money market is easier than
it has been for several weeks, capitalists are
contriving to participate in the general infa-
ton, and prices are ruling at even higher rates
than the recent increase in wages required.
There are, Of course, exceptions to this rule
such as newspapers for instance, which are still
sold for the same sum as was paid when labor
was considerably cheaper, and some other
commodities, which are prevented by competi-
ton from rising to their legitimate value
But, as general thing-though, in reality, no
class of the community il likely to reap any
permanent benefit from an upward movement
in which all shall share alike-<he apparent ad-
vantage of increased emolument has been de
MED to none. Those articles which fetched An
apparently exorbitant price some weeks ago,
are now firmly fixed at that rate, and all others
have risen to their level. We are not aware
that either trade or the public convenience is
likely to be much affected by = general altera-
ton of the conventional value Of commodities,
and, therefore, scruple to attach any very great
Importance to the net results of the recent rise.
But there are classes in the community to
whom the labor movement has been of vital
moment. For the operatives it has been
question of life and death-an experiment of
the most perilous character. Had they failed,
what misery must have ensued how much
suffering would it now have been our lot to
deplore !--how many starving families, how
many desperate fathers, how many heart-broken
mothers would appeal to the charitable! What
frightful scenes Of confusion, disorder, and per-
haps, bloodshed, would the last few weeks have
witnessed!
They have succeeded, and succeeded easily,
promptly and cheaply. To say that this success
was wholly due to their good fortans would be
doing them an injustice. The New York ope-
ratives are jostly entitled to claim very
large share Of their triumph as the ma
tural fruits Of their own judicious and tenn
perate conduct For this some honest pri de
il quite excusable Credit, however. is due
to the employers for the liberal spirit in
which the demands of the workmen have been
met and granted; and we trust that the men
will not overlook the fact. In most Of the in
stances which have fallen under our notice. the
employers have evinced generosity as we'll as
justice towards their workmen; the least we
can expect from the latter is hearty zeal in
the discharge of their duties The idle time
server is doubly criminal hencsforth. Chance,
likewise, has favored the workmen. Correct -
their conduct has been, and liberal as the en-
ployers have proved, they are indebted in no
small degree to their own good luck for their
immunity from the miseries which usually &C
company strikes. Instances could easily be adj
duced where an equal share of moderation on
the one side and fairness on the other have not
availed to avert appalling disasters. Provi-
dence has been more merciful in our case. No
untoward accidents occurred to complicate the
Of the strikers. Events labor
ed effectively in their cause. A rapid and in
creasing development of trade and manufac-
lures rendered an immediate settlement of the
dispute imperative. A most suspicious re-
covery in the money market removed very
serious obstacle. Even the season and the
weather lent them helping hand.
1t is right that those who are now reaping
the fruits Of the triumph. should properly ap-
preciate the influence of these various causes
The lesson will be lost on those who presumptu-
ously asesjbe heir success to their own efforts
alone; and when next it becomes necessary to
strike for higher wages, they will have gained
no reliable experience and may possibly COM
NIT fatal errors. We wish the workmen-who
need no assurance Of the sincerity of our SYM
patty with their cause-to bear distinctly in
mind that the recent increase ofwages which has
relieved them from cruel straits, and enabled
them to support themselves and their families
in comfort, is as much due 10 the honorable fair
ness Of their employers, and the peculiar favor
of Providence aa In the in aticn of thar A.