New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-01
LARnR AND WAGES.

Inc tllnts, III IN sdld are gOOu-tuht Is, tnere
is great activity in Trade, q large abundance Of
Money, and powerful impetus to Speculation.
Building-lots and other Real Estate are rapidly
changing hands, with USUALLY an advance in
price of ten to one hundred per cent A few
are rapidly accommodating vast fortunes, while
much larger number are silently and more
slowly but steadily acquiring wealth "A man
must he fool who can't make So, 900 year.
was the casual remark lately Of one Wall.st
operator TO another; and thousands are acting
and living as if they considered this an estab-
lished fact.
But, Underneath this gay varnish of wealth,
luxury and prosperity, there is an abyss of
poverty and restitution, whence issue omnous
through subdued meanings Of discomfort aud
misery. Take the following letter as sample
Of a class which we are constantly receiving:
t. as Editor If TasN T7Rgss
Being a constant reader of your Journal take the
liberty of addressing the enclosed facts seeing that
your feelings ae toward the working classes, whose
situation becoming des perate in consequence
OF the high price OF Food and Rent nn certain you
will give tbs statement publicity. ] am a mechanic
with four young children, getting dollars per
week; have 10 work week in the month for the
landlord, who tells me sha be raised May and |
do assure you have very poor apartments at that My
business being only (being fancy furrer)
am idle some time in the year; and IL can possibly
get employ out Of season. il Il such bad raes
that cannot make more than four dollars per week.
Now, then, fancy my situhton. | work hard, and still
get ndsbt have to pay dearly for credit and when
wage get better have enough to do 20 pay OFT what
What must be my feelings when | look AZ nv
family, and ponder on my hard fstei really assure
YOU my heart breaks. have two sisters who work tyr
shirt snd whose prices dreadful
that they cannot live by their labor and az that
Obliged 10 take out half IN dry goods exurbiiant
prices. Their employer Is located in WIlsmst, AMI
have been told lately purchased house 20 live in Tor
$4,000 Where this viii end the great Onnipotent
oHly kDows Ireyret much 10 have encroached your
time and columns long. BY giving the above publ
city, you viii confer great obligation on
A PooR MgcnASic.
This is but a sample OF the heart-history Of
many, many thousands Of the inhabitants Of our
City, and of all cities. We ask those who are
now amassiDg wealth, or living sumptuously
on that already amassed, to look the above in
the face, and asks their own hearts whether
that is the ultimate or Divine Social Order
under which the few are enabled 10 live in
$4,000 houses and give 81 600 parties, while
ten times as many are constrained 20 live by
such irregular and unrequted toll as that of
this poor furrier and bis shirt making sisters
Not being Atheists, but profoundly belev-
ing in God Of omnipotent wisdom and good
ness, we cannot doubt thar our present Social
Order is Fictitious and transitionsl-not the
appointment of Divine benefcence, but the
result of human ignorance, blindness and self
ishness, and destined to be supplanted by
something far better and more conducive 20
general well-being We believe it is perfectly
within the power of the present population Of
our City 10 create far better Social Order
than the Present-,o secure TO the INDECENT
far steadier employment, better wages and far
more comforts than they now enjoy But while
nearly al those to whom the present Social
Order gives opportunity and power employ
them merely TO enrich or sggraDdize them
selves and increase the sun Of their sensual
epjoymeDss and material possessions, the pro-
gress Of Reform must be dilatory aud partial.
We stand face TO face with these facts; Both
Labor and ldleDess superabound in our city.
Thousands are to-day hungry, naked and
houseless, Who yet have capacity TO produce
Food clothing ard shelter, and are willing and
eager 10 work. But Production is a complex
and by no means instantaneous process He
who wants bread, or clothes, or lodgings, can
not set to work when and where be viii aud
produce whatsoever be needs out Of nothing.
Nay; he may be ready and efficient worker,
and yet incapable Of producing what be needs
AT all, even with the material furnished 90 bis
hands. He may be good tailor, shoemaker
or blacksmith. yet in want Of bread. which he
cannot directly make On his shop board, lap
stone or anil Some other persons needs
must respond TO and afford the means Of sstis-
flying his own.
The mos, casual observation would seem saf.