New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-08
TYPOGRAPHICAL.

We acknowledge the receipt Of communica-
ton from committee appointed by the q New
Orleans Typographical Association 2 informing
us8that that association has established new
scale Of prices embodying an increase Of ten
cents per thousand ems on the present prices
paid to compositors in this city-and requesting
our acquiescence in the arrangement. The
communication, after reciting the foregoing
matter, proceeds to justify the course adopted
in the following manner:
That labor Of almost every description is and has been
for sometimepsst throughout the United States
ing liberal increase OF remuneration that the demand
for such increase has arisen from the fact that
pondng advances in the price Of provisions breadstua
manufactures and, indeed. of useful and indispensable
commodities Of all kinds have mperativey called for
that all present prospects and we'll grounded spacula
tions for the future clearly demonstrate continuance il
mot still further advances upon the present unusually
high rates Of these that the remuneration at present
received by ooposors in this city under the existing
state Of things is altogether inadequate secure to
them suicency for their actual wants, and below
the average wages obtained by other industrial oceupa
tons here that the sedentary and Notwithstanding
nature Of their employment more especially those en-
gagged on morning papers) independent OF the above
mentioned important considerations should certainly
entte them to just and full IL not liberal compes-
sation or Their services are al most undeniabIe facts
facts presenting claims that will not are prone to
believe be dsregarded by conscientious considerable
and liberal minded proprietor when his Of right and
justice is thus appealed to.
AAONNAA''E
Typographical Association beyond the fact of
its existence. and will not admit the right of
any number or class Of men associating them
selves together for the purpose of extorting from
their employers an unwarrantable degree of
compensation, Without going into lengthy
discussion concerning the relative rights Of en-
ployers and employed, it is sufficient for us to
say that an acquiescence in movements like
this, might, in the form of O precedent, warrant
the printers Of this city in demanding sixty,
seventy, or even a hundred cents per thousand,
actual bankruptcy, for refusing them
We do not acknowledge the right of the Asso-
citation to make the demand, but we very
readily and fully agree with them concerning
the justice of their request 1t is undoubtedly
true that the price Of living here has increased
latterly and that increased wages are, therefore,
necessary. For ourselves we shall comply at
once with the request and save the committee
the trouble Of waiting upon us again Aud il
ever hereafter like circumstances should render
like conduct necessary and expedient We shall
take pleasure in meeting it in similar manner;
and circumstances of q contrary character
should occur shall feel ourselves at liberty to
reduce our scale Of prices without reference to
any other than our own judgment. 1t is not
probable, however, that there will ever be any
serious difficulty between the newspaper pro
prietors and printers of this city. The former
are, and always have been, disposed to give the
fullest value of the labor they obtain, and the
conduct of the latter in the past is, to some
extent, guarantee of their conduct in the
future. .,...
In this connection we take occasion to remark
that the increased expense of printing, conse-
quent upon the increased wages of the COM
positors, deserves consideration upon the part
of the proprietors of the papers in this city.
The cost of living has increased to them as we'll
as to their employees, and the additional ex-
psnse of their offices is quite pertinently shown
by the facts we have just noticed 1t strikes us
that some steps are necessary on their part to
meet this state of things, and if an arrange
ment could be entered into by the various
Offices OF the city whereby an increase in the
present rates of advertising should distribute
among many what now falls on half dozen,
nothing more would be accomplished than what
is just and expedient, We leave the matter,
however, to the consideration of cur cntemno-
raries.