The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-01
Revolution in the Shoe Trade.

L
The present crisis in the shoe trade has been
long foreseen by in ntelligent observers, and the
| only wonder Is that IL did not come sooner
! For ten years past il has been n fourishing
and prosperous business. Every village news.
| paper has been urging people to 60 into busi-
ness in order TO increase the population of the
town and enhance the value Of real estate
| The consequence has been that too many
| bosses, without capital, and without sufficient
knowledge Of the business. have en- barked in
II, and too many incompetent or inefficient
workmen have been employed. 1t Is remarka-
BILE that the trade has stood up SO well under
these adverse influences, and resisted SO sue.
Cessful1y the panic of 1857.
II s~only a question of time. however. in
our country, relative to the over action and
reaction in any business. The time has at lag I
come, wien revolution in the shoe man uf,c.
ure has become inevitable Too muct work
ard too poor work, i'll many instances has been
pressed upon the market. a better way than
The present to lessen production would have
been for The man ufacturers to have discharged
all poor workmen and employ the best, giving
TO them, II necessary, the increased pay re-
quireu. ana thus Offering in the market a re-
dueed quantity and improved quality of the
manufacture. Noconcert of this kind, however
IS TO De expected of manufac urers and some
vioIent breaking up, therefore, became una.
BY the accounts Of our reporters. it will
be seen that the advance demanded by
me Lynn Jonrneymen in prices, is from
Yea, zen 70 twenty-five per cent. And that
heretofore the average wages of the work.
men nave not much exceeded SIS per week.
ms Is unquestionably too low TO ailsw them
10 live comfortably at the present price Of pro-
visions, breadstuffs, and rents.
1sappears, however, that some Of the work.
men nave made 50 TO Si2 per week and of
course some must have made cons idprably be-
low the average OF s.. We do not know
whether this difference is owing to the supe-
riority OF tire workmen or TO the ineG uality in
me KINDS OF work. Probably both causes
have operated
Inc shoe manufacture here has probably
no" reached Its maximum The west is very
Wucn depressed, and finds a necessity of re.
soruhG 10 some additional industrial develop
oPment besides agriculture. They will dOub
iess pegln upon the coarser nds of shoes and
massachusetts can only retain her present
vantage ground by seeing to il that the mate.
rial and workmanship are kept up to high
standard.
The effect of the present strike will douh,-
less De to distribute the inferior workmen
among the farmers and fishermen Of the State
ana add laborers here and to our merchant
marine, where they are much needed. They
VIII auu, lnere Is reason TO believe a better
class OF laborers TO the interior and to the sea-
board than the generality OF those now en-
ployed, and in this way ali departments of
business may be benefit ed after the ef'rryes.
cehce mas passed away. The most skilltul
workmen among The jonrneymen will then
probably be able 10 resume work a, a fair ra ,e
OF compensation.-BoMon Tfareier.
AN AGENCY TO ASSIST FUGITIVE SLAVES
TO RETURN TO THEIR MAsrEHs-An enter
prlslrg Southerner has opened an agency in
Detroit with the charitable view of assisting
those fugitive slaves in Canada, who desire it.
TO return to their masters. The Free Press
says:
lie says that he has T. cie ch in yestigatiors
in Canada, especially at Chatham and other
places where Africans most congreyate 10
satisfy him that large numbers Of them are
ANXIOUS ana ready TO return to their masters
AZ the South II they only had the means and
ne proposes 70 furnish them with transp porta-
llon tickets and TO send them in company with
an agent looking to their owners for remune-
ration LOT ms benevolence He is evidently Il
man of nerve and determination and is nos.
sesSeu OF the means 10 carry out his project.
Inc following is his circular addressed to
the colored population:
The underS gu ed, having made arranrements
al me South to furnish means to those of the
colored populItion w 10 are desirouS of return-
ins mas taken an office at No. Desnoyer's
block, en- frances on Jefferson avenue and Bates
street. where he can be found from 10 A. NJ to
r. nj. Arrangements entered into with par
ties Will be guaranteed beyond question as to
the strict fulfllment of all obligations Parties
deslrous of returning can communicate with
the undersigned, either personally or by letter
G. j. BROWN. Agent
There are numbers of the poor creatures who
inability to support themselves and we have
no doubt that the new enterprise will have a
successful run of business.
GREAT EXCITEMENT AT LOUISVILLE KY
A man calling himself John Haskell hailinc
from Massachusetts, but others saw an Eng
lishman. sailor. recently from New Orleaus
iorty-two years DID, was arrested on Saturday
last at Louisville, Ky, for committing b7u-
tai outrage on three boys. His examination
on Monday was postponed on account of the
Illness OF one of the witnesses That morning a
crowd ga thered about theCourt. House increas.
ing till O'Clock, when the Mayor ordered the
steam fire engine to the spot to drive away the
crowd. This was temporarily successful but
towards dark the crowd sWplled to several
thousands. and an attack on the Jail and the
hanging of the prisoner was apprehended
The military were ordered to hold themselves
IN readiness Two cannons were placed inside
the Jail. and the police maTshalled. keeping
| the square i'll front of it clear and arrestng
several intoxicated and insolent persons AT
| five O'Clock the next afternoon. Judge Bullock
addressed the crowd, urging moderation and
| said that the parents of the victims desired no
riotons conduct. but Were willing tha. the
prisoner should be dealt with by the law
The crowd gradually dispersed, although great
Indignation still exists against the prisoner.