New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-07
Response BY The Tribune.

This journal proudly proclaims itself one of
those which have uniformly, enphatically, upheld
tho action Of what The Journal Of Commerce and
Express have stigmatized az " combinations of
workmen against their employers" In other
words. we hold that there ought TO be uni
form rate or scale Of compensation for like me-
chanical service, whether performed in the estab-
Iishment of The Journal Of Commerce, The Ez.
press, or THE TRIBUNE. Our rivals just named
dissent from this position, each holding itself at
perfect liberty to make aud enforce scale of
prices for ITSELF in utter disregard of what may
be the established or usual rates. We depre-
cate the position maintained by those journals as
calculated to keep the trade continually in hot
water, to pay bounty to rapacious meanness,
and to throw the worlds work mainly into the
hands Of the most gripping employers Tor he
who pays S35 for an amount Of work which bis
neiRbbor and rival obtains for $25 or $50, con-
ducts his business under a great disadvantage,
is liable to be underbd by that rival, and in
hard times to see his work gradually aud totally
slip out of his hands. In other words, we re-
gard the free trade, no-scale, devil-take-the hind
most manner of regulating the relations between
employers and employed in mechaaical pursuits
as calculated to secure q monopoly of whatever
work may be going forward in times like these
to the most sOuless employers and the most
selfish, mesn.spirited jOurncymen. We depre-
cate this, and advocate instead system wherein
the wages Of labor shall be settled and definite,
the same in one establishment as in another, and
not changeable at the will Of any individual, but
only BY some general action.
We do lot believe that journeymen only, any
more than employers, ought to fix these wages.
but hold that they should be regulated BY mu.
tual council, fairly constituted, with some up
right intelligent, impartial person mutually
agreed on as final umpire. We believe journey
men capable Of understanding as well " en-
ployers that an eIorbitant rate Of wages is, like
AN Inadequate one, at war with the permanent
interests of ALL 1t is possible that there is some
trade in which the journeymen are 80 ignorant
and short ehted that they would like to estab'
hsh S5 per dag for eight hours labor as the
standard rate in their vocation, but We do not
believe il. At all events. we are sure the print.
ers know better.
1t is certainly untrue that THE TRIBUNE has
either found combinations OF printers to estab-
lish and maintain q uniform Scale OF Prices
" "inconyenent," or would now "be glad TO get
ga release from the evils which they have self
"imposed." On the contrary, we stand exactly
where we have always done, whether as seller
or buyer Of labor. We regret that employers
are not represented as such in the Printers
Union, and have no voice in fixing its Scale oI
Prices; bu. the fault is net with tho journeymen,
who fairly invited such cooperation. The Journal
of Commerce and The EIprca' represent the in
terest that defeated il.
We heartily supported the advance Of wages
which was asked and obtained by the Journey
men Printers Of our city several years since
from all who recognized and respected the
Unions Scale Of Prices. We still think that ad-
vance was fair and just, In view Of tho enhanced
cost Of living and tho prosperity of our trade.
Now that the trade 10 depressed and the cost OF
living diminished, We think there should be cor
responding reduction, and we trust one will be
effected. We do not however, propose to act in
defiance Of the trade but in concert with it, and
We shall be governed by its views of what is just
and bene6cent