New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-11-16
TEE RIGHTS OF LABOR.

TEE RIGHTS OF LABOR.
| Mr.. Edwin James las printed brief letter OF
counsel and encouragement TO the Working
Men Of our City now engaged in or medltating
Strikes, of which the drilt il unexceptionable,
but which seems to us TO emb0dy some errors
One OF these is the assumption Of an antago-
nism between Capital and LGbOr-in other
words, between the Labor Of to-day and the
realized and unconsumcd fruits Of the Labor Of
yesterday. We hold that the true interests OF
CAPITAL and Labor are idcntical-that fair prices
for Labor are advantageous to the landlord who
| Las houses to rent the merchant who has goods
70 sell-to the editor who wants subscriber, and
the lawyer who wants clients. That Is narrow
and radically false conception which places
Capital ard Labor in antagonism, and supposcs
one Of them to derive advantage from the de-
preston Of the other. Ii the laborers OF this
City, for instance, could 30 advance their wages
as to leave the capitalist no profit, they would
very soon stop all work or drive il away from
our City, 50 that they would starvc themselves
out; and if the capitalists could grind the labor
ers down TO the lowest possible rate at winch
life could be maintained, they would lose FAR
more than they would gain by the process. The
family now renting three rooms would be
crowded into one, leaving two vacant; the
grocer could not pay his rent and must give up
his business places Of amusement must be
closed; Mr.. James would have fewer paying
clients aud we fewer paying readers than at
present. All would have to curtail and re-
trench; and in the end the capitalists would
lose instead Of making by their rapaci,y. Live
and lc, live il the true motto for all.
Again: Mr.. james says;
"rsery man. labor Is hi. property. II Is something
vhi.h las the inAonahe rghi 81 fcl-and IL oidsr
60 coGn'cFaci the coordination ~ TIE rureiers 81 t"n
labor you have the figAi g. cooperlic to your i9nis
assistance a. ~ you o'ain what you deem I" De- NE iai
ircc TO- H. The cr,iflis' demands Rom ~ ou'oin'
~ inrra,rL price fr the article D. manufactures aud
srs con m n-uraic plih tie cot = 81 produc"n' You
have on cqral Git 20 demand from Tho capitalist IN IN
. so r ao. pr6i.ls ereAsass "a 7ssHfiy q foof
s, oas ssrserso>s Of ne o'srHs. 70 hf snoff
y yssrffifts sss y9sr Ja7lis'.
We beg Mr.. james to reconsider this. and
To- conndcrii very deeply, before be- writes again
TIE beginning Is all rghi the end is-quic
Otherwise. The lAborer has perfect right 10
sell his labor for the highest price II viii COM
maaG: so much g. olclr. He has right TO COM
hine with other lahorors 10 resist kindred
combinations Of employers and secure the fair
value of his wo-k. So much Is evident: wha,
more b. noelclf Tic laborcr, says Mr.. James.
has a right 10 demand from the capitalist ian
increased psicc for bis labor when the wages
paid by him will not produce in exchange the
quantity Of food. Sc. sc, essential to the sup
pori Of your families"
Now wc have long borne the rcproach Of
Social. IN, and have never sought to cvade II.
We do hold ,lat better Social conditions for the
mas Of human beings ore within reach-that
they are 10 be- secured 10y cooperative effort
and that the able and Thrifty ought to take the
lead in securing them for the simple and needy
But here r. an easy assumption Of the fuuda-
mental base Of Communism which We can by
no means assent 10. Mr.. James makes the
need Of the aborcr, not the value Of his pro-
duct. the basis of his demand for higher wages
lie thus make, the lnhorcr a solicitor of charity
rather than ofjusticc. We protest against this,
oouiondng that the iroJh Of he uork Is the
true and only safe measure Of the workers COM
pcnsa'ion. Here, for Illustration, are two men
working in one shop--onc Of whom has no FAM
lis; the other has sicA wife and half q dozen
small children; but tie bachelor is twice As
lskillGl and effective worker as the married
man. Ga 81. James principle, the latter
should have by far tie higher wages: for the
bachelors n,cds are by lar the less. Mr. James,
We will suppose has bachelor clerk whose
services command $50 per week, while poor
widow, with seven small children, takes care Of
his Office: how much ought he to pay her He
ia the capitalist; she tho lahorer: how much
is she entitled "to demand of him for her ser
yccsi
VIII not those who aspire 10 instruct and
guide The Laborlng Glass in times like these, be
careful iirsi Of al 10 think