The New York herald., 1863-11-13
the Strike or Maehinisu and Others

The labor movement In this oity s beginning
to assume rather extensive proportions, and
there seems to be determination on the part
Of the different Trades Societies to support one
another In the stand which tradesmen are
taking. Yesterday nearly all the city railroads
had to stop running, the conductors and drivers
having suspended work until the companies
shall accede to their terms. From the state
ments of our reporters we perceive that these
strikes are becoming general throughout the
country. All kinds Of handicraftsmen-arti
sans, artiacers, shoemakers, segar makers, car
penters, masons, house painters, safe makers,
photographers, and evon the poor sewing girls
are everywhere striking for an increase Of
wages.
But perhaps the most important feature
of these strikes is the movement Of the
mschinists and workers in iron Of this
and other cities. They number in this city
some eight thousand. There are now no
less than seven hundred of these machinlsts
on q strike. The result is that all kinds Of
work on machinery have been brought to sud-
den STOP A large number Of mschinists and
blacksmiths have for many months past been
engaged on the iron-clad vessels which are
being constructed in different places for the
service of the government The strike Of these
men instantly stops all progress on the
iron-clads though the necessities Of the govern
ment and the security of the nation demand
that these valuable vessels should be COM
pleted as carly as possible. The machinist is
man who holds highly respectable POSI-
ton. AS body they have stood by their en-
the currency began to depreciate; and now,
when the actual cost of every article Of subsist.
ence has doubled what it was before the rebel
lion, they fairly enough contend for a rise Of
wages. What they demand is an advance of
twenty-five per cent on the present rates of
wages; whereas the price Of every article of
domestic consumption has assembled from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty per cent. The
cause of this is no doubt to be directly at
tributed to the redundant currency thrown into
circulation; but neither machinists nor any
other class of tradesmen can grapple with such
a contingency. Ten years ago the wages Of
mschinists were as high as they are
now. Every article Of subsistence was then
sold at reasonable, and even nominal, prices,
Coal, one of the most important and inds-
pensable requirements of life, was selling at
almost one-third of the charges at present laid
upon the public. Now they receive on an
average two dollars per day, which with the
redundancy Of the currency and the extreme
increase in the standard of prices, is evidently
insufficient to meet their ordinary expenses.
In the way in which we conduct our bust
meas we End that strikes, or cessation from any
routine Of labor, or difficulties of this kind are
unnecessary, If not entirely impossible. The
reason is that there is perfect understanding
between us and our employees, and il any diff
Guilty or dissatisfaction should arise they feel
confident that 1t can be remedied by proper
representation. This confidence is the true
secret Of the harmony with which all great es-
tablshments are conducted. And SO 1t should
always be; for employer and employed bear
an intimate relation to, and are mutually de-
pendent on, one another. While the employer
builds up business through the industry OF the
operative, the latter obtains the advantage Of
steady employment, which the employers eapi-
tai makes certain to him. This principle being
properly appreciated, there can be no difficulty
on the labor question.
But, speaking directly of the strikes, it is evil
dent that the machinists and other artisans
must be set to work with as little delay as pos
siblc. The iron-clads are needed by the gov
ernment for the prosecution of the war, and
without the labor of these men they cannot be
completed. The contractors aud employers
should therefore take into consideration tho
actual wants Of their workmen, aud give them
the rate of wages which the exigencies Of tho
time make necessary. II this should entail less
profit on their contracts than their original
calculations would give them, they have their
appeal to Congress, and upon fair representa-
ton of the facts they will surely be indemni-
fed. But the public and national interests
should not be made to suffer for any con-
sideration of this kind All combinations are
bad, and no set of men should be driven to
such resort. But il the demands of the ma
chinists are just and proper, why should they
not be metz II they were unreasonable and
unfair we would be the last to favor them
But, with the undoubted evidence be.
ioSe sno PuohV VI "e hign prices vi
every article OF clothing and subsistence,
rents, &c. the claims of the working people,
as a general thing, do not appear exorbitant
Strikes are always costly undertakings to the
employer as well as the employed. Men
never like to submit to them; but until there
be a better understanding between the en-
ployer and the laborer, they will continue to
take place whenever the financial condition Of
the nation forces up the prices Of the necessa.
ries of life beyond the limits OF the wages of
the day.
Tar PRIcE OF CoAI.-Speculators in all
commodities are the bans Of life ia
cities. Producers are all at q distance; hun.