The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-08

has very mucn IAclh'"sou VINO
md cooperation among the trades. France
Is partic ularly agitated by the movement
and England Is in quito commotion. In
Paris, $4,000 tailors were on strike, &C
cording to late advices. Hair-dressers and
BARRIERS, and pretty much all the trades
engaged in dressing people, directing the
fashions, and making mp" men, have fol-
lowed. Even the cabmen struck; and,
worse than oil, the bakers took the disease
and put the community in great perturba-
ton. At the last accounts the tailors were
still holding out.
In France, however, there is an element
enlisted more terrible than the mere strike
If the tailors. 1t is poltico- socialism.
According to the Paris Monde, the
strikes in various parts Of the kingdom
are nothing more than socialism in modi-
fed form. 1t says further, that in the con-
test between labor and capital there are
precisely the same elements that marked
the dreadful insurrection of June, lS4S,
when more general officers were killed at
the barbados than in any. battle of the
First Empire. 1t quotes the declaration OF
a speaker at one of the meetings demand
ing an increase of wages that the mas
" tiers and men had at last met face to face
"on the battle field of strike, and that
"they, the latter, must either conquer or
"diem GALLIGNANI's Messenger fears
serious disturbance, yet considers the con-
dition of France so different from that of
lS4S that events may be controlled by the
Government.
England, strange to say, is like France,
suffering from the disease among the tail
ors. 1t would seem, indeed, that there is
"the devil among the tailors." But
throughout the kingdom the Unions are
manifesting those plans and principles
which must keep up the disturbance be-
tween capital and labor. Yet, at no former
period was there so much pauperism, so
many people out of employment, and de-
pending upon charity. In January there
were in London 1925 paupers-an in
crease on the corresponding month of 1866
of 1854. The whole number of paupers
in England and Wales, excluding the me-
tropolis, in January was s6s,7o4-an in
crease of 1894 upon the corresponding
month of 1865. This is something for Eng
land to consider.
Where wealth is most concentrated,
upon the economy prevailing in our day,
there is the greatest amount of poverty
and wretchedness. Yet this condition
cannot be mitigated by war between
capital and labor. These are matters per-
picking to political economists. Man is
plainly not yet master of the situation.
In our own country we have already al
luded to the strikes and the strife between
employers and employed. The greatest
excitement seems to have prevailed in
Chicago, where the "eight-hour men
were actively engaged nearly the whole Of
last week in interfering with the shops and
driving all who were disposed to work out
of them. The civil authorities used their
best efforts to pacify them and induce them
to retire to their homes. A rain on Sa-
turday did more than the police could do.
1t stopped the "army with banners" from
their daily parade. Stilb at last dates the
relations of the men and their employers
were unsettled. Three railroads, employ.
ing perhaps 1000 men, were about tc
move their shops out of the State of Hi.
nois, where the eight hour law exists.
In St. Louis and Cincinnati there wa.
also considerable disturbance. In the
former city the example of the Chicago
mechanics was followed, though not by 81
large body. In Chicago there were Coz
men in the procession. Some employers
were willing to pay by the hour for the day
of eight hours others would not employ
men for less than ten. The railroad com
panies demanded ten. While the excite
ment is greatest in the northwestern cities
signs appear everywhere at the Nortf
showing that workmen are determined t
fight out the eight-hour issue.
What this agitation is to lead to, no one
can foresee. 1t is plain that if employer
can hold out, the mechanics cannot. II
Chicago, grocers and others who had
allowed mechanics to keep weekly &C
counts had closed them, and refused trust
T Sooner or later the law of supply and
demand must exert its authority, and labor
and capital resume their natural partner
ship in business. Politics will delay thi
restoration. Politicians are ever ready t.
help an agitation in which large bodies o
men are involved. They will help any
thing or do anything for office. Thei
interference may add largely to the injur!
that must flow from the present strife; bu
in the end we anticipate triumph of reason
and practical sense.