New-York tribune., 1867-03-28
YORK AND FAGES.


organized associations or guilds OF several
trades in this City have resolved to strike for
higher wages on Monday next This fact eyokes
the following suggestions:
l. Every man has a right to hold his labor
or its product at such price as he shall see flt,
subject only to the laws of the land. He has a
right to agree or combine with other laborers
or producers not to sell below given rate,
whether that rate be reasonable or not. IL ne
asks, or they combine to exact, too much, the
general public will thereby be annoyed and
embarrassed; but the chief loss will fall on the
extortioners, as it should.
H. The workman or guild abandons the
ground of legality and right the moment he or
they attempt to force, coerce, Oraintimldate,
Others into uniting in or deferring to their de-
mand If, for example, any coal-dealer in our
City should see fit this day to advance the
price of his coal to $40 per tun, and refuse to
sell for less, he would be justified in so doing.
If he could induce every coal-dealer in or near
New-York TO agree with him not to sell below
that rate they would violate no law by such
agreement. But let them go a step further, and
conspire to rcpel or Obstruct the receipt OF coal
by others, and its sale below their arbitrary
price, they would become law-breakerS and
public enemies, and must be dealt with ac-
cordngly.
iii. 1t is commonly asserted that Labor is
less amply rewarded here than it formerly was
This is not according to facts rs we have OBJ
served them We came to this City In the
Autumn of 1881, when our country was gener-
ally prosperous, taxes light and public debts
merely nominal, and when no considerable
war had for over sixteen years wasted the
substance of our people. The average rate OF
mechanics wages in our City was then less
than 50 per week-n our trade (printing) de-
cidedly less. Now, the average wages of me-
chanics in our City: are not below S1S per week.
True, the cost of living has considerably in
creased meantime but not nearly 80 much rs
100 per cent Coal rose to $40 per tun In the
Winter of 1872, and was higher, on an aver
age. thirty 20 thirty-fiye years ago than 1t now
is. Poll, cannot be 30 per cent. higher now
than il was then We doubt that the Wooden
fabrics which constitute the staple OF our
mechanics wear are at all dearer to-
day than they were IN 1912; they surely
are not % per cent. dearer Rents are con-
siderably higher but D man may live four 20
six miles from his work, yet reach 1t as
chcapy and almost as quickly rs he then
could from distance of two miles. Many
articles have been cheapened by the progress
Of inveBtion and improvement. For instance;
The nevspiDrrs sold in 1881 for the present
price of Tug TRIBUNE did not contain half so
much advertising matter Is, and were got
up N a tithe Of the cost Of, This journal. Yet
we pay for hbcr hercon 50 70 100 per cent.
more than was then paid for similar labor
". There il, aud ever must be. strong
current OF labor setting toward the cities.
Wisely or unwisc'y, almost every young man
in ,he country would Ike 90 spend year or
50 in city. whose thcaters, concerts process
sions celebrations. splendid ediiIces, &c. &cp
excite his curiosity aud attract his regard. n
caplblc. efficient. d.liycn. mechanic, being
single, can earn more and obtain more enjoy
ment In year in q city than in the country
at all events. he thinks he can. And, so long
q, human nature shall remain what it is, every
year vii. bring thousands OF young mechanics
20 the cities
V. with marriage and children, there comes
decided change. The wages whcreon a single
man can live sumptuously will barely and fru-
gally support an average family When his
children who can earn nothing humbtl hdII Il
dozen or more. the mechanic, unless he has
saved something in former years, can barely
exist when ia full work, and Is a paupcr when
ont of work Such, briefly stated, are the con-
ditions under which mcdaniel labor il per-
formed in oUI City.
VI. Il seems, therefore 60 Us that il the jour
ncymcn in any trade are about 10 strike-a
measure which we by no means adyise-thcir
only rational hope OF success in that movement
rests on their ability TO induce very large mi
grafton OF their members. II, for example ten
thousand Of our older journcymcn, who find
their expenses fully up TO their incomes when
they do their very best, could be induced and
enabled TO migrate 10 the new States, where
their labor is in quick demand, and where
though wages are lower than hcre-food, fuel,
timber and house-room, are very much cheaper.
the projected strikes might have a chance of
success. In any other case. they seem to us
doomed to inevitable failure. and to prove in
jurious to the public, but especially calamitous
to those who embark in them.