The New York herald., 1867-04-22


services were held. Father Doane officiating 10 os
Pauls Episcopal church the Rev. Joseph =. sm ~ ~
% ~ n; hev ~ selxiSss M wsss neu @ samnistered
This edi6ce handsomely decorated with flowers,
beautiful white cross being conspicuous upon tne aa
THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
Interesting Review Of the General Princi-
pies Of Trade Combinations-The Philoso-
phy Of Strikes and their Origin md Pro-
| sress-Prospects Of the Artisans Engaged
In the Present Movemenf-Thc Danger Of
Riots and Observation-Disclosures and Modern
Laws ON the Sabiecs-A Practical Chance
for Womas's Rights. s~ fM H4ts
The relations Of capital 70 labor have long been SUBJ
ect OF contention among the statesmen and social archi
tecs Of every nation They have furnished the parrot
themes Of debating societies and the texsb which reck
less demagogues have been elevated 10 power but, in
parliamentary parlance. they still open debate
All agitation they have evoked has failed reconcile
the differences OF which they the symbols and they
remain to-day in the unfnendy attitude which precedes
battle. There is, however. absolute for this
memorial hostility. Wealth and work should flow as
harmoniously together the rivers and the
They the and effect OF practical fethe Alpha
and Omega Of all human pursuits But they are at
nifty now, and, to be logical we must regard them as
combaaants and endeavor ascertain the origin and
object Of the war in which they engaged
1t may DO that the political economists Of time
have failed to discover the Of this evil Perhaps
after all IL be traced to OF the ingredients OF
human nature Man is necessarily progressive he re-
CARDS sagnation partial DEATH and recoiIs from
he would from the fatal glance Of basisk Ambition
is the nobest but dangerous offspring Of his soul,
and its exercise If he is wealthy he would become
richer; II he poor he would fain be wealthy; and
while developing this instinct he the greater
portion OF his lite; for his ambition commences when
he leaves of toys, and closes only when he resumes
them in the ptul age of second chldishnees II this
be the source Of the difficulty will be rreconcabe
until the millennium.
The fundamental conditions Of human existence have
been alike in every age under every form Of gov
ernment Labor is the heritage Of man; and capital is
its soul The necessity that demands the worker i'm
peratvely creates the employer, who must needs be
richer than his artisan laborer All the Utopans Of
ancient apd modern times made iudcrous attempts
alter this chronic arrangement Of the world but their
failures have been remarkable that Of the BIAS
phemous fools who built the tower Of Babel On this
point life has arbitrary provision The common high
way wealth s open ALL but the majority stumble
and die the road and those who survive the journey
in poverty to be human must be envious dissatisfied
We not OF those who would defy capital claim for
it any large degree OF responsibility 1t has its duties
we'll its rights, and the performance Of any of
those duties will create reformatory law. From
the remote period when Dgots preceded coin to the pre-
sent hour has maintained Its pre-eminence the
tive power and master of labor They take each other
occasionally by the throat but capital leaves the rng
victor This antagonsm has resulted in the organization
Of labor and with proper limitations this may be ju-
dcious, il not necessary Capital s terrible foe to
tend with sngly; it must be met by solid columns, but
the only power to crush or weaken it is enemy like
ITSELF What then, is the use Of trades unions9 We
shall see.
When the employer with capital becomes oppres-
sor his workers by organization and incidental crcum
stances may obge him succumb to their reasonable
dc manda If the advantages they claim, however,
mmoderate unjustihabe, their riumphs will be tenn
orary Wealth peculiarly sensitive, aud its reckless
outlay provide IL with the wings Of the Psalmis
An addition Of even dollar week TO fifty men, will
involve small fortune in year. Taking this Of
the subject appreciate the difficulty attending
demand for higher wages In establishments where the
artisans or aborers numerous The man of wealth
in his capacity manufacturer, general employer,
will ever have his mnions; the poor lose, but make no
new friends When the latter rise pennilcss or armed
with the horded earnings OF few months to dictate
terms their employer, he has alisman whose clink
will provide him with army of industry But has
the artisan permitted himself to be thus calmly dsanced
in the rnceY No. like the in the table, having peed
stones aud here, we must frankly state, the parallel
generally ends He tries coercion, and war ensues with
out truce. These battles he designates s'strkes."
This branch Of the subject is invested with peculiar
interest the present time, when the mechanics and
iaborers Of New York and brooklyn preparing
augurae campaign against their employers to secure
higher wages Many Of them have already thrown down
gauntlet and prepared for The strife They best
aware or their resources and shall not attribute
70 them the objectionable folly Of commencing hostili
with empty purse but they must concede atieast
that It's bottom is more shallow than that Of the capital
let and bour hQy
probability that il viii scarcely outlast skirmsh
And here IL is pertinent TO consider the philosophy OF
strikes IL indeed they be dgnifed by title which
embodies all that is glorious in life and letters The very
srike," appears to signify violence To strike,
outside the parance Of labor, Is 70 give blow. You
may qualify the cant term by declaring that the blow is
fguratve that Is the peaceful result of essential com
forcble The has often been real one IL has she'd
blood and destroyed life In trades organizations 1t has
been found impossible to prescribe the ordinary limits Of
agitation. Men, banded together to effect q common
object endure failure with the calm and stoical
indifference Of individuals They behold a foriuitous
combination Of physical power in their ranks, which
may be put TO the same uses as army by enforcing
claims which were Indignantly denied 1t Is not In
nature TO sscs ss ors we ana
stion Then the employer invokes the majesty OF the
law his defence, md in the interests Of order, the
Il may be asked, what can be done TO the capitalist
VINO emphatcally declines 70 advance the wages Of his
Take from him forciby that which he has refused to
gve or TO be pain seize hs purse ana give tne ad-
vance claimed 10 his organized laborers You answer,
"No;" but you must be that strike involving
violence is II successful equivalent 70 this action How,
then, may the employer be brought 70 termss This
question be easily answered The iawof supply and
demand like one OF tho wise compensations Of Provi-
deuce, TO the Of boh and arbitrarily regu
lates the whole question. The necessities OF life will
prevent mechanic from accepting wages incompetent
his maintenance, and the few who are obliged TO
avail themselves OF sught which may BE- within their
times In the meantime, the artisan who may receive
miserable pttance has many avengers The officers of
the law In their efforts 70 present corec assessment
OF incomes hunts down the capitalist and he obliged
70 yield the government what he has denied 70 his
workman. He cannot possibly procure exemption from
this unexpected Nemesia All the circumstances with
which he is surrounded will oblge him, II he has the
most ndivsble amount Of cupidy, TO keep his capital
may secure reasonable compensation for his labor by
ordinary strategy.
II we consider the subject calmly, we shall find that