The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-12-12
The Pauie Of Labor.

We have heretofore referred to the
general stagnation in business which
rests upon the country. We now pro-
pose to SPEAK of its effect upon the la
boring classes. We cannot, of course,
set forth in single article the distress
of labor all over the land. In this case,
however, illustration will answer for
exhaustive detail. As the evil is wide
spread and, indeed, national in its oper-
tions, the situation in enc locality will
be fairly indicative of the general con-
dition. =
Our representative facts show that in
the city of New York, the tradesmen
and working classes are in a state of
deplorable destitution. The New York
Horld of Tuesday has page of statis-
tics in relation to this subject. From
them we gather that in that city fifty
thousand persons are nOW ont Of employ
ment, and looking Starvation ia the face.
These unfortunate people represent all
trades and caliings. The most promi-
nent arc hatters, tailors, jewellers, car
penters, masons, bricklayers, ship-car-
penters and caulkers, iron workers,
cigar makers, clerks and domestics.
Here are some of the facts.
OF the $4,000 artisans, employed in
the jewelry business, 40per cent. are out
of employ; carpenters wages have been
reduced from $3.50 to $3.50 q day and
only half the journeymen can find EN-
ployment; of hatters, there are 400 who
can get work but one day in six; of the
~, 600 tailors in the city, one-quarter
are unemployed, the quantity of work
for them is 80 per cent. less than that
assigned them at this time last
year, and their wages have been re-
duced by SO 1-3 per cent; the IRON
workers say that their business has
not been in twenty years so dull as now
il is; at least 1000 are out of employ, and
from one end of the East River to the
other but iye vessels are building, of
which but two are steamboats,, two are
ferry boats and one is sailing vessel;
and, to close this sad list, il is estimated
that 5000 servant girls are seeking Pla-
ces but find none.
Such statistics as the above are null
tiplied until the result is reached that
fully fifty thousand people in a single
city are without work, without bread
aud without hope or prospect for either
Extend the calculation to other locali-
ties. Take into consideration the fact
that the distress Of New York is the
distress of a thousand other centres OF
trade and business. Every manufac-
turing town has its unemployed labor.
Every commercial city has its Army OF
Idleness.
What q future awaits the country 9
industry! To-day, it is idle; tomorrow,
il will be in want. A month hence, it
will be starving. Suffering must come
with the winter, and without relief,
Poverty will fill our alms-houses with
the per:shiug children of toll, and
Famine will parade her professions IN
the streets of our cities.
There must be cause for the present
panic of labor. Why should men starye
and women beg bread in this land of
plentyf The answer is plain. Extrava-
gance, corruption, taxation, tariff, fnan-
cial folly and political blunders on the
part of those in power have fettered the
siuews Of enterprise and broken down
the business of the country. The policy
of running the Government in the in
terests Of a party is bearing its legiti-
mate fruit. One section Of the country
can't pay taxes to govern q continent,
and at the same time feed thousands of
hungry public buzzards, sustain priv
ileged aristocracy of bondholding SHY
LOCKS, support unnumbered hosts OF
black Laz aroni, and maintain useless
and expensive armies. The South
neither tolls, nor spins, nor produces,
and tho burdens of the nation are too
great for the North to bear.
Hence it is that trade languishes, en-
terpriss halts, commerce declines, busi-
ness in every line droops and dies, and
the future grows black with the shadow
of a mighty panic. Labor first feels
the coming calamity, and its want OF
employment, fore.unning its want OF
bread, IS a a necessary link in the chain
of misfortune that is fastened and fin
ished in the FORCES of Radical DONNA
tion.