New-York tribune., 1867-06-26
THE LABOR MOVEMENT.

The second annual Convention of wOrkiDgmen'
which has Just completed its deliberations at Chc"eo,
has published Address wherein the views ana aims Vi
fhe workIngmen of the United states are very clearly
set forth at considerable length THE TRIBUNE repro
suces from The WOrkignas AdcOeate the essential Ie
tures OF this important manifesto promising tas h h
topics discussed be submitted iOr tne ~
next session of the Labor Congress, W Uo H0iu IL
the 18th of August next - A.. ., ,,,os+on which
The Address after remarking that the quesuoh WlC M
eprrosses te attention OF American wOrkngnen at Ih
time is that the proposed reduction OF the nVuIs %
labor, asserts that every argumeht "Icn % hs5 on q
ndduced against the INNOVATION mas pSh IN .,
purely selfish dOlars-and-cents view Inc pIoIehns
classes the contrary assert that OtGr od NV the
considerations than those heretofore advanced Dy h %
opponents Of the EightHOur law should ener lhIo he
th te sccess of republican institutions must depend
on the virtue intelligence and the independence Oh Tue
working classes and that any system social or pohtea
which tends TO keep the masses IN ignorance, Os
unjust oppressive laws or by excess OF hdnual ~
Is njurious alike the interest of the state ana OF he
individual But while standing on Ins trthPpe h
claim that from financial Standpoint Ihe m
winch its adoption would confer can De delnOhsaou oS
yond peradventure. They realize that the present Is
fmphacally age OF progress; that uay W uS tr0
some theory invention to lessen human labor uu
the already enormous accumuatlons OF capita.
They find also examination OF the records OF our own
and of the British Patent Office that thIeefOurths OF Tue
Tabor saving machinery, perfected during the past 20
years has been the creation Of the ic0TEhgmdHS own
brain further that since the adoption OF the enhOusys
tenn these inventions have increased over 70 per cent
while their position remains virtually the same proving
cOncluSvcy that capital has reaped the on
tanned by such discoveries In view 9i theSs truths my
at partially the benefits derived But there IS sun
another phase Of the question which entities ~ 10 SERIOUS us
labOr-savng machinery has in all cases, ISuOuuCu ~
the interests OF the employer Us 9%pe" % nS and intei
lectual welfare Of the workman; ms duties IIequehy
hecomng i'm degree automatic while he is deprived of
ali opportunity for the healthy exercise of the mind
workman who planned, eauCed ana constructed, eur
ployed his intellectual as well his physical ener-
cies: while the man who merely performs the
mOnotOnous functions Of mere autOmatO as lhOus.s
of our factory employees DO trom year TO year. hus3
eventually descend both in the intellectual ana sOcai
ecae The plea urged that the laooring classes wouu
not use the leisure time obtained 10 Their OWn ana cos
uuenty to the benefit Of the community Is one winch Is
disprOved by the experience OF the past Every similar
reformation, although ushered in with equally Omnous
predictions has not only tended to the development OF
fhe and material prosperity OF the country IN
auguratmg it, but il has been the means OF tlprOhg tne
physical and intellectual condition OF the labOrng
classes and there IS certainly no reason lOr euppOs
ing that the adoption OF the eishtnotT sYs.t,tn
would not have an equally beneficial result
The charge that wOrkingmen class, are ignorant ana
iterate instead OF being an argument against Is one VI
the strongest reasons which could be urged in favor OF
adoption Of the Eight rule They are ignorant
because they Overworked because they nave Seen
denied the privileges which others more favored have
reaped The question of cooperative stores ana coOpe
tive associations Tor trading ana M l 80
has the widest bearing and effect upon the con1ioh Oh
the wOrkngnen In England, where cooperative stores
first introduced, they nave proven omtueey suO
cesSul beyond the hopes OF Their orgnatOIs ana
their diffusion the Kingdom ana Their lntlOducuon
into other countries are sumcleht aI'eslauon VI c
benefits The twsnty-eght flannel weayers who,
within quarter OF century, to avoid the eNacllols
of the petty trades peOple-mddlenen-WhO eIItM
rich with the sale OF commodities OF NllnOus quallly
at exorbitmt prices combined, at Rochdale to become
their purveyOrs laid the foundations OF an enterprise
which has come in the course Of few years 10 n0Nrsh
IN the principal town of England and which Is p0c OF
the gTaLdest results To the vOrkngmen 10 say "I CO
operative stores cooperative mills &C. have been sue
cesfu but feby to express the measure Ga their Dene
fits The ROchdae weavers started with subscription
of FIVE six cents week from each member and when
they had accumulated $i0 they began the sale OF iew
groceries which rapidly extended TO the carrying Of
numerous trades and, in less than ten years their
capital reached the sum Of s2jo,OO0. The adj
vantagcs Of this method are not limited to
the fact that the purchaser at such stores gets his goods
at slight advance upon the original cost ana pdrucl-
paes in the profits OF the enterprise but under the
operative SYSTEM the adueratiOn Of articles Of food,
which has become general and when is so destructive
Of health, SavOided The committee cannot too strongly
urge upon the wOkngmen Of this country the ADVANTAGE
stores The example OF Robhdae shows now easily they
may DO So and when extended every manufacture and
trade, they easily may, the wOrklngmen Will cease
contribute anything TO the products or labor but
who secure large proportion OF those products merely IN
distributing them IT has been well said that the whole
atmosphere OF such a store is honest There is no
dstrust, deception, no aduteratlOn ana no secoha
prices Men have an interest in cheating others, not
food articles Of clothing there Will be no iase ~elR
70 be feared Labor the wealth Of the country
yearly but little in advance of three per cent as the cen
sus statistics amply testify The national WeutI AZ !Ae
product Of the national labor augments at his ratci
whereas capital, employed IN banking ana lnahnaclut-
ing enterprises in railroad bonds or invested IN mort
cages accumulaes at rate three or fOuf times greater
than the increase in wealth by the production OF labor
This extraordinary power Of accumulation which the
laws give money in this country renders everything
the wOkngman wears, and the rent OF the hOase when
shelters his family very mghi ana as ths aecumuauSe
power many times IN excess Of the accumulation OF
wealth by labor the prices OF clothing and the cost OF
rent are largely Of proportion 10 the price of wages
The cooperation between capital and labor but
te rapid increase OF the former through the agency OF
interest laws and banking systems makes capital not
only independent but oppressive OF labor The earnings Of
the latter to the former with the directness and nev
tabieness OF an lnexOlaDle law Ana, uhul cdpt ana
labor become organized into system OF mutual coOpera
uoD the workngmen must protect themselves bJ means
OF cooperation with one another; But the advahtages
which they will derive from it, will make them TO auch
greater extent ulan now masters Oi tler own uhe ~
viii secure TO them the means OF stuoy which wllenaB
them TO comprehend the just relations between apiti
Hnd labor ana tue no S nese IN GUs U
remote when the cooperative principle will carry on the
great works and Improvements OF the age.
'g fhc nature % of Which 50 much rcsl iSnorance
exists even among workingmen' or HganSt which @
urged Trades Unions. Their aims and objects have
leen grossly msrepresened, and public prejudice has
6oen aroused by those who know only enough to pander
70 pOpnar ignorance. In spite OF thus opposition how
they daily increasing IN numbers ana influence
80 far from encouraging spirit OF hostlty 70 employers
All properly organized Unions recognize an Identity OF In
tercst between, and confer as many dement's upon EN-
shd Tic PfiDeiHSs q tOerat.,a i.ustry PROVED sue
cessul. PrepOsterous as the assertion may seel we
hey purely derensire in character They insist and
!sSSa " Voice e'' with f the employer in determining
the value Of the labor performed. and knowing
that isolation is weakness and combination strength
they prefer trusting the power and justice OF their
united claims than TO the magnaimty or generosity Of
oapitaL too common error and one into which even
workinmen are prone TO fa, is the charge that the
Unions demand the wages for an inferior as for
superior workman. This is far from being the
While il is true they establish a minimum rate Of wages
they do not prevent In any instance, superior work
from receiving such extra compensation, and
above that schedule his services may enttle him to-
with regard 10 the question OF strikes, the Address
Committee feel they cannot too strongly deprecate all
appeals 10 such extreme measures, except deyHieT
resort believing that by the appointment, where prac
cable of conference committee 10 lay the nature Of the
grievance before the employer aud 10 ask redress for the
same many all, OF the difficulties complained Of
could be satisfactorily removed AS many strikes end in
failure and disaster Unions have everything 70 gain
and nothing 10 lose by the adoption OF such course
Nor this the only TO be taken; failure in many
instances, exposes weakness which render the Unions