The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-15
Work and Wages.

Buckle, the historian. says that "thc con-
''stant effort of every man to better his own
condition is so salutary, us we'll us pow
'crful, that ii is often capable Of securing
''the progress Of society" in spite Of the
folly and cXtravagance of the rulers of man
kind. Where placid content slumbcrously
reigns, there is neither progress nor in-
proyement. Dissatisfaction is the precur-
sor of inquiry, OF thought and Of action.
And in the stcatlincss with which the work
ing classes, the wide world over, strive Ia
elevate themselves to n plane of superior
prosperity, VIC recognize, not only sense
OF the necessity of advancement, but also Il
consciousness that the power is possessed
to obtain, sooner or later, all that is SD
eagerly and anXiously desired
The working classes, as those are dis
tinctivey called who earn their daily bread
by manual labor, must be in the majority i'm
every community. Under any social organ
ization, the lot Of the many must be one of
privation, hardship and toll. To make that
toll as easy rs may be, to secure to the
worker all the fruits Of his labor to reduce
as far as possible the necessary pains of
those who obey
-''thc original ordinance that man
"Al'isL sweat Tor his poor pittancc;n
these are the aims OF the enlightened states
men and economists OF the age And much
has already been accomplished. While the
working classes Of Europe are still knock
ing ut the gates, the workingmen of Amer
ica stand within the citadel. Here there are
no laws which prevent the workingmen from
regulating their own affairs in their own
way. Although protective tariffs, and le@-
islation for the benefit Of the monopolist
blot the statute books, there is no enactment
which cmbarrasses the workngmcn in their
cndeayors TO increase the benefits and cxalt
the dignity OF labor The ballot gives them
power; the schoolmastcr, the lecturer and
the journalist will teach them how To use il
Alright; and there arc not wanting staid and
thoughtful men who believe that, in less
than ten years, the working classes of the
United States will control every popular
election.
Slavery, which prevented white immigra-
ton, and made competitive free labor i'm
possible, allowed the atmosphere of the
South to rcmain undisturbcd, and perhaps
unpurfied, by the currents of economic agi-
tution. The cooperative store, the indus
trial partnership, the combination of en-
ployers against the employed, or of the en-
ploycd against the employers, wus unknown
in the Southern States. When the war
closed, the freedmen held aloof, and the
white workingmcn were eager for employ
mcnt. There was no immediate talk of
making the position of the willing worker
more pleasant and secure. This, indeed,
appeared 10 be impracticablc But, now,
circumstances are declared to have changed
the wave OF agitation breaks on our quiet
shores, and the white workingmen, assem-
bied together, give expression to the opin-
ion that they must he up and doing, TO OBJ
tain better wages, and to guard themselves
well from oppression and from wrong
OF the attempt which is making to use the
workin5nsrn rs means of giving notoriety
TO political adyenturcrs, and OF imparting
new life to u moribund political party, VIC
have nothing now TO say. What we have
to deal with is the fact that-our white work
insmen arc determined to obtain, if posi-
bic, better price for their labor; not by
threat or intimidation, but by peaceful COM
bination and concerted unity of action. /.
This is Il matter which touches each and
every one OF US. The price of labor, in the
absence of combinations, is fair gauge OF
the prosperity OF a community. Where the
price is low, the supply of labor outstrips
the demand, or else the demand for labor
has decreased while the supply has remained
stationary. Either horn of the dilemma is
bad enough In neither case is wealth
accumulating, nor are the people growing
rich. we are, therefore, deeply interested
in ascertaining the reasons why labor in this
community is poorly paid, and in determn-
ing whether this unfortunate result comes
from natural and temporary causes, or from
the absence in South Carolina OF tho pro-
tective Trade Unions which exist, we be-
licve, In every Northern and Western State.
II there has been any overt combination
among the employers to keep down the
wages OF the workingman, we know il not.
II there has been any desire among tho cap.
italists, few as they are, to oppress and de-
grade the artisan and laborer, it has mol
come TO our ears. But wo iecl that ever,
man is entitled to 20 fair lays wages for Il
''fair days work." anI, when a body OF
hardy worhingmen desire to make known
their grievance and explain their pressing
wants, we, at least caDnot throw cold water
OH their toiling. On tho contrary, we s,al
aid them to the best of our ability in acting
with prudence temperance and justice il
tho grand work now seriously begun.
1 COMPLAINT is made that the watchmcn die
not PROMPTLY ring thc alarm whom tho fir,