New-York tribune., 1869-06-17
" TILE CRLSPINS.D


antagOnisms-cOntinues in various parts of the
country to excite il-feeling between two
classes, which, for the interest of both, should
act together harmoniously The first impulse
of most minds is to sympathize with the La
borer, for the natural reason that Capital is
power in itself, has infinite resources, can bet
ter afford to indulge in mastery inactivity"
inasmuch as it is free from the pressure of inn
mediate physical want. But it must be remem-
bered not only that there is a point at which
Capital itself becomes distressed, but that
diminished production falls with severity upon
all classes, and with a particular severity upon
those whose means are moderate. A strike OF
the collers in Pennsylvania may, at the most
inclement season, put out the fire in many
poor mans stove; and so a strike of shoe
makers in Massachusetts may diminish the
number of shoes which those of straitened
means, whatever their need, may be able to
purchase and thus the mischief and suffering
spread in an increasing circle of want, of Bit
ter hatreds, and perhaps of violent collisions.
That n laborer is worthy of his hire is certain;
that capitalist is worthy of a sufficient return
from his capital and enterprise is certain; that
society should in some way be protected
from the effects, in enhanced prices, Of
these misunderstanding and hostilities, is GER
tain; and yet we seem hardly to have begun
to find out how the triple mischief can be
averted of Labor underpaid, Of Capital un-
justly hindered in enterprise, and OF Supply
suddenly and painfully diminished. We appear
thus far scarcely to have mastered the alpha
bet of the mystery except in theory, which is
1C but Of
while it remains unreduced to practice.
"The Knights of ST. Crispin" is the name of
a new organization of journeymen shOemakers,
which The Boston Daily Advertiser, in giving
a good deal Of very valuable information on
the subject, characterzes as" the most vigorous,
powerful, and formidable labor organization
"eyer existing in Massachusetts," "The ORDER"
we are told, :" is international, with ramifcations
"in Canada, throughout the West, and on the
Pacific coast but its stronghold is Massa-
"chusettsn The members of the Order are
sworn to secrecy. The following is stated to
be Its salient and aggressive point "
ARrcLE X-NEw HELPNo member Of this OHe sban teaeh OF
m u ies1ag say P oF Pa , o. s0t o. , Of % ] and
voting sheu ae permission irt asked Provided ibis article lal
yG ao bat tbs article b, rot eoae ssto hSder any
member o. this organization from earpi1g any all parts e trade
T. This seems to be the old notion of keeping
up wages by keeping down the supply Of
skilled workmen, and of making skill itself
ga mystery as it is called in indentures of
apprenticeship. 1t is n notion which has made
a great deal Of trouble in England, and some
in this country, especially in our own profession
of typography. 1t is founded upon fallacy
similar to that which, with unreasoning fury,
broke and burned the first machines for spin
ming cotton 1t presupposes that the supply is
too large. 1t undertakes to make A., who is a
large manufacturer of shoes, charge B., who is
a wearer of shoes, an enhanced price, in order
that he may pay c., who is q skilled workman
in shoes, heavier wages.
2. Now, we do not deny the right of c., who,
is a member of the Lodge, to refuse to work
for A., who desires to take an apprentice So
far, all is plain sailing, whatever we may think
of the sanity or the equity of such an operation.
But here (the interests of b. being not at all re-
garded) steps in d., who is a skilled workman
and not Crispn y; is willing to teach appren-
tees perhaps is anxious to DO so. a. may be
also anxious to have ID. in his establishment,
even for the express purpose of teaching APP
prentices, and here are apprentices ready and
anxious to be tanght. But I" the Lodge refuses
permission" as if it had any legal power over
the intentions and decisions of ID. A.. standing
upon his undoubted right to take apprentices,
orders d. to go ahead with his teaching; where
upon C. and all other "Crspins" strike
work and leave A. (perhaps with large orders
on his hands to fill, in the lmch, and pretty
certain to lose by his years business, while
the young person who wanted to be a shoe
maker, having been refused permission of the
" Lodge concludes to be a carpenter or some
thing else, and D., the factory being closed is
also thrown out of work. SO here are three
persOns-A., the manufacturer; d., the journey
man-teacher of shoemaking, and the young
person who wanted to learn shoe-makng-all
more or less damaged or thwarted to crafty
c., whO being shoemaker, thinks that there
are too many shOemakers already. There really
appears TO be shameful injustice here some
where.
We cannot go into this "Crispinn matter
any further to-day, and for one day this is
enough. We call everybody to witness that
THE TRIBUNE, since its commencement, has
not altogether forgotten the rights and inter
ests of Labor; but we have never dreamed of
enforcing them by attacking the equal rights
and interests of Capital Against any scheme
of diminishing Production to enhance the
Wages of Labor, we propose TO set our faces
with hint-like resolution. Such q scheme is
mad and hopeless, and must result, if carried
out, in the ruin of all concerned. If too many
shoes are made, (Which we dOubt) there arc
other and better ways of remedying the evil.
1t is an interesting fact, of which we have
been pretty often reminded recently, that in
England woman suffrage is practiced in yestry
Il, ta,T IA,