The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-03
A Theme for the Times.

There is no royal road to knowledge and,
IN general, every community and every class
must solve for itself the practical problems
of the age But an understanding OF what
others have accomplished, under similar CIR
cumstances may facilitate the solution OF
grave questions in social and economic SCI
ence, and, while the Trades Unions now
forming in the South may be long in reaching
the highest degree OF usefulness, we feel that
their value may be increased, and their leSiti
mate powers enlarged, if Trades Unions and
their purposes, through the means ofthe press,
are better and more thoroughly understood.
And this may be accomplished by passing
in review the history of these associations
in England, where there are not less than
1000 Trades Unions, and where they have
shown in full force the errors we desire to
avoid, as well as the good qualities which
the Trades Unions of the South desire to
emulate and surpass.
In England there are two classes OF
Unions-the Trades Union pure and simple,
which aims at protecting the workman
against the employer; and, secondly, the
Trades Union which combines that object
with the character of Friendly or Provi-
dent Society, and which undertakes to Sc
cure to its members certain benefits of
allowance in sickness or accident, superan-
nuation in old age and payments in aid OF
funeral and other expenses. TIE combina-
ton of the two objects certainly impairs
the financial sOundness OF these bodies.
The revenue which forms the insurance fund
is liable to bear the exhausting drain OF
strike, and is the purse from which the
capitalist is to be fought with his own wea-
pons. The workman who has paid his dues
for years to provide against "a rainy day"
is exposed in this way to serious danger.
There is also the doubt whether the cOntri
buttons of the members, at the usual rate,
will meet the demands made upon them
for benefit purposes only. The general
opinion in England is that under the most
favorable circumstances, the contributions
or dues are totally insufficient to secure
the benefits specified. Nieson and DR.. Farr
publish statements upon this subject in the
Registrar-General's Report, and if there
is anything in the calculations of these
eminent actuaries the societies will inevi'
tably come to ruin, and the longer they last
before the crisis come the more widespread
the ruin will be- These views are fully ex-
planned in the reports Of the Royal Com
missioners submitted to both Houses of Par
Lament in 1867.
1t must be borne in mind that the Ameri-
can Trades Unions Of which we have
knowledge, are not as lavish in making
promises as the English Unions are. The
amalgamized society of carpenters and join
ers, for instance, gives the following bene
fits: When cut of employment 50 SO week
for twelve weeks, and 81 so for twelve weeks
more; sick benefit So week, or ST so
week as long as the sickness continues; ac-
cident benefit, $500; emigration benefit $50;
superannuated benefit for life if member
twenty-five years, So week; if member
eighteen years, 81 rs q week; if o men,
ber twelve years, 81 25 week; funeral
benefit $50. This the English society pro-
poses to provide for by contribution of 81
month"; with an entrance fee ranging
from 81 IS to SIS. In regard to this socie-
ty the Royal Commissioners report that, if
the plan OF having an uniform rate of SUBJ
scription for all ages is to be adhered to,
the dues should be at least fire dollars
month instead OF one dollar. All these
amounts are in gold, at the rate of four
shillings sterling to the American dollar.
Taking an American society as an exam
pie on the.other side, we have the Charles
ton Typographical Union which pays in
case of sickness So week, equal to 50 40
in gold, and gives funeral benefit OF s3O
or s24 in gold, the monthly contribution
being so cents, or 40 cents in gold. One
half of the dues are applied to benefit
purposes, but it seems clear enough that
the Charleston society is in stronger posi-
ton than its English brother.
We think that we have said enough to
show the necessity of holding the benefit
fund inviolate, and Of exercising the great
est care in regulating the scale of benefits
so that more may not be promised than
can certainly be performed. AT this point
we leave this branch OF the subject of
Trades Unions.