The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-10-05
Advice Gratis.

To the Editors of the Evening Post:
When | lave pointed to the distress
prevailing among the working classes
and farmers, and shown that ii was ow-
ing TO oppressive taxation, the Tribune
has always replied by pointing to the
great immigration to this country as an
evidence of our prosperity under pro
tectionist policy. High tariffs and mon
opolies, it maintains, have made the
country place of refuge for all work
men; let them come, said the Tribhne,
here is work for all, thanks to our pol
icy Of protection.
The following little piece of advice,
printed in the Tribune yesterday, seems
rather singular, after all the happiness
that monopoly is SO sure to confer on a
country:
IF people will came TO New York
III sesrch of employment, we beg :hem
to remember these few things: |. They
are not wanted here, the city being over
supplied with laborers of all kinds. 2.
The ordinary employment agencies will
usually take all their money and get
themno work. 3. The Office of the Trib-
une is not the place to apply for help
or advice 4. There are some excellent
institutions for bringing employers and
employed together, such as the Free
Labor Bureau, the Working women's
Protective Union, and others, Of which
an account will be found in another part
Of this mornings paper. Young 1nen
in want of work will do well to read it;
but they will do better to 60 West and
leave New York alone"
Now allow me to comment on some
Of these articles of advice:
No. You hear, you seeker for mar
kets for your labor; you are not wanted
here in New York Tie place is already
overfll6d. But l submit that this city
is proper place to look for employ
ment, particularly if monopoly has
made this city great and prosperous for
here all sorts of factories should -four
ish. Here, only twelve years ago, at
least 10000 workingmen were employ
ed in building ships, steam boilers and
lOslNiilS anu NNSSClS.
Where is this industry all gone to? How
many of the above 10000 who then
found work on the shores of the East
and North rivers are left? And why is
the town overflled, if the above $4,000
-have dwindled down to less than 5000,
or even 5000.
New York city at least, positively and
emphatically, through the monopolists
hired man, proclaims that monopoly is
antagonistical to the employment of Ia
bor
No. 2.-That the city contains sharks
who will rob the poor distressed stran-
ger workingman is but too tue-would
that all the Tribune says were as true.
No. 3-"The Tribune office is not the
place TO aPplyJ FOR help or odcice." Iper
fectly agree with the monopolist's attor-
ney. / should rather think 1t wasn't the
place for a workiDgman to 60 for advice.
The Tribune Office is the consecrated
Temple Of the great idol called Menop-
oily. Only the incense burned by the
iron monopolies, salt monopolies, wool
en- monopOlies, and a few more, are al
lowed grateful recognition in this Tenn
pie. But you, houseless, homeless,
worthless rabblc, how dare you come for
advice even? Has not the Tribune al.
ready advised you the cooperation sys-
tenn? New York city wants an under
ground railway; why don't you ten
thousand idle workiDgmen, who are
clamorng for work, co operate and build
it. "Why dontyow do u?"
No. 4-The Tribune relents, and gives
at the close of this paragraph, the young
men the advice they so much need, VIZ !:
SO to the Vest; and leare New YORK;
alone"
Now, / wish to know really where
these unemployed workmen came from :?
They cannot be immigrants who besiege
the Tribunes office, as these have Castle
Garden to 90 to. They could not have
come from the South, because we know
that the South never sends workme n
away besides, labor is scarce there just
now. If they are to go to the West,
then of course they have not come from
there. Can it be possible that they have
come from the East and the middle states
the great centres of our industries What !!
Is this the result of oppression and mon
opoly, for which thirty eight million
people suffer; that the very workshops
who control and rule us are unable to
keep a few thousand men in their en-
ploy? '.'
The Tribune does, indeed, expose the
rotten system of an eight-year unheard
of tariff. when the last advice it designs
to give TO the Workmen out of work is,
not to 90 and make iron, woolens. salt,
cotton or wood screws, but to Ito the
West and raise corn and wheat. Why
that is just what all revenue tariff men
wish but in order to be successful in
the West, We must free them from the
slavery of the monopolists who, for their
own benefit alone, make iron dear, cloth
ing dear, and every article used by the
poor man dear, as if they were luXuries.
No MONOPOLY.