New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-04
co-opERATIoN-AL LETTER FROM A wOREINGMAN

O-OPERATION-AL LETTER FROM AWORklNGMAh
To the Edftor Of The Tribune.
SIR: When n strike takes place, no matter
what the circumstances may be- the tendency TO i'm.
poverish the body that institutes the strike well
party opposed to it, Now, If tho great amount OF money
that expended upon the machinery of workDgmens So
cetes such exist, could, by any amount OF per
suasion reasoning DC all saved instead OF all spent
the aborng classes would begin 10 find that they
were doing different kind OF work from what is being
done at present. and the only way In which this be
accomplished Is by cooperation of capital and labor
Cooperation in the mechanic arts will not work the
same in detail 1t docs in sales although the in
prncple because in sale operations have only TO do
with money and what money does But In the mechanic
arts We have something beside money namely. Produc
tive Industry and il is this named commodity
propose consider My first proposition for the union
o. LABOR anu ncHt If AGO membep each msmeT 70
pay per week for 80 weeks thus producing capital
ceye at the end Of MONTH will have paid In $4,000
which. with the payment that will follow each week VIII
be sufficient TO start business with The cash should
draw not more than y nor 10 per OF the
profits and the remainder OF the profits should be used
as premium to labor the premiums be paid pro
aeeordng 10 the amount each society
OF the whole should be regulated by law and IN
accordance with principles After the 800 shall
have been taken from each trade another society De
formed each Of the trades at first with 500 shares
with weekly payments Of s. perweek And still another,
with SIS shares with weekly payments OF 80 cents per
week, and let all be governed by the same platform
Thus think pretty fair beginning would be mado TO-
ward solving the problem Of what relation labor bears 70
and here let me ask how long think yOu wOnld ~
be before every business In the community would
begin 10 perceive that vast change had taken place ID
the relations OF those who constitute employees ana
workmen think that the men that now do the work
would still do the work the only difference between now
and then would be- that combination OF small amounts
would make up the sum employed In successful busl.
ness each beside employing himself paying himself
ut tile highest rate OF that u paid In any OF the
trades the present time. BY this process uniform
standard Of and time can be established that would
work harmOniOusy without recourse 20 Legislators aud
politicians 10 put through the job" fully con
Vnced that there Is capital enough In the hands OF tie
laborng classes Of the City OF hewYork and Brooklyn 10
prove that by this process every man can for him
self comfort acOmpetence, and even wealth he desires
And now fellowwOrkmen let us get 70 work ana forward
the matter so that may say, after short time, that
we free and Independent: people have few
words 10 say regarding plan now being tried In car
rage manufacturing shop In this city, The inducements
they offer, as understand, consist In making these men
at the end OF each year small present amounting 10
from 80 10 $50 extra being careful 10 realize than
they pay extra 10 each man before he gets H. do not
therefore great amount OF virtue In all they
pose do for their wOrkmen. What they say their
men this "f You will work enough harder this
than did last 10 make $50 moro win give YOU as
wOrkmen Onehan OF what has been made by gott extra
exertions" Now do not think should feel very CRATE
ful toward employers who made me such an Offer j like
says: Now, gentlemen workmen, here is a certain
amount Of property on which want You TO pay the in
terest and then what made beyond that wo will de
equally, will take onehaf and YOU the other After
having the f3000 is small amount 10 divide
among good trusty set OF hands who have done faith
full work A WORKIko%AN.
Aete-Iolk, Nov, ID l7C9'