New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-15
THE RIGHTS and WRONGS OF LABOR.

TO The Editor OF Tho Tribune.
SIR: have read THE TRIBUNE q number
Of years, and desire to define my political status
that you may Judge just how far are on the same
platform You favored tho abolition of Slavery SO did l.
you believe the acts Of Congress and
IN tho Ono-Term e,'and share your opinion;
you believe do in Temperance, Protection. and In
Reform in all Its forms.
In short all the leading questions Of the day relating
to the interest OF humanity the OF Horace Greeley
stands foremost and too profess to be an humble fol-
lower the path But there is question which
seems 10 TO undele all others In its import lnce, and
upon which you and much at varancethat Is, the
Labor Problem. You say men ought to 30 west ana
there seek home and fortune. This mainly refers to
men who labor tho shops and factories those who
ceive daily wages and who depend on the amount thus
received to supply the wants of life.
have SEEN for instance, article In THE TRIBUNE ad-
yising workingmen to form cooperative sociees-good
advice II 1t is practicable TO follow It, In Order however,
10 20 into the business Of manufacturing anything
which there public demand, it necessary to have
capital OF from $4,000 81 100000 Now let Us what
chance we who making complaint have to accumulate
this sum. My trade, will say, Is that OF worker in
iron; man employed In making cotton machinery
cciyes on an average s. per day hsien from
SO TO sls per month, which, deducted from months
pag leaves $40 to i57 to support himself ana family.
How many years. Mr. Greeley, do you think 1t would
take 20 be able TO pay your proportion OF $4,000 In
partnership Of fifty fellow wOrkngmenf
Would Won then increase tho circulation OF THE TRB-
uNE 100 COO copies within the coming yoari Then
out brayely I'm u spirit OF frankness and acknowledge
that there deep-seated In the body politic
which produces the continual strikes and stres between
two classes that should be welded together In tho strong
bonds Of lf.interest. Labor cannot be accused in
Justice OF all the wrong for no impartial observer can
traverse the length and breadth Of our Union and
and hear the same complaints without being driven In
evaby to the conclusion there is great and grow
ing tendency the part Of Capital to absorb more and
more OF the earnings the producing classes. II you
doubt my statements, question the employees as they
come out Of sewing machine factories, and you will
be at with the statement that In order TO COM
pete with those already established capital OF not less
then $500 ~ required and venture the statement
without much fear Of contradiction that that Is larger
sum than all the ngmachne employees In the country
could raise 50 may from branch OF industry
TO another and the difficulties beset 20 years Ago.
Il would have been practicable than now; but
enormous has become the power VI the heavy manufao
turing companies that they will inevitably crush out all
weaker and smaller concerns Can you point out to me
n single instance where workngmen have attempted to
form cooperative society In which they have not met
with the strongest opposition from Capital which tries by
every means within the pale OF tho law 10 crash them
outf only cooperation that Is practical or that will
reconcile Capital aud Labor Ia that whore there Ia Un
equal division OF the profits between the employed ana