The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-06-13
Strikes Of Workmen.

now gong on. The OLD, unSOlVed, trouble
some problem will force itself to the sur
face. vex the ways of business for q sea-
son, then sink out of sight. 1t began with
the first acquisition of property, and the
employment of one man by another; and
it will continue so long as property and
employment exist Reduced to its simplest
form, the question is this: What proper
ton of the profits of a business should go
to the man who furnishes the capital to
establish business and the brains to
make it profitable, and what share to the
skilled labor which is equally needful to
its success. Ii is quite evident that the
demand of the latter may be so large as
to defeat its own ends, and break up the
business by rendering it unprofltable-or
repeat the story Of killing the goose that
laid the golden egg. The mistake that
workmen often make is that of consider
ing an employer in the light of an OPP
pressor, who, with little or no labor, takes
the lions share of the profits; when in
fact he is always the most anxious and
frequently the hardest worked man in the
establishment. There are two sides to
every bargain; but the workmen would
think it hard, perhaps, if asked to guar
antee the employer against loss from the
increased price OF his wares consequent
upon the rise in wages, or, what is the
same thing, a shortening Of the days
work. But it rs harder for the proprietor
to submit to have his business managed
for him, and be made to suffer all the
losses from its mismanagement. A plan
much more just to all concerned is that of
cooperation, by which workmen with as
ISOLATED capital and labor, start business
for themselves, and become their own
employers. But it invariably happens in
such cases that the more Industrious and
intelligent workmen become in time the
owners of the business, and the Others
find that they have experimental in a
circle, and are ust where they started
from Equality is a very pretty theory
but like a defective machine, it flies il
pieces when set in motion.
In the city of New York, where the
strikes are now in progress, some of the
strikers find that the result is only to de
stroy their employment Steinway. the
piano maker, who had 400 wOrkmen, told
them that if they joined the strikers be
would be compelled to remove his bust
ness to a country town, where he haC
buildings. They persisted, and the re
moval is gong on.
In some eases TIE demands of the
strikers are Of the most oppressive kim
to employers. The Hartford Times re
cords the case of Mr.. James G. Battersol
of that city. Mr.. B. is putting up SOM
expensive granite buildings in New Yorl
the masonic temple, a grand 81 300, O0
structure on the corner of sixth avenu
and twenty third street, opposite Booth
theatre, and now finished to the cornice
and the Williamsburg savings bank Mr.
b. had last fall resisted the strike at hi
quarry in Westerly, r. l., and has con
tinued to cut granite under the system
hitherto maintained, with a certain mum
Der OF apprentices, and the last years rat
of wages. lie carried that through sac
cesstuly, and is now met Try the stone
cutters in New York with the declaratio
that he can only be permitted to carry D
business in that city by complying wit
these demands:
/. He must throw away all the Gu
stone which has been wrought, during tn
men and pprentlces-a amounting to abor
S25, 900 in value-and have it all don
anew, out of new stone, by ''union' o
''socety" men.
2. He must reimburse the variou
trades-uuions who contributed money, las
year and last winter, to support the strik
ing workmen in the Westerly quarries
In other words, he must pay them al
they expended in the attempt to break hin
down.
3. He must dismisss all apprentices
and recognize the trades union, or society
at Westerly when necessary, and thos
| elsewhere.
When he complies with these demands
they inform him, he would be permitte,
TO do business in New York. They begal
to smash the ornamental parts of the ca
stone which, had been prepared for i'm
mediate building use; doubtless nerel
as an earnest OF their purpose and to SHOW
that they meant business.
Mr.. PATTERSON refused compliance, OBJ
tanned the protection of the police, and j.
now going on with his work under tn.
protection Of a guard. He telegrapheC
to Westerly for a gang Of his workmel
there, and these are now at work in New
York.
More than 100 buildings it is said, which
We're to be erected in New York, thi,
summer, and for which the plans were al
finished, will not be built-at least this
year. 1t is found that the new rate,
would involve a cost of not less than q
or % per cent. over the amount intended
SO many workmen must be idle this sum
mer and next tall and winter.
If we can credit the dispatches from
Washington, the British treaty has fail
ed. The reports now are that the post
ponement asked for, the Government
of the United States is not willing to agree
to, but says the application should be
made to the arbitrators, who have powe,
to grant it. If England does not 90 for
ward in the arbitration, and file her argu
ments, the President, it is reported, has
instructed Minister Schenck to abandon
the whole matter. Still we do not look
upon the treaty as hopelessly lost. There
has been good deal Of horse jockeying
which does not befit so grave a subject