Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-11-25
LABOR REFORM.
John O'Byrne Before the worhias,neni
Institute.


According to announcement, John 0'Byrne,
Esq., lectured before the Workngmen's Insti-
tute, on Saturday evening. Although the room
was not crowded, large and very attentive
audience was present. Rev. Fielder Israel in
troduced the lecturer, and stated that he was
glad to find such large meeting and hoped
those present would come regularly.
Mr.. oByne was in pleasant vein Of humor
but contrary to his usual practice, he apologized
for a want OF preparation, and read his speech
from manuscript. The subject was in reference
to the Labor movement.
The Importance of this he said, could not
be overlooked and was social problem which
must sooner OF later be solved Capital was depen-
dent on Labor and Laborwas Wealth, upon which
| the great manufacturing and mining centres OF
| the world are dependent. Perfect harmony shonld
| exist between Capital and Labor but could not
| be expected unless Labor was dignihed. "The
| dignity Of Labor was a trite aphorism, but alas
it was thought not dignihed to labor, by too
many. The influence of the press should be
welded in defence OF Labor, and every idler,
whether rich or poor, should be spewed out as
not lit to occupy place in society. But unfor-
tunately this wonld not take place in the pres
/ ent generation. He suggested free trade in La
| bor, and stigmatized the system Of Trades I'M
ions as penal and exclusive in its nature and he
| could not see how such system could be sup
| ported.
A combination of employers who would not
i pay more than certain price for labor was
equally culpable, and helped to antagonize la
| bor and capital.
Mr.. OBJ, took strong grounds against the sp-
premiership method established by the Trades
i Unions, which he said was throwing skilled Ia
Dor INTO the hands OF foreigners and drawing
Americans into all the menial departments Of
| labor where little skill is required.
| The speaker instanced the furrier trade, in
| which he was once engaged, to show the effects
| of Trades Unions. That trade is now exclusive
| ly in the hands of foreigners, and skilled work
men from Europe command from 40 to 90 dol
lars week, but 30 exclusive is it in its opera
tions that no American apprentice is allowed tC
learn the trade. He would suggest to legisla-
tors, plan for free trade in labor, fair compen
sation by the capitalist, the prevention of arb
tary rules by Trades Unions. The repeal OF al
usury laws was highly desirable to the interes
Of labor. Money will flow into the channe
where it is paid and scarcity Of money alway
tends to increase interest, and altogether mill
tates against the interests of labor. The capi
. | talsts who would combine to defraud labor, ant
| the laborers who would combine to stop labor
are both penalty guilty, and should be punished
by legislative enactments. Cooperation, al
though desirable and remunerative, in man.
branches of business did not remedy the evil
for all could not belong to cooperative associa
tions.
The lecturer then more elaborately condemne
the Apprenticeship system, stigmatizing it a
, | illogical and impracticable as viewed from
Trades Union stand point. No child should b
prohibited from leatning trade, and wbateve
y trade he may desire. In shop with fifty worl
men the tables Of mortality show that all will b
dead in about twenty-five years, yet the laws Q
t Trades Union Apprenticeship will not train,
i that time, in that shop. more than twelve Amer
lean skilled workmen to fill their places Th
remaining men will come from other countrit
to fill the 3S places which anunwise policy debal
American boys from filling. This, although til
industries of the country are greatly developing
Q and multitudes more laborers are continual
y needed. The Labor Market, said Mr.. o'Byrn
can never he glutted. There is always work fc
q all.
o The lecture was listened to with the close
attention. and although some present eYdent
n did not agree with the propositions enunc ated
: hearty and unanimous vote of thanks was tel
a dered to the lecturer.
DIR. A. II. Grimshaw was announced as th
lecturer for next Saturday evening and his sui
y ject 1.-The Horses Hoof and Horse Shoeing."