The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-04-11
To Home Mechanics.


sue Of your entcrPrisiHg paper ]
notice that the nee hanies Of Rulas-
HI are making edorts-to organize an
association. / agree With you in
prOnouneing it. q good move; and If \
not intruding too much would Ike I
to say q few words to the mechanics |
of Pulaski ana vicinity through the I
columns Of the CITIES. e'l- Hala
- DuringR IesiFsRee ofseYeralycars
in Pulaski working as a m, eAanic,
l have had opportunity Of seeing /
and knowing how the mechanics get I
along; for the most part they have !
Unfair competition both at home
and abroad to contend against; I'm. !
fair athomes because there is no sys- !
TEN Of prices among them, also /: !, Z =
norancc as to the real value of work,
The party having work to do takes
advantage Of this state Of affairs, by
got. = iroln one mechanic to another
and getting their lowest prices, and
II efteH- happens that the highest es-
innate for said work is twice and evs
en- thrice as much as the lowest, the
Latter Of course being the price fixed
on. for the work. The party
having friend, who is under mon
led obligations to him, he, of course,
gets the wsCk to do lat these Feduc7
ed rates), the employees easing his
conscience in this WY IF one man
can do It for that price, so can an,
other, and if I trusted to- my friend
to fix the price, he being in my debt,
might charge me too much, 4herer
fore I am right in grinding him to
the lowest figures. 1 know. that he
] cannot make, good wages By It; ia
fact ! know nc will come out in debt
10 me; we'll if he tdoes I can en-
soWething else, for him to do, But
il tie ptechanic, has, sense enough. to
know that he cannot and should
not work at these low figures, and
perhaps be paid in trade, OFF goes
the party to Nashville, or some
/ where else. ana pays a big price in
4 cash for his work, but then he has
/. the consolation Of thinking that II
4 must be much better, because ii
fcomes from abroad and costs more
Z money, besides he does not believe
the mechanics at home could do as
good work, simply because his con
z science tells him lie would not PAY
I as good prices 30 him as to forcing,
J ners. W by it is the case,I leave
others to decide, but tits certainly
true, that whatever comes from
: abroad is considered more xaiuablC
I than home Manufacture, be it eyel
So good. l DO not say that the me
chanics themselves are eotirely
blameiess for. this state of affairs
2 JealoHslts among them has a grea-
deal 20 do with il, besides, as / saiC
( t.heiore; others are always ia debt
lbs0nle 1aetuNliy running inadebG ex
+ fpectiHg lly that uasanss Co get worh
L 10 do, The only way i can see GU
2 OF the difhcuity is 90 organize an as
$ sociation tor Slfe purpose OF fixing
= prices for the different kindsof me
thaA 'cal labOrs they should not b.
: kexOrbitant hat sufficient to iustifl
8 lgAeIn iH doing good work, have IN
tpriees fixed for thesiiiierent kindi
< Of serk, also The stlAe So which !
e must be executed. These should bi
9 printed, and a copy given to eacl
memier of the association, thcreb,
n presenting any one pleading ignOr
G ance IS to the price Of work, they
n cuuld also &c rates. per day, for diff
I, ferent kinds ct jonrEeymeut me
= chapies 4 think il would also be a5i
+ Evisable to have some system as {,
q the number of hours for working
~ each day. Under the present sys
; tenn, il Is from the rising TO the set
y ting of the sun. Prom my own ex
u perince / end that a man can d,
+ homework, and do il better l,y yorl;
s. ing tea hours a day, than he can b
t working all day. By the ten hou
+ Isystem, II the mechanic has q famil
4 be has ample time 90 attend TO thei
&c wants, sud devote an hour or so :
r reereation, or Improving his min
bsl hg residing or otherwise. BY the q
( day system he will have 10. neglee
y either his family. or has work an
. i've so worried that he cannot a
leaher justies Also I believe that
c. q reading room withp. small lihrar
a5 apsl ssE scientific daily and liter
II aEY papers 70 read, would hoof Ii
10 ealeuiable benefit 80 the Young me
,e iehanies especially; they Nsnla the
af have SEINE lllaoe 81 Fesors, beside
e the bar noom,ebilliaHi hall ana te
a pin slleT. In conclusion I kno'
that these things can bcaloRe il tn
mechanics viii all put their shou
r. deFs 20 the Wheeb and ACT stan
b lf1ek for fear of a failare. Atten
n7 the tAeelinE.s and shoN hy your pr,
- eenee that yoH mean business. 30
s. may relTi GA the generosity Of q
IN people &c Rulaski a. assisting 20
re hY every means in their peWer.
n y0H show them BY Nonr actiees sIs
az you mean 30 help yourselves, nnd
they do not they bake less care &
q, their own interest than imagine
d. Rcspc -tfully. a MECHANIC.