The New York herald., 1873-11-04
THE LABOR CONTEST.

SsrAke OF ene building Laborers ana
Bricklay yers-No Prospect OF Their Ac-
cedfng to the Reduction OF Wages.
Bosses may propose; workingmen claim the power
ana right TO decide IN the matter OF reducing
wages Yesterday partially tested the matter in
regard to building laborers masons and brick
layers Having resolved last week to cut the wages
OF laborers down. from and after Saturday. from
81 10 10 So and mechanics from $4 TO So so, the
contractors for the few jobs in progress
were not really surprised to learn that
unanimous resolution OF the Brcklayers'
Associations resisted the reduction. On
Saturday good portion OF the bricklayers
and laborers who are members OF the unions were
at their posts and did their days work as usual
though the foremen were informed that there was
firm intention to resist the chanae. Large trade
meetings were held Saturday night, at which in
tense feeling was manifested and the nrmest dts
position evinced to resist to the bitter end, as
well as to stand by each other in the struggle
with idleness, want and suffering, II those must
come. Yesterday the General Council Of the Brick
layers Association was In session most OF the day
at their headquarters, Germania Assembly Rooms,
Seventh avenue and Twentysixrh street, perfectIng
measures for the protection Of the interests OF the
guild as well the general interests OF labor in
the city. Only delegates were allowed entrance.
From the outside conversation OF the members,
however, 1t was no difficult task to learn what was
made no secret that the organization was OF one
mind ana that all stand firmly shoulder to shoulder
in the attitude OF resistance to what they consider
the selfish greed Of the few bosses who have work
In PROCESS.
WORK STOPPED,
All the society men let the trowel lie Idle yester
building. Here the nun wages are still paid, and
the work Is being pushed with about $50 men, All
other building work was virtually suspended.
Bosses and f0remen, when interr0gated, said that
their men were INDUCING themselves with spree,
but an afternoon and evening among the strikers
JAILED to disclose any srirituous excesses. Con-
aru IN ng sa a1a tne
who il' ask % work u at say the a' lowered eS ss rate
are no mechanics and wln be found unable to do
most OF their society men to return and 90 to
work again after election. The strikers sing
dinerent tune, as win be seen by the notes Off
1t Is gratifying to be able to announce that the
sixth street, which was noticed as having stopped
on Saturday. was only closed temporarily for alter
asons or repairs, and wiz resume work tomorrow.
not strange that this temporary suspension should
have been mistaken for failure and 80 repre-
sented to the HERALD reporter. Prom and after
Wednesday this factory VIII be run with the usual
force and on full time.
A PROPOSITION.
Marvin q Co., one OF the large safe building firms
OF the city, have issued card stating their cOnvc-
tion that all prices OF labor materials, rents and
and business enterprises reorganized on new
basis OF corrected values, which they think will do
TO extrcate the country from its present diff
fcutes than all the efforts OF the financial doctors
TO avert disasters and Distress They conclude
that the sensible and proper thing TO do Is to keep
Ing the present winter and sell their products at
heavy discount. They believe it Will be better to
without immediate profit than 70 dis6and, and
better for the workmen, who have served them
faithfully for years; and that similar determine
ton on the part OF manufacturers generally would
soon solve the knotty problem Of the hour.
WHAT THE BRICKLAYERS SAY.
visited various parts OF the City where iaborins
men congregate and talked at length with the
building workmenpow on strike. The bricklayers.
day OF eight hours, profess not to seriously object
to the reduction OF fifty cents per day on their
laborer's wages to 81, which they assert to be
wholly inadequate to support man and family
in which no work can be DONE They consider them.
selves honoraby bound to make common cause
with the laborers who work with them, and they
protest on principle against what they regard as
heartless cruelty on the part or the employers.
AN ISSUE OF FACT.
AS reason for the reduction, the bosses say that
IL is made with q view to induce capitalists to in
fuse new spirit into the building trade next
spring. by enabling them to put up houses at a far
less cost than during the last year. Wages
are cut down as the first step towards the d.
minution OF the expense OF building In the hope
into new buildings, and thus make business lively
for both contractors and workmen. This is con-
sidered by the w0rkmen as the shallowest sophism.
They say all work now in progress has been con-
tracted Tor under the established rates OF wages,
that the bosses are receiving their pay upon that
basis, and the measure OF reduction is simply
plan by which fifty cents can be taken every dav
from the poor laborers and put into the pockets
OF the bosses-not saved to the owner OF the
property.
AS the matter is viewed by the strikers the aborer
be idle cannot, at the most, make over eighteen
days work In the month. For this at 81 he will
receive $780, Out OF this he must at the least pay
$40 for rent He has then $26 lett out Of which to
clothe and feed himself and perhaps q family OF
six TO ten for thirty days. BY what economy can
this be doneS They say that when they work they
must be substantially led. How can a family even
OF two persons feed Themselves after providing
clothing out of S2e per month"; Out of the brick
layers wages OF 81 per day he must lay up In the
summer money enough 10 carry his family through
the winter. He thinks 200 working DAYS large
years. average. This would give him $500, not a
large sum out Of which to indulge in extravaganza
or luxurIes.
WILL THEY sUBMITs
To this question the only answer OF the strikers
Is "No." They profess their desire to lind other en-
ployments. In the general depression this can only
~ m ae few Say ave ss
some savings, and on these they will live as best
they can till time brings them employment at what
cut down in price they would not object to re-
duction OF their pay. or II the contractors had
now resolved 10 put down wages IN the spring TO
induce capital to invest they might think well OF 1t
and believe In the dsintercstedness OF the BOSSES
No estimate could be got OF the amount in the
treasury Of the Bricklayers' Unions, but 1t was
generally stated to- be large. Then they say there
will be no draft upon this fund for O few weeks,
and II IL should in the long run be exhausted they
sure OF assistance by loans from other trades
whom they have already helped in like manner.
SO In the face Of the confidence OF the employers
in the argument OF weary winter OF want which
will wiring the wretched working men, 1t appears
probable that most OF the society men now on
Strike have handled their last mortar for some
months.
CIGAR MAKERS IDLE.
Hardly 1fty men now at work in the under
mentioned Cuban and spanish cigar manufactures
OF this city sanchez, Mora, Paaccio, Lozano,
Carples Marrero Pricto, Callejas, Rodriguez
Nora, Cantero, Lerena, Romay i savedra. About
500 OF the men who worked at these establish
ments are now out OF work. Many OF them have
left this city for Charleston, Key West, New Or
leans and other places, where they hope to obtain