New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-13
nnR. MECHANICS.

whole population can not be supported o.
the labor of half its number. How thel
shall these non-producers be kept off th
shoulders Of those who labor: How cal
they be enabled to contribute their pro
portion to the common maintenance
We answer, by SO employing then
in the mixed industries as that ther
shall be something for each to do
But they have neither capital no. skill
in the trades. The want of capita
may be to some extent supplied by a com
bination among those qualified to conduc
the industrial pursuits. This principle o
cooperation has been found, in man.
cases. quite successful. 1t protects mel
against absolute discharge when profit
are low, always insuring them something
| from their own labor. This principle o
combining labor to substitute capital ii
| but using capital in its inchoate. lnstea(
Of concrete form. The success Of co-opera
ton depends wholly upon the capacity ant
attention to details with which i: is con
Quoted. Hence integrity is the first qus!
ity Of success in this as in everything else
Of the same character. There is e further
application Of this principle in the COM
bined purchase Of prime family supplies,
such as are usually found in the corne,
groceries. in these cooperative stores
the co-proprietors are certain to &c: theil
goods q. full weight, and without adul-
teration. It they pay the usual profit on
such sales, they receive it back again, at
least in part, by way Of dividends on their
stock shares.
The absence and quietude Of the profess
sional politicians has left the hand Of the
journalist free and the ear Of the people
open to consider this subject, and We are
gratifed to repeat that the mechanics of
New Orleans seem disposed to organize
for the purpose Of securing employment
for themselves
We are aware the journals Of Louisiana
Ihave in great part taugh: that manufac-
lures can no. succeed here. We can not
see any reason why. On the contrary,
there are many advantages in this location
which do not exist in the Eastern States.
1t is plain, from a perusal Of the latest
report OF the Massachusetts, Bureau Of
Labor, that manufactures can ar:ely
sustain themselves in that sterile eoil and
inhospitable climate.
We can no. better condense the facts
and reasoning Of five hundred pages than
by quoting singleparagraph. "Our in
vestigations." says the report. Unto the
condition Of labor have been in the line
Of wha. are the legitimate expenses Of
living here according to our institutions
and times. and the average earnings to
meet these expenses. And we find that
as rMe the working class, skilled and
are unable to own an unencum-
bered home, OF to obtain competence.
while great number are not able to keep
out Of debt
When we add 70 this that the average
annual earnings Of men engaged in skilled
labor is s545 10, Of women $3.50 q, and
Of youth s15S G1, the astounding conclu-
sion stated becomes more probable. This
explains why it is tha. the skilled labor OF
migrates to the valley Of
he Mississippi. where food, material and
demand coexist. We have before Us also
. tabular statement of the COS. OF living
n Massachusetts,. There are certain ex-
optional articles. such as clothing, fuel
nd interruption Of labor by severity of |
reather. which would appear more e1-
,ensive than in New Orleans.
Why has no. public attention been
urned to the possibility Of attracting to
Jew Orleans the suffering and unpaid Ia
or Of the East? The REPUBLICAN has
onstantly explained this TO be because
bose agitators who have the public ear
now little and care less for the mechanic
nd day laborer. These agitators do mis-.
hief in denouncing the tariff, because
,ey thereby prejudice the mind against
There is no. word said
y them in favor of the mechanic arts.
ut we would ask: Is not tariff a
xed fact? Does it not protect manu-.
'ctures? Both questions must be an
vered in the affirmative. Whatever be the
ltent Of the duty on imports, it is pro-
ctive. Well, then, why should not the
Of New Orleans be allowed and
to take the benefit Of this pro.
ction? If the government should erect
public building, Of whose use and object
le public disapprove, what wrong would
lere be in filling private cisterns with
ater from its roof? We cite the advan.
ges which tariff, in effect protective,
yes them as well as others.
We applaud the spirit with which our
have declared their in
'pendence of their political d.
ctors. We point them to the i'm.
ense demand in and around New Or
ans FOR all manufactured commodities,
'm mouse trap to steam engine; We
ow them the advantages which they
ssess over their competitors in the East
n States; we exhort them to strike for
eedom-for freedom from the rule Of
en- whom they only see when the cleo
N committee brings them around in
rriages to see the ''boys" before the