, 1873-10-01
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYED.

EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYED.
Tho employers who havo largo n1lmbcrs Of
workingmen muat meet the embarrassment. Of
reducing their force, reducing wagoa aud tiue
or susponding business altogether. It is no
pleasant duty, but Is nevertheless one TINT must
be mot and dealt with so rs to causo tho least
possible amount of suffering aud distress. In
several Embellishments In tho Eastern States
this reduction has already begun, md tho fnan-
cial atrIngenoy promises to bo Of sufficient
duration to o1tond itself throughout the coun-
try. Whilo this calamity caunot be wholly
ayertod, it may bo to d great oxtont mitigatod.
OF course. whore all establishment or
corporation is OF itself bankrupt, there
is nothing to bo done. But wherever there
is IN employer whoso RESOURCES aud maans arc
reduced, but not wholly cut oil, Justice and
sound policy suggest that to the extomt Of their
maans tho york bo continued. Thore arc yari-
ous modes by which this reduction may be made.
When tho means for paying wages havo fallen
OF 80 por cont tho most direct proceeding, in
ordinary ti1nes, would bo to reduce the force om-
ployod in corresponding ratio. But, az tho
pinch is universal, the discharged mon can f'nd
no work elsewhere, and thoy would be loft dcsti-
tuto. a better plan would be to roduco
tho time 80 per cent, thus retaining the
workmen, aud bridging them over tho
wante Of the long winter, Or tho reduction might
be mado both in wages and In time In either
oase, tho men may be kept at work, and earn
enough to live upon until such tIme as crodit
shall have recovered from Its paralysis and bust-
neBs resumed it's activity. However unpleasant
this contraction may bo to employers, thcrc sooms
to ho no alternative.
How stands the case will; tho workingmen2
Tho mutual dependence Of capital and labor is
now confessed. The calamity thnt touches tho
one instantly af11icts Tho other. Tho railroad
company whose receipts arc diminished QUO
half must limit its expenditures accord-
ingly. Al gurplus salarios must bo
cut Of, ali sppornumerery employees must DO dis
charged Those holding tho higher ranks, and
for whom there is no employment, must aceopt
humblor positions at lower compensation. II 8
corporation has no mcana OF paying wages, "
would DO fraudulent to continue tho work and
then fail to pay tho hands. Hard and oppressive
aa this calamity may be to those who aro de-
pendent On their daily wageH for tha support Of
themselves and families, 1t 1s nevertheless a
necessity that cannot be avoided. Tho man who
can got work ct helf time mud half wages is pro-
cisely TINT much better on thap tho man WHO is
out ot employment and can got no wages.
It may DO that lomagoguos will appeal to men
whose cummings a1o thus suddenly reduced, and
aeek 10 array them in hostility to tlo eln1piqyora;
but good souse and calm judgment must con-
vince them TINT, wlloro tho reduction ls gonoral
embracing evory variety Of employment iip every
branch Of business, aud applicable to all alilso,
high aud low, rich and poor, there must be q
general subWlsslon to tho Inevitable and COM
aon effort to nllka TIC best Of it. Lot the work.
ingmon rornsmbor TINT tue so:eellel rich man
Of Chicago haye lost moro money during tho
DaBt week thnn tho ontiro coat OF all tho car
shops HRd rolling-mills in and around tho city.
Thore is one way In which even reduced
NftGh, 4GAAs0A AAAS4A1RS HhN tG3AtoA t4OAto
NAV be Offset, aud that ia by the cutting Of
Of class Of expenditures that consume ut all
timos an undue proportion of earnings. There
arc no loss than 400 billiards in this city,
which earn Nh average Of sl2 day each, Or
1880 day, or $2B,80o wcok. Each game Of
billiards wliu average in addition TO the cost Of
the gamo. an eqpI apqm for liquor and as much
moro for cigars, making weekly expenditure of
wages, earnings, uud pronts Of 48o,4oo. Every
cent Of this expenditure may DO saved without
any loss OF comfort, but with great bonols. Tho
olork or other employed paen cannot complain
serioua1y II tho panic and gonersl preEgtrstion
only cuts oE hls billiards, drinks, aud cigars.
There ars $500 saloopps in the city, tho ayorago
receipts Of which ero not less than $50 each,
Or ? weakly expenditure Of sl25,YoQ. The
great bulk Of thp SUN ia takon from tito vagoa of
msa wl4oso only income iR fsom wages. Tho
whole Of this DHm may bo saved. Nq loeu Of
hpRlth or comfort will follow tho abandonment
Of drink, and tho money thus aavod from waste
will go far to supply tho means to purchase
clothing, fuol and other nocesaaries, which, aro
threatened to DO cut OF by tho reduction Of work