The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26
TIE LABOR QUESTION.
Waiting for the 4th Of May-Aggrssiye Action
Of the Workingmen a. to tho
Eight Hour Law

The relations between labor and capital are al
| present IN more disturbed ana anomalous condi-
u0h IMAM At any previous time since tue close OF
our late war. Employers want 10 reduce the price
OF mechanics and laborers' wages and to lengthen
their hours OF toll, contrary to the provisions OF
law made and provided there anent, while house
rent clothing, iood-neary every requisite for the
poor mans suoslstence-rematn about as high as
when the country had million OF men under
arms. lnnationsts say that q paper dollar is as
good as wheat, but the working man, who receives
his wages In promise to pay, 1nds out, to his
cost, that
1T WILL NOT BUY QUITE SO MUCH FLoUR
as metallic hundred cent piece would. The lot
OF the working classes OF New York Is particularly
hard. The laborer who earns 81 rs day works,
| on an average, about nine and half months In
the year, and gains something more than $3.50
wherewIth to support himself and perhaps .
family. And yet the contractor wants him to work
ten hours day IN place OF the statutory eight that
are laid down py law. The mechanic is somew hat
better or than the aborer. He earns, say So day.
| Tor about nine and half months This will give
him yearly income OF nearly $500 He can afford
to indulge in more OF the comforts OF life than
MS LESS FORTUNATE YoKEFELLow IN TOLL
the day laborer.
The cry OF the laboring classes is that the rich
are rapidly becoming richer and the poor poorer
They say that interruptions contractors want to
grow too suddenly wealthy, and care not how or
where the means come from. Society Is in
chaotic state There is no confidence In the ad
ministrators OF the law In those connected with
financial affairs OF the city, State or federal gov
eminent. Corruption, fraud and bribery stalk
bold and unblushingly through the land. There Is
vicious emulation on the part or ambitious poor
q w Mt ha wna and nY
the latter to copy their models from pernicious
systems OF acknowledgedly efrete aristocraces.
STOCK GAMBLING AND POLITICS
seem to be alone worthy OF mems attention. The
reason OF all thus originates In an unhealthy as
unwlse race for riches. The almighty dollar Is in
everSbody's mouth, and whichever way the
struggle for lucre tends, the working classes are
certain TO be pushed to the wall To demonstrate
how great evil could result from a fall In false
finances 1t Is enough to state that thousands OF in
dustrlous families were drlven-for want OF en-
ployment-to beggary or the soup house. Many OF
these good people, not having courage to bear up
against tat
THEIR CoNFESsEDLY GREAT MIsFORTUNEs,
have become utterly demoralized. ana their use
fulness is lost to society. "Wny,n said an intellt-
gent mechanic to q HERALD reporter. ibid not the
ment-glve the suffering poor ten cents worth OF
work instead OF ten cents worth oI soup ~
and winter clothing; we have excessively hign
rents, high rates OF living, high transportation
%
lightning, both OF which commodities form the
staple OF what New YORK can ofier to intending
emgrants by way Of inducement for them to settle
among us mere anu help to build up this great
The curse OF the country has been and Is the
fiuctuarlng standard OF money value. paper
dollar VIII buy one quantity Of goods to-day and
properly on account Of our bad system Of city gov
eminent, Is already high with every chance OF .
inc ae na Years. psnc
involved large numbers OF people who were
prepared tv sk tine won
| have employed thousands who were otherwise
cast adrlit IN tue long. dreary months OF winter.
| already deprecated paper money was another
obstacle which barred the way OF industrial enter
were unwilling to part with dollar. The APP
proach OF summer brings with IL some Duoyancy or
abroad ior profitable Investment. They are like
people who have suffered
CYCLONE or BUSINESS REvERsEs,
and now, ior the nrst time, venture o peep out OF
doors to see II the storm Is aDated.
A very Important question connected with the
growth and material prosperity OF our city 10 the
Eight hour law. The agitation Of this problem.
more than any other obstacle just now, tends
to cripple important building interests. The
exhumlng of TINS bone Of contention between
master mechanics and their workmen viii speedily
RESULT IN VERY DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES
to both parties concerned. The late action OF the
Mechanics and Traders Exchange, whereby that
body OF master mechanics declared that ten hours
should be q days work, and not eight, as laid
down by act oil Congress, and pledged themselves
to employ no man alter the 4th OF next month un-
less he conIormed to this rule, len IKE IRE IN the
ranks VI the laboring classes. The adoption OF
this resolution was q challenge TO the society men
in the city and suburbs, ana they have reEOutely
joined issue with the bosses. The men have held
meetings in different places and adopted resolu-
tons condemnat0ry OF the masters while these
have listened to the gathering storm in sullen
silence, ana heard, unmoyed, the rumble Of the
distant thunder. fte- Mrs.g
THE FOURTH DAY OF MAY NEXT
Is to tell the tale Of dubious strife between en-
ployers and employed. The trades most concerned
in the direct issue are the stonemasons and stone-
cutters, the Diicklayefs, plasterers, carpenters
Last week q meeting Of the New York Benevo-
lent Society OF Operative Mas0ns was held in De-
mutt Hail, corner q IweatA-tnlrd street ana Third
ing GOO members IA good standlng-tnat Is, pay
ing twenty-five cents . month dues. The Presi-
dent, Mr.. Jonn Tuomy. IN c0nversaton with
HERALD reporter stated that trade is bad, and has
been SO ever SINCE last summer: There was
hardly any tmng Done all winter, and there Is but
little on hand now. The men heard with indigna-
ton of the resolution passed by the master me-
cnanics, and have resolved, cost what 1T may, to
resist return TO the cad and now unlawful ten
hour rule OF labor. ss{sod Knows said he, "eight
hours are enough for any Christian man to work
there is nothing at all Tor US. The bosses
are crying s,, out Tor ten hours, while while they
large contractors who have work don't say any
thug against the laws IL Is only number OF the
euldu lIy-oS 10 usually INC cdsc-~WuO ubNe
nothing lc do themselves and want to emparrass
trade, That are making all the trouble. Mr.. Wilson.
the extensive master brown stone cutter, told .
committee appointed TO walt upon MIN that he dad
not sign the resolution published by the master
ana carpenters trades are making more trouble
than any others. 1t Is PROBABLE that property
owners nave entered into combination among
themselves and the buldpg contractors, having
Tor ifs OBJECT that OF compelling return TO the
ten hours rule. There are many thousands OF I'M
employed men about the city whom urgent neces-
sity might 0blige to accept terms otherwise matt
msslble. Pending tue settlement OF this question
little viii be done in the building trade. The hours
OF labor were rom .sun TO sum- a great
cutlery was set up by employers when tine ten nouf
was observed and
CUSTOM GAVE 1T THE CHARACTER OF LAW.
The question Is OF supply and demand,
| which must adjust itself according 10 inevitable
| and well known laws.
| The bookkeeper oil Messrs Sebastian 4 SaaT,
| wagon manufacturers, Thlrd avenue, says that all