, 1874-02-08


{Daie.]
11ns II. D. WYsKoop.
Men Who ssrindfe Thcir Employees.
10 the Ed51or Of Tie Chicago Tribune
SIR: It is not the capitalist who is the me-
chanios enemy in this country; it is tho greedy,
grasping,
EMPTY POCKETS
that arc his worst enemies; men who take con.
tracts, and have not the money to pay weeks
wages. These the. men who are in debt to
all kinds Of mechanics aud manufacturers.
When men OF this class get together as builder,
contractor, aud architect, some one is sure to
lose.
But can ne blame the mechanic who has been
idle for months ii he works for them? They do
not pay in advance; ho must work week at
least before lie can expect his pay ;@aud if, when
payday comes, he gets IS or $40, he does well
Ito pay up ia tho e1coption); it is
BETTER THAN DOING NOTHING;
and, in this way, the weeks run up bills which,
in soms cases, are paid, but, in most instances,
are not.
would like to know what the correspondent
who says that - The man who works under such
circumstances deserves our contempt and scver-
est censure:" would do under similar circum-
stances. Think that tho contempt aud censlro
should be directed at those who build from empty
poclets,-not at the honest man who tries
to do his best.
The working people Of America should set
their heads together, and have q Law passed to
thoeffecs that the employer who does not pay
weekly, eeml-monthly, or monthly. ms the c1tent
of his business may warrant, shall be compelled
to
SHUT Ur SHOP.
Such q law should he passed; and why canno.
1t. in this great, izee country? II it WAS in
down-trodden England, al,ould not ask the
question, although such law is not needed
there, for Joha pays his mea on ay-day.--
rection.
Capital and Labor must 50 together, as man
and wife. But Capital must mean something
besides ''Boas." O. l..
Is the Laborer Worthy OF his N1irc7
10 the Editor Of The Chicago T7;oHne:
SIR: The old maxim, that The laborer is worthy
of his hire, wish to contradict in some instances.
II the mechanic or skilled laboror is included in
the above term, as is understood by many to be
the case, would say that he is not in all cases
worthy of his hire, or, at least, of the wages ho
demands and is paid. OF the so-called en5i-
neers, machinists, carpenters, plumbers, de-,
not ono in d hundred fully understand the
proper use OF the scale, square, or the calipers;
and not one in i've hundred Of the last-named
has any idea Of the first principle OF the most
important branch Of his trade !: Hydraulics.
Well may they praise the Chicago Water Works
that. ut the expense Of sons practical
mems brains, hayo come to their re-
lief, and force the water to the re-
ouircd height. The plumbers theory is,
"If such DO the case, what knowledge do I
need OF Hydraulics? And, as for test ing tho
hydraulic pressure q water-pipo would resist.
why, it is altogether out Of my sphere. and IS
very seldom applied OF thought Of III Chicago.
AL that is required will be to make joint By
splicing two pieces OF pipe together by means of
hot solder. and place them perpendicu1arlv, hor-
izontallg, or at an angle, as the case may be-
Next in order come The so-called engineers
How many OF them, do you suppose, could an-
machine is to be introduced in factory or print
ing Office, which, in order to perform it's duties
perfectly, will require $50 revolutions per minute
of ee1tain wheel thereon 49,, which Sa[t re re
Is" wheel is gear-wheel one-third the di-
amcter Of ''D." Connecting with the gear-wheel |
is another. one-half the diameter OF B. On
Tho shaft Of the last named gear-Nheei is band
wheel inches in diameter. The shaft from |
which the motion ia to be derived makes ninety |
revolutions per minute. Question: What is the |
size Of the wheel to be placed on this shut to !
make the required number OF revolutions OF |
uhcel ".B' ~? think these so-called engineers !
would call q meeting: II tn3s example were gwen
hem. come to the conclusion that there never |
R:as such an internal machine invented, aud paas |
resolutions allowing none Of their members to |
;un such machine, unless the maker thereof
should send practical man to solve the problem
lad place the wheel in position.
Thus similar questions and exsmples may be
applied to tho. numerous other so-called
Mechanics which would terminate with
, ike result. The men alluded to generally join
, Trades-Union or Society. and demand higher
rice for their labor than it il actually worth,
md do their utmost to force "scaos '(non-Unon
,1ot enea~ed IN strikes are ''botchcs in their
.dorted ItI tfsdes. Tho other tenth may be prac-
;e icai men, but they are mostly officers Of these
jnions, and lire on th9 earnings of a.i ibsse ESQ
,iosraphies OF Watt, Stephenson, F7ankliu. Aorse;
; zricsson. md many others, all practical and
Eed but @ f4a be GaRa ghs59 an9
1''i,ra II il to be wondered st that largo man
- =, ,atnrino establishments do not gzsdo their