Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-18

lHlS HluCu Dy lutlE movement at oiA
events.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
The city is hot on the question of cur
rency, and the feeling is increasing every
day. The rich old houses who have
oceans of capital in reserve, who are doing
business on their own money-and the
retired rich men are gnasLing their teeth
at the bare thought of initiation, and
thesr classes control the conrrOllable press
But there is an immense number of bust
ness men who really desire it and will do
all in them to bring it about. viz : those
who are doing business on limited capi-
til and are compelled to seek accommOda-
tiOns. These men want more money, for
they want revival of trade. They want
business To prick up in the West, not only
that the goods now in their warehouses
may be bought hut that they may be able
to collect for what they sold last fall and
winter. The cry for initiation is not all
from the West, it has It's advocates here
in New York, and they are large-mOuth-
ed.
BUSINESS
is anything but brisk in the city, and ev-
erything points to dull spring and dul-
Ter summer. The Western farmer hold
tight To the money he has, the Western
merchant cannot pay for what he bought
last fall, and is only buying just what he
must buy. and consequently the iobber
and importer here languish and sigh for
the good old time The
BUILERs
are doing absolutely nothing. There have
been no plans OF any expensive buildings
since the year came in--in fact, only
about three hundred buildings of ali
styles have been commenced since Jan.
1st. One third of the carpenters in the
city are ldl., and the lblacksmiths, plas-
ter rs and otuer artisans are still worse
of. The workmen have
THEMSELVES TO BLAME
for a great part of the trouble. TLey
have struck tor higher wages, and for
shorter time of labor, and so on, till the
contractors haYe got to the point Of not
knowing where they are. They dare not
undertake a building, except at price
sufficient to cover these chances, and those
who would build are not sure OF enough
rent TO justify the increased cost, in the
present state of trade. There are usually
over 1000 plasterers at jobbing work this
season of the year; this season there are
less than 200, and the same rule holds
good in all the trades, this spring. The
wOrking-men have OVer-reached them
selves They have got trade SO hamp r,d
and tied up with ''rrgulations" as to make
the contractor really their servant. The
societies rule, and their rules bear so ter
ribly against the employer as to kill his
business, unless he can compel the prop,
erty owner to give him largely increased
price, which he will not do. The en-
forcemenr-6f the society system is direct
encouragement to idleness. When society
rules are carried out, the diligent work
man receives no more cash than the man
who studies how little he can do and still
escape discharge. By society rule no man
can he discharged for incOmpetency, pro-
vided he does work enough to reach the
society standard, which is much lower
than the amount OF work which an active
workman can do. One of the regulations
of the plasterers' society is that employers
shall be obliged to pay men for the time
they are on strike In several societies
there are express rules to discourage dill
gence. In the plasterers' union, men have
been fined heavily because they have been
complained of by their fellows for OBJ
structIng them. The stone-cutters have
fixed limit for days work, which no
iourneyman can exceed without a fine.
The derrickmen have laid down rules
which require q certain number OF men to
each derrick, often larger number than
is necessary, and which restrain men from
undue haste in working. Among hod-
carriers and brick layers there are regula-
accomplishment of piece of work. 1t is
forbidden to use wheeIbarrows to carry
brick from the pile TO the foot of the lad
der. Hod-carriers are not allowed to use
both hands in filling hOds, and are forbid
den to put more than fifteen bricks in one
load. Ii may often be noticed that in lay
ing bricks men delay and loiler in their
task, because they may not venture To
finish their part before the corresponding
part is finished by their fellows, WHO, ii
they were our-stripped would have the
right TO complain u their union. Unul
these rules are modified, The master build
ers do 1t care to take contracts, and
building must languish. 1t may be better
later in the season, but it is learlully dull
now and there is much suffering among
labOrcrs. PlETRO.
NEW York. April 1Ith, 1874