Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-13
THE PRICE OF LABOR.

The price of everything advanced during
the war. While goods advanced on account
of the government demand and the limited
supply, labor did the same. Now that goods
are declining, it is but natural result that
labor should do the same. A dollar aud a
half per day will afford the workman a bet
ter living now than two dollars would short
time ago. While many manufactures are
running on two-thirds and one-half time, be-
cause the market for goods is depressed,
few are pursuing the wise course of reducing
wages so as to enable them to sell their prod
ucts at the reduced prices now current
1t is manifestly better for man to work
full time at a reduction in his wages Of ten
or fifteen per cent than to work one-half or
one-third time at the full pay. We are no
advocate of oppression of the working classes
by employers. We think no one will charge
the VERMONT FARMER with being controlled
in the interest of capital. But we consider
it not only our right but our duty to " face
the music" and tell the truth, no matter
whom it harms or helps. Furthermore, it is
essential that the aboriug classes should look
these stern facts squarely in the face aud be
ready for the inevitable. If peace and pros
perity continue to bless our land, and the
currency settles down upon a substantial
basis, as we trust it may, a reduction in the
price of most kinds of labor is one of the
changes we must expect but it need not be
in actual proportion to the reduction in the
cost of living. By the changes which are to
be effected in the system of trade, we trust
large amount Of useless expense may be
done away with, so that while the reduction
Of the price Of labor ten per cent may reduce
the cost of the product Of that labor accord
ingly, the doing away with three-fourths of
the hands through which it now passes be.
fore reaching its ultimate market may re-
duce its cost far more, and the advantage in
that case go to the man who may chance to
be the consumer, be he poor or rich.
1t is fact that poor people suffer in the
streets of New York and Boston for the
want of the products of the very mills which
are running on one-half time because there
is no market " for their goods. If those
mills were to run on full time, at reduced
wages, the operatives would receive more
money and the goods could be sold at less
price, thus coming within the reach Of thou.
sands who cannot afford them now. When
mills and machinery stand ready for work it
is public calamity to have them idle one
third or one-half the time, or run all the
time to keep one.half the help occupied that
might proGtably be employed to run them.
True it is that system which should
Bring the producer and consumer together
would do more to place the necessares Of
life within the reach of ALL and this is what
the Patrons and Soyeroigns are working for,
but let us not forget that it is better for US
to work all the time at slightly reduced pay
than part of the time at full pay. And
hero we would take occasion to commend the
course pursued by the Fairbanks scale works
year ago, The depression in business all
over the country was immense, and was felt
here as elsewhere. But the company reduce
ed wages ten per cent and kept their ma
chinery running on full time, though they
were driven to reduce the number of hands
employed. Whether the reduction in wages
was necessary Or not we have no means Of
knowing, but We believe the policy Of the
company was better both for themselves and
their employees than it would have been to
reduce the hours of labor 1t is duty
which each man owes to his Creator not to
be idle, but to accomplish as much as is in
his power while allowed to stay here, net
rolling his talent up in a napkin as did the