National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-30
rrad9a Union rHranuH.


We have never, BY word or deed, attempted
to interfere with the organization called the
Columbia typographical Society. It Is an
ancient aud respectable combination, around
which clusters much historic interest and
Legendary glory but we still think that even
so respectable body as we admit this society
TO be transcends its true intent and object
when IL seeks to interfere with the dearest
interests Of the business community, and to
say that while values and wages are shrink
ing In nearly all the Investments and enter
prises Of this city the wages Of . iourneyman
printer shall not accompany the general de-
cline. We now speak for the newspaper
publishers Of Washington. In no city of the
Union have the publishers Of daily and
weekly papers q more difficult task 70 perform
than our associates In this city. We do not
have the commercial and general advertising
here which Is at the command and competi-
ton of the publishers in all other cities. The
Sunday press do not receive the same descrip-
ton of advertising which Is freely given 70 the
same class of journals in the large cities of the
country, and yet we pay as much, If not more,
for composition in Warrington than is given
elsewhere. The hardship of this is best Under
stood by men who have lost thousands of dol
lars in the publishing business; and when a
compromise Is sought, and certain workmen
are willing to meet their employers on equitable
ground, to agree to sharethe decline In prices
which affect men who have their capital as well
as their labor at stake, 1t is monstrous sssump-
ton of power for society to step forward
and declare that such q compromise shall not
be made, and all who dare to take part In it
are "rdts;" outlaws to the Printers Union,
and worthy only to be stigmatized as
infamous. If such ruling is to be persisted
in 1t must drive many worthy men out of
business, and eventually create monopolies
which will bear ruinously on the best inter
ests of the National Capital. Why should
not wages, like the price of raw material, or
the manufactured article, yield to the force of
supply and demand! One merchant who
chooses to undersell q neighbor is not de-
noupced as q "rst"-one tailor who sells a
suit of clothes cheaper than his neighhor is
not advertised as an outlaw. The community
rather spplauds and patronizes such a nan--
he is regarded as enterprising, and the man or
men who dared to stigmatize him for his course
of business would be rendered snbject to legal
srraignment and penalty. Why ought not a
jonrneyman printer, in view Of business de-
preston, and acting on a sense Of equity to his
employer, have the same right to agree to
work for prices obviously fair and just with
out being put under the ban of q secret, po-
tent, and tyrsnnical powerl There Is no prin-
r ciple Of law, no legal ethics which can be ad-
duced to show that he ought not to have such
Q right; and those who seek to rob him of this
right, by casting odium on him for SO doing,
are guilty of the meanest sort of persecution.
We are for justice in all directions, and will
never hesitate to express q candid opinion on
this and all other kindred subjects of issue be-
tween men.