New-York tribune., 1875-10-08
THE ENGLISH LABORER.
LETTER FROM MR.. CHARLES BRADLAuGH.

To the T. Edftor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Az a marked change is noticeable during the
past decade i'll the language of the recognized cham
pions of labor in England, TO the proper means of
which the dissatisfied worker may avail himself to
secure au increase of wages. it may not be wholly
Improbable to state that change clearly for readers
on this side. In England nearly all skilled laborers
have to-day TO face the problem of a wage already
reduced aud still further to be reduced in nominal
amount. and that amount also decreased in pur-
chasing power. The unskilled laborers rs the agri-
culturists, have obtained some slight increase of
nominal amount. hut even with this increase are in
a most pitiable condition. Skilled laborcrs in
England have. for the last few generations. had
more Or less efficient trade organizations The un-
skilled labOrcTs in London and the provincial
agricultural laborers have had practically no organ
izaions whatever until within the last four OF five
years. Until very lately all combinations Of labor
ers in Great Britain for the purpose of augmenting
wages absolutely Illegal and were consequently
semi-secrct associations. Recently the wisdom OF
our legislators has conceded to all trade organiza-
tiOns legal protection in their association.
So long ~ the unions unlawful 50 long the
weapons with which they fought were very often OF
undesirable character Now their assemblies are OPEN
their debates reported and criticised and their
struggles are nearly free from the Objectionable
of the short-ived trades The discussion of politics
and of political economy has borne fruit Feeling
that it is in the National Legislative Assembly that
the workers should be able state their grievances.
efforts have been made in the general elections OF
1865 and 1874 to elect to Parliament men chiefly
prominent as trades-uniOn officers. Two such men
have been returned Mr. Macdonald. the President
of the Miners Association. member fuT stafford,
and Mr.. I hos Burt. Secretary OF the N0rIhunbef-
land Miners, a. NJ. 7. for M0rpcth. Other men, as
George Odger and Mr.. Kane each official representa-
tive of laborers' organizations. have polcd large
votes. giving promise of increased labor representa-
ton in the next Parliament. On the school Boards
too we find George Potter and Mr.. Lucralt III L"ii-
don and many Others up and down the country solely
chosen because of their representative posltohsm m t
workmen's societies The men have felt that the re-
proach of ignorance has not been entirely undc-
served, and have made most earnest effort to wipe
away the stigma. The carrying through Parliament
a miners bill securing some protection to life and
hmb the modification of the statutes relating 10
employer and employed. 40 10 make some approach
to fairness in the niction of penatie, for breach OF
contract; these and other statutory amehord-
tons have been accompanied with wiser conn
sells as 10 the mode Of contcsting disputed points.
First there has been declaration, ana TINS wlth no
uncertain voice. against the old practice OF slheS
In Northumberland this year Mr.. Burt. VI. T., and
Mr. Macdonald before = 600 men i'll Durham. Mr.
Crawford, the agent of the Durham MINERS sup
ported there by the two lISt-naned gentlemen, ana
in the presence of at least 10000 men; ia York
shire. at gathering of 10000 men, Mr.. Dixon. the
agent of the West Yorkshire miners backed by Thos.
Halliday. the representative Of the south Wales
miners. and again supported by Sir. Macdonald; all
these declared that strikes at least as injurious
to the workman as to the capitalist; that strikes
were like wars remedies often fatal to the ylctcr
rs To the vanquished The vigorous and Oft-repcated
declaration against strikes at this season Ia the more
remarkable rs the tendency of wage III Great Brlt-
ain is clearly downward III most artisan occupations
Ii is no longer possible to Tighten the labor market
bv any extensive emigration 10 the United States
Won have hero your own labor difficulties. Enlgra-
ton 10 Canada has proved a deluSlon and snare.
A Journey to Australia or NewZealand involves TOO
much cost for those who most need the help the
change might give.
Two courses have been specially urged by the
trades-uniOn leaders-one that, on dispute arising
there should before the strife became embttered
nv misconduct or misunderstanding on either side
be- an instant submission To arbitration one arber
acting for the men, another for the employers. and
a nreyiouslv selected umpire delivering the award
bv which the wage-paycrs and waGe-recelyers are
alike 10 be bound; the other that the men should
venture their economies ~ cooperative undertake
ings and instead of regarding the question as one
of continual battle between capital and labor should
by becoming their own capitalists secure to them
selves the profits of which they complained capital
appropriated too large share. The arbitration
plan mas been tried most successfully. Awards nave
been given in some instances for, and IN some IN
stances against the men, but in all cases the men
have scrupulously complied with the referees de-
-,
and worst educated there Is of course the most diff
fculty i'm procuring the acceptance of the practice OF
arbitration. because it is precisely in these cases
that the employers who can purchase and retain
skilled advocates have a great advantage. The
plau of co0peraye works is also being essaved II
has already ITS grand successes and ito partial fail
ures Foes Of such effort are too ready TO poln'
10 the latter alone. l cannot help believing
that cooperative enterprises conducted by the men
themselves on a large scale would lessen most mate
rally the possibility of trade disputes. II the mems
cooperative undertaking resulted IN unduy
high profit it would not only mark that
capital in that branch of trade had taken
too much from labor. but would show accn-
rately how much too much had been 50 taken
Instead OF entirely abandoning the fruits of their
labor n a strike accompanied by enforced ldlen' ss
the laborers would maugurate another cooperative
enterprise to secure for themselves higher tut Tor
their more active industry.
In the agricultural movement no arbitration has
vet been agreed on. Hunger and misery have
awarded submission in some districts. Emigration
agents have tempted away some of thc most encr-
p,tc spirits TO Canada and Queensland, but the
benefit has been but slight AT home, so few labor
ers have been taken away, and among those VINO
have gone "a large percentage have given very disap
ponting accounts of their experience. when with
almost empty -tomaclls and cmpter pockets they