Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-08-30
MINERS WAGES.


through the daily papers Of the ar
rival of half hundred English mia
ers who had come out under con.
tract TO work for an English com
pany somewhere ~ the Comstock.
The idea OF importing these men
carried with it the well grounded
suppositiou that they were to work
for reduced wages. For, if not, why
bring them out from the old coun-
try when there are so many hands
skilled In ali the operations of min
ing to be obtained hereS We are
told that the Storey County Miners
Unions met the new corners and per-
suaded them to drop any Intention
they might hsve Of working for less
than the going rates.
Thus the power Of the Miners
Unions was again demonstrated. Dare
any body of men from abroad come
in here and attemp, TO cut down the
per diem of those hSrd-worklug,
resolute fellows, who are joined to-
pether hy the ties of common inter-
esti Surely not. Those who attempt
Ii are not familiar with the scope and
power of the Unions.
But here arises a question, perth
nent alike TO the miners and labor
ing classes in general, Of how long
the Unions can be maintained in the
face of general reduction of wages
on all hands and SORT Of undercur
rent tendency here on the Comstock
to bring the expenses Of mining
down TO minimum standard. The
Importation Of the fifty men from
Cornwall shows that there is such u
tendency. Foreign companies may
be more outspoSen in this respect
than our home corporations, but as
sure as wages in California and the
East are reduced so sure will there
he pressure brought 10 bear to re-
duce wages on the Comstock. The
position Of the Unions with respect to
outside laborers in general may be
likened to body that is saoat in
the water. You lower the water
by any means and the body that is
aaoat mus. come down proportionste-
ly or be propped up by some arti-
fetal means, As the surrounding
water is still lowered the props must
be strengthened until finally they
support the body entirely. The float
ing body we may call the Miners
Unions and the surrounding water
the labor market in general.
Thus far, as was demonstrated in
the case of the foreign miners under
Lotice, the Uuions have been equal
to the occasion. How long is il
probable tn Y will continue sos Let
us hope for good many years Bat
what will be the effect during their
continuancef II will be an increased
business prosperity on the Comstock
in every branch Of trade and in every
industry except mining. And there
will be no sensible detriment TO the
latter, by reason of its peculiar char
acter and for causes that are plain.
but which would he tiresome to re-
count. Meanwhile the loadstone of
four dollars per day tor comparative
~ unskilled labor will attract large
surplus population in search of OPP
portunities To realize thus literally
Upon their toll. Virginia will be 3
peculiar city in this respe Those
in employment will max money
while those outside, by being brough,
into close competition with the army
of unemployed, will find hard
struggle before them. II there were
no Miners Unions, this surplus popu-
lation would never be attracted 10
Virgins, Wages would be brought
down, and, like the body represent
ed above as floating in the water,
without artificial props an eauil,b-
rum would be established with
surrounding conditions. We prefer.
however, the stills of the Unions.
Turnn xroa uf.,af.,l laal- IS .n