New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-04

orr COnSitI-Ge0elal NJ IOhuOn Is cHlIhdtlC III
discouragng workmcn in this country from
going to England in search OF employment
Mr. Badeau's statement confirms view which
has been taken by many other good autho1-
flies mon the subect-that the chances OF en-
plovment are decidedly fewer abroad than at
home. AdVccs to the same effect have
been sent here by some OF the English
trade ard secret societies. Tho experience
Of the men, who have gone from here
without definite contracts to employ them,
has been almost invariably unfortunate
I'm cur cities, any story f business starting
and new hands being wanted, spreads very
1uicl,ly. The circumstance that a few con-
Germs in England. owing to peculiar pressure
10 finish contracts within given time, dd
actually send to this country fer workmen to
the number of perhaps 100 or 300 has been
trrimpoted about, as If it were the beginning
of a great change. WOrkingmen have, rs
rule, very crude notions about The labOr-mar-
kat at home; it is not surprising that they
should be easily misinfOrmed rs to the conGi-
to abroad. Only two facts were beiore them;
that the demand for labor here has fallen OIL;
that some Of their companions had secured
employment in England. Without waiting t.
make further inquiry, they packed their kits,
drew their slender boards from the savings
banks, and took passage across the Atlantic.
Arriving in England, they did Just what our
mechanic always do when they crowd into
cur large cities: what they are doing to-day,
here. at Philadelphia Baltimore, Boston they
went from shop TO shon, from factory to fac
tory. vainly seeking employment, till their last
"a Il,rA Gpwa
least have found friends to help them little
in the worst extremity. Abroad. they besie2e
orr Cousulatcs, "hIli-staiyed, with scarcely
"cnough raimeut to cover their nakedness,
"begging to be sent back 10 the United
"Statcs.n The Consul caar0t, Of course. af-
ford them any relief. There is nothing before
them but paup Tism, crime or starvation.
These. it will be observed, were not orfci-
rallv tramps They had little money laid by
which paid their passage to England and kept
Them in food for Il few weeks. The money thus
snent would have been quite sufficient to take
Them anywhere in this country. Their whole
mistake WAS in going where their labor was NOT
,,onted. And that is just the mistake that
the unemployed are making every day ~ the
wear, When they crowd into our cites ana
20 around begging for work. The radical
trouble is that they have no means Tor aSaer-
tanning whether there ia any likelihood OF
emplovment; and they take their chances OF
,,ettino If. on the strength Of indefinite hopes
ar haseless rumors. On all other subjects OF
interest-poltics, stocks, crops, markets.
there are organized systems OF obtaining
inflammation. The merchant who thinks
of moving tea from China, or wheat
from Iowa TO 90 half way round the
world. can and does ascertain now much there
il ON hand of either article at the places OF
consumption. Such knowledge is brought
freshly by telegraph every day; without 1t, no
merchant would now dream OF making a ven
ture. But no such knowledge OF the market
for labor is provided for the wOridnSman. lie
must trust to luck"
There have been few Labor employment
bureaus and Offices established on Il small
scale, and some of them, organized partly rs
charities, have done much good. But their
field has been exceedingly limited. 10 be OF
effectual service to the vast army OF the UNI
emuloyed. such n concern must be pos
sessed of very wide sources OF Informal
tim Yet it would not be a costly under
taking even III the outset, and il would soon
nav ia vay. If organized with responsible Cit
izcns nj its head, with definite plans for It's
work. and with at least one energetic man at
the helm, it would win confidence both from
employers and workingmcn. Contractors ana
manufacturers would soon find il the quickest
means for supplying labor OF any required
lond: il would enable them to meet
the emergency of strike by mere
" sending tcegraphic order The
workmen, who obtained employment through
such an organization, would pay a fec at the
time. and from this source the concern would
obtain a substantial revenue; but 10 charge
should be made for giving information to APP
pIcants as to the hopelessness OF seeking work
in any given locality. Of course such an or
canization would keep itself informed of the
needs and prospects of colonizing schemes, such
as Mr.. Burritt proposes, and the de-
mand for farm laborers in the busy
season in different parts of the count
try. Whether it would be advisable To
help the wOrkmcn to 50 to the places where
the employment may be offered, need not be
considered until the concern had fairly got to
work 1t is quite evident that there arc
plenty of workiug-pcople who have money
enough to pay their way to any place where
their labor is called fox. The trouble is, that for