Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-03-17
Ghr FREEMAN.


iheSAOoAS h'NO SiN"eiJ iAhpiO'SN NN'
the last year, with of course exceptions il
certain kinds of business. Sales hav,
been greater and prices better and manu-
facturers have looked forward TO still
greater demand for their goods. In som,
cases they have felt justified in advancing
the prices paid to those whom they en-
ploy, this having been the case to somt
extent in Chittenden and Rutland countie!
in this state.
But with this favorable outlook for those
who make things, come drawbacks. The
price of the raw material has gone up
Those who invested capital some time age
in the purchase of large quantities Of ma
terial have done well; for instance it il
said that one of the large corporations in
Manchester, N H., which proposes this
year to build another new mill of grea,
size owes its late large profits largely to
the fact that it last year provided itself
with heavy stock that will keep its
spindles running for many months to
come.
Many manufacturers however were not
SO fortunate. Either because of failure to
foresee the coming revival of business or
for want of surplus capital to take advant-
age of what of it was foresecn they are
not stocked up ahead but have TO buy The
raw material IN the market us they need
it, In these cases IF C ,ur-e their margin
of prof is diminished ut the very begin
ming.
Then too there has been of late very
general demand for increase of wage,
from hands in manufactures. In som,
cases, no doubt. this demand has com,
where all the advance consistent will
doing business at profit has already been
voluntarily granted by employers or wher
no advance could be granted which would
be warranted. In other cases it is equal,
probable that employers have been St
DESTROYS of charging their own profit,
that the only way left open TO the work
men has been to insist on an advance.
There are all sorts of men who hire
other men Just as there are all sorts OF
men who hire out to other men. So that
no general rule can be laid down that will
not have its frequent exceptions. And in
the matter Of strikes and lock-outs while
certain things may be pretty surely fore.
told us to results, the matter of justifca-
ton may be one thing in one case and al
together another in another case. Each
strike and each lockout is like tub in
this that it must stand on It's own bottom.
If every employer would raise wages
when he can afford it and cut them down
when he has to, and if the workmen would
demand increase Of wages only when the
business renders it right to grant the
request, and submit to II reduction when
depression of business makes that rich
the whole labor trouble would be done
the millennium does if at all. 1t is how.
ever pity that instead of the present
system of labor unions on the one hand
and combinations of manufacturers on the
other in the great centers of industry
two partisan organizations each in the sole
interest of its own class-there could not
be some system of arbitration devised
where board made up in part of reason
able representatives of both interests and
in part Of disinterested and competent
men should have the decision of matters
where employers and employed cannot
agree.
The Stenway strike and the general lock-
out followngit, among the piano makers in
New York is fair illustration of The
working of the present plan and in its
inevitable result loss to both workmen
and owners-will add to the testimony
against the possibility of profit from IDLE
hands, unused factories and wrathful con-
tention.
There are about 10000 people in New
York city whose business is in making
musical instruments. They have II union
that is an organization Of the workmen
Two or three weeks ago Steinway's hands,
several hundred in number, struck for
higher wages. OF course when they
stopped work the members of the union
who were employed by ether piano houses
would contribute to their support. The
plan Of course was to force the Stenways
to yield and then for the hands employed
by another firm to strike. The employer,
would lhus b. forcel one by one to Weld;
any one refusing would have his business
destroyed by o'her honses whose men
were not riking.
The manufacturers however combined
and gave notice that unless Steinwavs
hands returned to work on Monday last
there would be IL general lockout on that
day. The Steinway hands did not return
and on Monday all the leading piano fac
tories of New York We're closed by their
owners thus throwing nearly ten thousand
folks out OF employment. The men are
idle; the factories are lille. 1t doe, not
seem thtt thi, bare settlement of ftc.s
needs to be commented on to show the
stupidity that reigns in the present meth.
DDS Of settling disputes about wages in
the great manufacturing places.
1t may be that the men ought to have
more wages; or it may be that the bust
ness will not warrant paying more Each
party claims the facts are with it and tries
to force the other side to yield. Common
sense, business principles and humanity
all demand that this asinine and cruel
method be set aside.
The certain loss which will come to both
parties from the present performance in
New York might have been avoided and
fair wages and reasonable profits have ex-
listed in its place had half the wit been
in devsing mode of arbitra-
ton that has been spent in the formation
of workingmen's unions and manufactur-
ers' leagues.