Daily Republican., 1881-10-12
labor at q Preaniu lll.

Labor at q Premiusn.
There can ba no more promising in
dication of a prosperous condition o
affairs than when laborers are hard tt
get, although the wages offered are
much higher than usual, and it is the
surest possible evidence that things are
moving aleng as we would like TO see
them. 1t is incontesti5le proof that
business Is at flood tide and that there
are but few or no idle hands in the o1m-
munity. In the past it WAS no unusual
thing to see an idle crowd at the inter
sections of Water and Front streets,
half intoxicated and imrortuning pass
ers by for little money, something to
eat, or for a Job of work. With the ex-
oeptions of some natural burns who
woul1 rather starve than work, these
crowds have all disappeared and can
now be found pick and spade in work
ing at excavating streets, cellars and
railroads, and many more could be en-
ployed if they We're hero. A few days
ago the newspapers in our sister city
of,Read ing alluded TO tho scarcity OF
mechanics, carpenters, tricklayers and
other artisans ard laborers in that city,
and the inconvenience to which build
ers were subjected in consequences.
There is the same difficulty in WI
mington, and contractors are compelled
to divide their forces and shift them
around to various contracts to keep
them all under way, and thereby much
work that is needed in hurry is An
peded and kept back. Another plosI
promising sign of the times is, that so
far daring the present year less has
been heard of strikes than for the PAST
eight or ten years. 1t is true that
hands have stopped work for a day Oh
two to demand higher wages, which
was their due, owing to the increased
price of living, but there have been no
prolonged serious strikes that inter.
fered with business materially or the
prosperity of TIE country. This is in
itself very encouraging feature and
indicates prosperous coudltio9 ri
trade that allows speedy ana .Gatis
factory competition between al, con
cerned. We gan hardly attribute this
state Of affairs toaprevalence Of clsarer
views between employers and employees
because there is no doubt as muGh ig-
norance, prejudice and passion amongst
these people as there werea year ,r two
ago, when strikes were more hEmerous
and disastrous. Such things are not
from the minds and habits
of men in afew brief weeks Art re-.
main to vex and to trouble long after
we woald sup pose that calm reflection
had driven them out forever.
The absenaa of these trade auarrels
if we may 20 call them. cannot there
fore be regarded except as most hope
full sign. 1t at once indicates steady
employment a. acceptable wages aud
a contented AMI satisfied disposition on
the part Of labor. In the few Lat in
stances, where the skilled mechG 1ics
have demanded more liberal sGsi of
remuneration, their requests have keen
met in a spirit Ct accommodation, that
has invariably resulted in an am tcg Bile
arrangement of .he troubles. Uuloi bt-
elly this must be attributed to ,.he
healthy cOnditia, of trade. Manut. C. d
turers find a m2xlset for their comnlo4'i-
ties at remuneraLive prices, and the,
fore meet the demands of their cuSL,- ,
mels in spirit "a concession which &5 {
satisfactory to the latter, and the tra,ls, ,
action proves mutually beneficial. Thr q,
prosperous condiL Of the country
gives promise that this state of atfaire
will continue for some time to come. SC |
much headway has business assumed
that a sudden paDst would be almost
impossible. Unforeseen causes may !
arise to disturb this prosperous eluilib-
rum of trade and prosperity, but just
now there are no signs OF any slch dis
turbances. We hope that there may be .
an open winter that trade an%l build. A
ing operations may no. bo seriously in e.
tertered witl. :