New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-24

increased stocks TO carry, moreover PIou"00i'
have to pay higher rates for money than they
did year ago, and find the market hardeninS
under exports of gold, whereas last year IL WIS
made easy by enormous imports.
All these circumstances point to the conclu-
sion that this is not favorable time Tor Ia
horers to demand increased wages. Yet the
cost of living mas so advanced that ~ day
will buy less of immediate necessarles a' Icla'i
than SD a day would have bought in May 1881.
The case of the working people Is nara upon
them falls with especial severity the burden iili'
posed by the partial failure OF crops last year.
They deserve all the consideration thaV clh-
ployers can possibly give. Yet the TACT remains
that there is scarcely any branch OF BUSINESS
which an advance of wages can be pald at thiS
time without loss, ana in many OF the most I'M
portant industries n suspension OF Work loi
weeks or months would ne positive Deneht 10
the producers. At such time strikes arc
likely to result most disastrously to the Ia
borers if they can live with difficulty on the
wages paid, they will find 1T still harder 10 i've
ON no wages In the Cumberland mines, III
Lawrence and in manufacturing towns I'D thls
State, thousands of workers are already out OF
EMPLOYMENT, and have been for weeks.
At Pittsburg on Monday The Amalga ell
Association of Iron Workmen received deci'
sive rejection of its demands from the iron
manufacturers. The workmen had demanded
an advance of wages. The manufacturers
declared that the advance was entirely uh"ar-
ranted by the state of trade, and that 1t was
wasting time to discuss the matter. III. the
orders of the Association are generally oDeyeu'
from $1,000 to 10000 men will cease WORK
June 1. The manufacturers say that they nave
prepared themselves throughout the west 10
resist to the end, all the establishments except
one large and few small ones having definitely
agreed to stand together. At the same time 1t
Is expected that 10000 miners Will be ont OIL
emDloyment, the Miners Association at nus
burg having decided on Saturday, alter TWO
DAYS session. to order general strike June 1,
unless the coal operators cease to employ col
ored labor. Several thousand i'll Western
PENNSYLVANIA and in OHIO have been on a
strike for weeks, and the endeavor to get col
ored men to take their places is met with the
threat of general strike.
In the trades unions. it is the prevailing
opinion that the contest will not last month.
But there is great reason to fear that it Will last
very much longer, with no result to the work
men except loss and suffering The state OF
business gives all the advantage to the en-
plovers. In demanding increased wages at
this time, with prices falling and trade stag
nant it cannot be said that the men have JUS
tce on their side. According to current re-
ports, many of the most intelligent wCrkmen
realize this, and are dissatisfied with the action
taken by the trades unions. But, as so often
happens in such organizations, the most intel
ligent and Industrious are outvoied by others,
who refuse to face two or three months OF
economy until the cost of living declines, and
by that refusal subject themselves to months OF
idencss.