Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-07
WAGES AND PROFITs-A SOCIAL
RRORLKM


The iron interest is everywhere embar-
raised just now. France complains of a cur
Eailment in that trade of twenty per cent,
and various schemes are proposed to relieve
the pressure arising from this situation, but
resumption OF enterprise in railway coz
ttruction appears TO be the only hope they
can safely indulge. Among ourselves the
reduction OF railway construction has de-
creased demand aud lowered prices Under
these circumstances the demand m ade about
their wsges by The workingmen was gener-
ally regarded as unwise and impossible OF
realization. Many journals exhausted their
Rloqueuce in efforts TO induce the men to ,ae-s
cept quietly such pay a7 the employers
offered. When they refused, twas said that
sbey were ignorsntof the state of business
and of the straits of, the time, and they
were assured that they would bitterly regret
the stubborn attitude they sustained. The
employers uere'profuse in their declarations
that for them to pay So so or Sc ton was
an utter impossibility; They were on the
way to rain already, and to pay such prices
would complete the bsnkrupting process.
Neither sermons, lamentations, prophecies,
nor threats made any impression on the
workmen, and when it was found that all
the pressure that could be brought TO bear
upon them was in vain, the employers
meekly accepted bankruptcy and ruin by
signing contr act to pay IS 90. 1t was not
the workmen who were ignorant. They
knew with whom they had to deal. They
knew that if a long strike set in business
would go where there was no strike, and
They would follow it, and 10 lose business
81 i--~ "AiirfuI ana experienced labor also
was to invite ruin in guise the iron lords
would be very unwilling to face. As gem
Rral thing We people in this country love in
dependence and admire resistance to at.
tempted wrong, but when the workmen COM
plain that they are denied due share of
The wealth their own hands create, they sre
continually lectHred and advised, and told
about their Ignorance, and sxhorted quietly
and INCREASINGLY 10 leave tbs question Of
what be has 10 pay Tor labor TO The decision
Df the employer, and to accept without eff
Jective demnr what he decides 10 give. AS =
rule, this ia not good sdvice, nor are they
wise, whether of the press or not, who give
it; for the nottingham would do wrong not
40 look as sharply after his wages SIS his EN-.
ployer looks after his prof g. at takes two
10 make bargain" and the workipgmsn
hiss no busiDess TO leave the bargain. making
10 only one. Their victory in the present
instance proves that ii is not the working
mans duty to allow the employer TO dictate
10 him what wages he shall or shall not re.
ceive for his toll. If the men had been
1ntimidated by threats, or mislsd by false
heO6, or csjoled by good advice, IS would be
ss much as they would he getting to-day,
where, by their stesdy attitude, they have
secured S. so. That the employers can afford
10 pay IS SO is evident by their consent
ing 10 do 80, for OF course they have
not conDseted cut of benevolence, and charity,
and sympathy for their Uorkmen. II we are
mistaken the list of bankruptcies will soon
begin to show the error, for into that list he
who pays the S. so rate has to GO, according
10 the frank, candid, truthful statements the
employers put out. If the workiDgmen had
not Persevered, that extra fifty cents would
have gone to swell the profits of the capital
5st, now it goes as just pay 10 the toiIing
workmen. How many other fifty cents are
there that are the toilers' due, but which he
never gets? In this lies the greatest social
problem of the present day.