Daily Republican., 1883-06-29
American Mech anics.

been received in reference to an articl,
published in Wednesdays REpUBLI
CAN:
| have JUS read, with great interest
your article in this evenings issue, en-
titled American Mechanics. Declin,
of Skilled Workmen in this Country
and it's Causes"
Allow me to say that while the art
Gle is a good one so far as it goes, ye
there are many mechanics in our coun
try who will agree witn me when | say
that there are other reasons, not stated
in your article, for the decline of skilled
labor in America, if indeed there is sucl
a decline.
A boy spends from three to five of the
best years of his life in learning a trade
by which he justly expects to be able to
maintain himself and prospective
family in comfort, anG after he has
finished his trade he gees forth, hoping
and expecting to get a fair and reasona.
bic amount OF compensation for day.
work.
What is the result.
He finds that there are mum bers oi
men who have "pickel up" few ideas
of some mechanica. br,a ii, and who
are given the preference, \ majority
OF cases over the skilled mechanic, who
worked three Or four years to learn his
trade, simply because they will work
for less wages than. the skilled work
man.
ask, what encouragement has a boy
to learn a trade in the regular way,
when he sees good mechanics set aside
TO make room for those who hardlv V
know the first rudiments of any trade.
or as we carpenters sometimes say,
hardly know a hatchet from a jack
plane. "
Again : there is constant stream of
flowing into our country,
who will work for wages that an
American mechanic could not exist
upon, much less support a family, and
there are plenty Of employers who are
ready to take them in preference to
Americans.
Now, am an advocate of that grand
old doctrine which tells lis that the
" American Continent was set apart
forever as a home for the oppressed of
all nations but do not believe that
this doctrine was ever promulgated for
the purpose Of flooding our country
with pauper emigrants, to be used as a
means OF oppression to American me-
chanics.
Then again, we are regaled from
tilue to time with comparison of the
wages as paid to workingmen in this
country and Europe, but We are not
told of the prices of living in the two
countries, neither the manner in which
the working classes of the two Cont
nents are accustomed to live.
do not profess to be very conversant
with ali the particulars Of the every
lay life Of the European mechanic, but
this | do know, that there is born in the
American that love of freedom which
demands that he should at least receive
enough for his labor to enable him to
raise himself and those dependent upon
him above want and into comfort.
Let us look for a moment at our own
,ity to-day.
The average mechanic receives from
ten to twelve dollars per week, and
from this pittante must come that
which will supply all the needs of
'amily of from three to six or eight per-
sons The problem is, how can it BE done
1t the present exorbitant rates at whic h
provisions are held, and even if the va
'ious manufacturers in the city, were
% increase the rate Of wages, who
you'd reap the benefit of the increase ?
\ OF the workman but the moment it
became known that " wages had risen"
hat very moment would rents, provi-
lions, groceries, and all the necessaries
If life take long step upwards, just
'arel y within reach of the toilers, and
hardly that, so the increase in wages
would prove a curse instead of a bless |
ng to the WOrkingnan.
But, Mr.. Editor, | fear I have al
eady taken up too much Of your valu-
lble space and time, and ven ured
his letter because feel sure that there |
$ at least one paper published in Will
nington which is bold and fearless in
defending the right, and that paper is
he DAILY REPUBLICAN, and those
Who have watched its columns from
ime to time will bear me out in my as
ertion. Hoping that yon will give this
place in your columns,
! am, very respectfully yours,
A MECHANIC.