The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-05-03
AND WAGES AGAIN.
DEE LETTERS ON THE SUb-
llInECT, OF THREE VERY DIR
= FERENT KINDS.

FERENl hIND''
,o Prove that Although all |
lh,amx can be Solved by w Ork Few
an be Solved by Talk.
nc week THE CHRONICLE selects from
u nile Of letters on the question OF |
1od labor in North Carolina, the follow
4 4brea-one from mechanic, who be-
He discussion, one from ''A", whose
- proposing system Of legislation
me subject appeared last week, and
from manufacturer.
Eur CHRONICLE regrets that it has caused
70 lay aside his pen forever Its
tic.m Of his letter was, of course, of
,ronositions and not Of himself.
nechanic. Proposes Organization.
f. THE CHRONICLE of course we may
be able to remedy the evils of gener-
ons Immediately, but there is much we
do towards beginning The first thing
bn done in order to accomplish any
II. i for the mechanics to organize.
nnion there is strength" and not only
but enlightenment. | am aware that
nv nersons look upon this subject from
I'LL ,aw point of view-that is, they have
idaa that to elevate one class means to
ar the other This is a mistake. Why
4 elevate all at the same time The
hsuner in all cases pays for the article,
! labor and the taxes. The moment
ntIeman smokes cigar and casts away
] stump, so soon is the cost of produc-
bn, manufacture and tax paid on it,
n the man who did the smoking foots
4 bill. This is on the principle that che
1 be- dances pays the fiddler"
{The interest of the proprietor should be
Ipked after, because in him centers the
krrest of those who do the work. The
$oprietors of the South are not hard
karted people, neither do they rejoice in
Il poverty of the laborer, but they have
Vet emerged from the effects Of slavery,
Iii the industrial pursuits are new to
kny of them. The wonder is they are
universally successful !; and the only
Ason why they are, is because they have
keir material of whatever nature ready
hand, and they do cheap work at the
kppnSe of the labOrer. We have no Sys-
I'M of labor at all-nOt even an appren-
e. regulation to insure good wOrkmen-
hd consequently We do very inferior work
nd turn out inferior Workmen. | will
and illustrate:
A contractor takes a contract to build a
puse, basing his figures on the price he
ays for labor If he can get his labor
leaper than the other man who bids for
lie work, his point is gained. Now, the
bject of competition should be in ma
,rial the capital invested, quality of
ork and the time it Will take him to ac-
,;nglish it, In order to do this it is nee
s..rv for the workmen to organize and
/ scale of prices, say to take effect
nm and after certain date, when all
blgtracts now on hand shall have been
he'd, and to apply to all new contracts.
hey should class their wOrkmen say so
[uch for first, second and third class, which
IN be easily arranged as the brlckmaSOns
this city have done, and which, | am
,ll by contractors, works admirably.
hey should all obligate themselves to
'ork for no less than those wages, which
ball be agreed upon between themselves
nd the contractors or employers. They
bould also obligate not to take contracts
mong themselves, thus doing work cheap
than a regular contractor, for this
Tould be cutting their own throats and
filing the renowned goose that lays the
plden egg.
This Will place every contractor on the
ame footing in regard to labor, and the
biect of competition will become skilled
abor, capital and material, and other IA
ilities for accomplishing the most good
fork in the shortest given time. The con-
ractor who builds the house will then IN
lude YOUR wages in his estimate for build
ng nv house, then | am the man who
ays the increase IN wages. 1t Will tnen
york this way | am a merchant; | have
house built; | pay the contractor enough
nore than | used to pay him for building
he same house to justify him in paying
ou the increase to do the work; you
AVE more money and you spend it with
ne: | have more money, so l pay the
armer more for his cotton; the farmer has
uore money, so he cancels his mortgage
his increases the value of cotton, so the
[ew England man Cor the Engllshman, az
he case may be- pays US more for 1t; the
otton is made into sheets or SHIRTS, anc
IS there are more New Englanders anC
English who wear shirts and consume
more cotton than we do, they have to foo
he bill thus the South grows rich While
he North grows poor, unless she can raise
lore wooden nutmegs than we can.
BY putting up labor, (Which is the foun
iation of a nations wealthy which WI
an do, we can, with our natural facili
lies beat the world.
But the less the working man has to dt
with politics Except to vote intelligently
the better for him and his family.
Strikes will ruin any country. Boil
parties lose, whichever wins. 1t is alto
gether losing game.
Again, it is not question of labo
against capital at all. 1t is labor agalns
brains The masses are ignorant, no
only in North Carolina, but the world over
Of course some States and some countrle
are more enlightened than others, bu
where they are the most enlightened, the
are the better workmen and most pros
porous, if not the happier people. '"
are SO ignorant that We are between wv
great political parties, and are actually be
ing made to eat ourselves! 1t would b
humorous were it not SO terribly serious
Give US National aid for education, an
give us education. MECHANIC
RoLeigh AprI %.
A "Manufacturer'' Finds Dihc ulties
To THE CHRONICLE There never wa
q time when good workmen were IN create
IL 7 for. n1.a V~f1 n