Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-03-16
A Word to Ny Fellow Mechanics and Laboring
Men

FELLOW Laborers:
1t is with great carnestness, and with deep
anxiety for your future welfare, that am
prompted to mako this appeal to you at this
time. I can see in the near future great
trouble and distress with all classes in our
country, brought about By this labor organ
ization. II you will stop and think you may
be able 10 see it as do. What frail, erring
man needs is to stop and think, THINK
THINK! Do not give way 10 the first
thought, hut consider well before you act.
You well know that for some time business
has been dull in all branches Of labor, and
that large number of men have been seek.
ing work, and unable to find it, For this
reason alone, think of all times this is the
most unfortunate timo 10 demand an in
crease of wages.
You must admit that the earth is the foun-
dation upon which we must all stand, and
her productions must govern all things
Bread is the staff of life. Men are flesh and
blood and must havo bread. How is it with
the productions of the ground at this time :?
We lind them in abundance and very cheap;
upon the whole, lower than for the last forty
I
of the necessaries of life to-day than at any
time for the last forty years.
The farmer and producer getting such a
small price for his products, how can he az
ford to pay an increase Of twenty or TWEEN
ty. five Per cent. for ali ne is compelled to
buy-his groceries, clothing and farming
Inconsistencies you pay him the increase
| for what he raises? If this is so how are
you TO be the gamer by the change?
Now, if you were paying such prices as
you paid twenty years SGD it would be diff
erent sugar, lla25c. per pound coffee,
25ai5c. per pound; bacon, 14a2jc. per
pound flour, $1al4 per barrel, and other
things in the same proportion, or at the
same rates. How could you stand such
prices now? you persist in this move you
can see that the farming interests must suf-
fer, productions will fall oil, articles that
families must have will become scarce, and
up the prices must go and you will have
them 10 pay.
have never known for the last forty five
years any combination Of men resorting to
strikes TO he benefited as q whole. The mass
Of strikers would be out Of employment and
worse of than before tho strike
The SUNNY @nl da:.,n,, lnu' tor labor will
regulate the price, as it does with the prod
urts of tho earth. You will all agree with
me that the supply in the markets regulates
the prices and you must agree also
That when work is plentiful and almost
every one is employed, then labor advances
in price, and every thing goes on smoothly
Tuu demand this advance in wages; what
is the RESULT Take this illustration A
housc that would cost five hundred dollars
to erect before the advance would cost six
hundred dollars after you make your de-
utnnd. lu many cases the house would not
10 built What is the result? Fewer houses
aua higher rents. Now suppose you de-
manA the increase Of wages and your en-
poyer cannot afford to pay the advance
He must stop his business and you will be
ont of employment, and perhaps out Of
money. Which can hold out the longer? !
leave it for sou TO answer.
You may say "Our brethren will tako care
Of rs ~ but when half of the men in the
country arc out OF work, and very many Of
then. unworthy men, then you will see that
your brethren who arc employed will be-
come tired Of supportin. them, and that will
b. The end Of it. This combination might
work better in large manufacturing dis
trict, but in a place like this, where there is
nothing OF the kind, it will work to the in.
Jury az The laboriug man for the reason
That men of capital will not improve their
vacant lots in building houses where they
can see no prospect OF advance in real es
latc You we'll know that houses built in
this city, at the present cost, can scarcely
be sold for enough TO pay for building them;
and if there is increase Of the cost ofbuilding,
with no corresponding increase in the value
OF real estate, there will be suspension of all
such work Tariffs and laws that mny suit
one section Of this country may not suit all.
other section, and to try to enforce these
insult able laws and regulations will end in
disaster.
! claim that tho organization Of labor,
or any other combination to Fix prices, Will
not benefit the working class in Alexandria.
As to this order Of hvycotting, il seems 30
sac that i. works in this way Suppose you
request Mr. A. not TO sell a certain article"
ii he does your organization will not deal
with him. Then those who are not IN your
organization will say to him, ''li you stop
selling that article we will not deal with
you" Now what IS that man TO do? He
VIII be like q man in the midst Of 81 great
mountain on fire. The fire is rapidly over
taking him. He hastens to escape The
flames, but comes TO yawning prrcpice.
+ W DaL is Ut W w IL iiC hufanCeS W W III NO
certain destruction. II he stands still he
will he consumed by the flames.
Beycotting destroys mans liberty, ii de-
stroys mans happiness, and makes him
worse than slave. No Christian Can sane
ton such q measure. 1t is born ofenvy and
hatred and i'll will Will you do it?
Forthese reasons, and mary more not cx-
pressed in this communication, and for the
sake Of your families and our country, l
beg Of you to stop and think. Ponder we'll
over this Important matter before you act.
A MECHANIC
Of fnrty two years experience.
Alexandria, Va, March 16, 1856.