New-York tribune., 1886-07-05
ep.sh = l:.sA S n: could In n: unions prob

by ons-afoh 81 least Nor could the unions PROB
~ was M ono once told by master builder wfo hs:
risen from tho position of broklayer to that OF
Mayor Of the town he was born IN. that the number
day WAS less than half what he was accustomed TO
Law whom he WAS young, 6nd mnch loss tnan tno
number any good workman could lay weli Win
Tbe,best that worker can do for himself Is to do
better work. In England. Mr. Danson thinks
trades unions have not only reduced labor TO CON-
mon ,evel but have lowered the level Of efficiency
They saw who know. that an American workman
does IN n day average about one anu n na.i
times much as an English one ana tno . Ins @
man two or three times as much as most cou-
tinenta workmen. II there be any trntn IN ,nIs'
there Is a large margin for such increased pro-
Tbo.e who a. worSmen object to machinery
tending TO supersede their labor, should especiaIy
mark the now well known effect OF strikes In pS,
noting increased use OF machinery; III
other words the insistance OF the trades union
makes the machlnst's opportunity
The best Of Mr. Danson's book is his definition OF
the true remedy for the workers.
Itisa natural condition Of tie l;fc of every man
he being in fact animal, whose wants are
daily aud living on planet whose haryests are
only annual that he shall either hnsei holo pro
vision OF years subsistence, or De IN some shaI
the servant Of those who provide IT for him he
who relies for subsistence simply on the sale OF DIS
labor and no spends az soon as II IA earned AL ne
gets for it, takes the subordinate method or com
nlying with this condition. He declines to max
the needful provision for himself II he so acted In
y state Of nature he woud certainly perish. AS
things ARE he is free elect But IN eecting De
pendence he puts himself under subection. and to
tighten the yoke of the capitalists he resorts TO mo
trades union. He ought to he subject 10 neltner.
Let him face the duty imposed upon MIN ny our
common nature. Let him learn to regard the
possession of years subsistence in advance as
truly is the due ., nS o
which he belongs IL Is the lowest price at when
IN fact that freedom can be had. 1t Is the Price
W which all who have 1t have paid. or had paid ior
them in time past 1t is Lot beyond his means: Tor
thousands of his class daily paying 1t, from
means drawn wholly from weekly wages.
The writer goes to show that the laborers OF
Great Britain do save, and have already saved
81 600. 600 900. so that the charge that they can
save nothing from their earnings is false. lie
might have added that they might save nearly half
of that vast amount every year If thoy would con-
sent TO economize to the extent Of half their present
drink bill. But be adds:
II is not new process 1t is the oldest recorded
in our industrial history. IL is the foundation OF
all we have yet done there. Not q shlilihg no"
paid in wages throughout the world Das hau any
other origin. And If manv Of us. and among them
now no small number of wage earuers. did not daly
practise this forbcarance, the supply OF capital,
ehch nov daily brings into the marker an IN
creasng fund of wages tor an increasing numoor OF
wage-earners, In this and other countrios' "ou'u
not be provided.
It,sapity that one who reasons on many points
so clearly aud strongly should have failed to treat
other topics with equal ability The result is a
very unequal book instructive IN its breadth or
practical information, and yet careless in state
mert. and often bungling in definition or reason
ing; exceedingly clear as to the duties and errors
Of workmen but unpeasantly foggy In regard to
the dnties OF manufacturers who are tempted 10
cheat consumers. traders VINO are tempted 20 De-
come gam mblers AMI employers who are tempted 10
becove tyrants. Possibly it would be the host
complete and the most just criticism OF the WORK 10
say that it has in 1t little too m"cn OF the o'pe'
Of Cain. Am my brothers Keeper and not quite
enough Of the Gospel of Christ, DO INTO Others as
ga rvopld that Others should do unto you"