The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-06-03

" ages, rs well rs longer OF SHORTER
workdays, are always made for groups
of workers-not the individual-and
necessarily so. 1t is impracticable for
individual employers in any large in
dustry to agree with individual wage
earners as to daily wages. DO not fail
TO observe that wages are not primarily
fixed upon the basis of the amount of
strength and skill that is required in
producing the results of the days labor
by the law Of demand and supply.
Wages and the length of the workday
are fixed upon the basis of the require
ments of the social position OF the
wage earners. That is to say. the rate
OF wages IS fixed In Christian commu-
mites by the amount of money required
by the wage Garner in each class by
the consensus Of opinion of all the peo-
pie in his community as to the style of
living he must maintain TO keep his
self respect in that community. This
is largely made up of the opinions of
other classes of men his daily work
brings him in contact with. \ deter
mlnation to maintain the style of liv-
ing of his class for himself, his wife
and his children is what spurs each
wage Garner to fight to secure the
wages necessary to buy the things the
social position of his family makes nee
essary to it.
These conditions, as all of us must
see upon reflection, are fundamental to
progress. Wages are fixed upon the
essential manhood of the individuals
In the various groups of wage earners
and not upon the efficiency of the group
in projecting or executing work-the
making of things Wages are not fixed
for any group of men simply as work
ers, as of mules and horses As the
principles of living taught by Christ
are more and more needed, the wages
OF all workers have more and more ap
preached a common level by raising
the level OF the lower waged groups
All nature struggles to equalize the
lots OF men In bringing the enjoyment
of all things within the reach OF all
men
If we make list of dozen classes
of workers, the truth of this statement
becomes apparent - for instance, the
rate of wages of cotton factory work
ers, wooden factory workers, unskilled
laborers, carpenters, machinists. print
ers, clerks, bookkeepers, teachers, cer-
gymen, judges and so on.
This, again, is shown by the fact that
wages in the same occupations are al
ways higher in cities. where the cost of
living Is more, than in the country dis
tricts and higher in the larger cities
than in the smaller.
To refuse to treat with the labor or
CARNATIONS. or to even acknowledge
their existence, by employers, or by the
organizations of employers, can in no
case result in any permanent good In
the present rapid march of civilization.
1t only makes diseord In the army of
God, and what is seemingly success
for a season can only result finally in
the humiliation of the employers, as
witness John Mitchell and President
Baer
Men will fight longer ani sacrifice
more for sentiment-what to them Is
principle-than for substance.
| can say. after considerable expert
ence rs an employer, wltnout st1iAvs
or their like for many years and with
the number of strikes and threatened
strikes in other years, having fairly
good hind sight" that strikes are in
almost all eases avoidable, and in nine
cases in ten it is in the power of the
employer, rather than in that OF the
leaders of labor organizations, to avoid
them and keep the rate of wages salts
factory and be on the most friendly re-
lations with his employees
We. MS members of this board OF
trade. in memory of the great, liberal
minded men who preceded us, in the
interest of this city of our love, in the
interest and for the security of the
noble men in the great body of EN-
ployers and, above all, In the interest
OF the most intelligent, honorable and
skilled body of wage earners on the
face of the earth, should make an ex-
haustive study of and assume some re-
sponsibility in solving these latter day
labor problems.