Year: 1869

Grnpb.


The typos hold decidedly the lead in the in
tellectual movements agitating the laboring
classes and Labor Unions of the present day.
If any proof were needed of this fact. we could
easily find it by reference to and analysis OF
the discussions in the National Typographical
Union. recently In session at Albany. Believing,
however, that this is admitted by every one
who has read the interesting proceedings OF
this body of representative men, fresh from our
laboring classes, we would now direct public
attention, and particularly that of workingmen,
to the sagacious and far-reaching policy which,
on two remarkable subjects, the printers have
introduced In the discussions now agitating the
Labor Unions of the country. We allude to
the questions of apprenticeship and the postal
telegraph.


Modern civilization rests upon the brain and
hands of the skilled mechanic. If this axiom
needs practical demonstration 1t will be found
of the most ample kind In an examination OF
the Spanish American countries lying south Of
us. There Intellectual development of high,
if not of the highest character is to be found.
All the questions of theology and Of politics,
the arts of logic and of diplomacy, the truths
of science and the aspirations Of art are
studied, cOmprehended and used theoretically
in high degree But the skilled labor which
can put in form and shape the multitudinous
requirements of the mind are entirely wanting
From the steam engine to the smallest article
of use or ornament, all must be made abroad
The result is that in all those countries
civilization is decaying and society is drop
ping to pieces. 1t is in connection with this
fact that we consider the action Of the
National Typographical Union on the question
of apprentices Of such paramount Importance
to American civilization. With the decay of
the apprentice system in this country has come
a fearful decay of American skilled labor.
An examination of our workshops to-day will
reveal the astounding fact that their best
workers in iron are all Englishmen or Scotch
men. and their best workers in wood are Ger
mans. The complete craftmans skill is sell
dom possessed by an American, and the reason
of it is because we do not apprentice our boys
to learn any trade thoroughly.


But there is another point in the action OF
the printers at Albany which is worthy OF
all praise and of the earnest consideration OF
the whole country. This is their action in
structing their delegates to the National Labor
Congress, which is to meet in Pittsburg in
September, to use all their influence in favor
of the establishment of the postal system OF
telegraph. The telegraph is one of the great
est factors of the age, and it is yet in its child
hood. Unfortunately it has lapsed into the
hands of private monopoly, which, binding
it with the bonds of private greed, prevents Its
due development. 1t is to the honor of the
printers that as class, and in general conven-
ton, they have been the first to advocate the
great reform. We hope that every organiza-
ton which elects delegates to the Labor Con
press will follow in the footsteps of the
printers, and instruct their delegates in the
same way-''to use all their influence" in be-


halt of the establishment of postal telegraph
by Congress.