Year: 1868

The fight between the bricblayers of this
city and the master masOns continues, there
being apparently no disposition to yield on
either side. This is bad both for the employ
ers and the operatives; and the circumstance
is the more to be regretted in that so far it
seems improbable that the present conflict will
in its results contribute anything toward the
effectual cure of an evil that has now become
chronic. We allude TO the frequency OF those
ruptures between the employers OF labor and
their workmen, known as strikes. 1t appears
to us that cooperation is the only feasible
mode of settling the question OF the antag-
onism between Capital and Labor, and OF thus
putting a final stop to discussions fruitful OF
pecunary loss to both sides, and OF bad blood
A strike look at it in whatever hghG you
please, is virtually an attempt at coercion, ana
such attempt is almost certain to provoke re-
sistance on the part Of those whom it Is sought
to influence thereby. In case Of that resistance
assuming sturdy character, the greatest sui
ferers from the conflict arc almost invariably
the strikers, who, from the very nature OF the
case, cope with the capitalist on very unequal
terms. And it frequently happens that after
the operatives on strike have exhausted all the
resources at their command, both OF their own
hard earned savings and of outside contribu-
tions, they are compelled to yield to stern
necessity, resuming work at the old rate OF
wages, or, at the best, receiving, in most cases.
a hardly appreciable advance of pay Even
when the strike ends in a compromise, the set
tlement is, after all, a sorry affair." generallY
speaking, for the workman. Now, II the Dick
LAYERS of New-York want to do the right thing,
instead of continuing their fight with the master
masons, which is IN fact cOntending for the de-
pendent position, let them strike out boldly
for co6pcration--as we believe they contemplate
d0ing-and put themselves in the way OF be-
coming their own Bosses and OF getting the
full benefit of their earnings. In making this
suggcston--or rather in repeating 1t, Tor we
have advised such q course before-we are not
recommending any visionary scheme, but some
thing that has been the subject of experiment
in different countries and under various condl-
tions with the happiest results. There are ag
present in existence numerous industrial Co
operative associations in England, France,
Belgium, and other European countries, all IN
a prOsperous condition. and some OF these CO.
partperships of labOrers have from very small
beginnings grown into large and fourishing
establishments. Within the last two or three
years the system has been introduced into this
country, and we need only point to the CO.
operative Iron Foundry at Troy, In tins state
to show what it is capable of accomplishing.
The fate of the brickayers of our city Is IN
their own hands; and if they would be coun-
seled by us they would cease to fight for
wages, and at once set about organizing to
obtain that independent position which is open
TO honest and well-directed industry. Let us
add here the expression of our fear that the
cause will gain nothing, as regards popular
sympathy, by any course of action so nearly
approaching to tyranny as the attempt to die
tate to master masons the terms upon which
they shall employ apprentices.