Matcii is, 1888 _, _ The Record and Guide. 311 underlying this bill is in the teeth of all the traditions of the Demo­ THE RECORD AND GUIDE, cratic party. For this reason it will probably be vetoed by Presi­ Published every Saturday. dent Cleveland, who belongs to the old and narrow school of Demo­ 191 Broadwav, 3ST. Y. cratic politicians. But, sometime or other, a similar bill will become Our Telephone Call is JOHN 370. a law. This will be in response to a general feeling of dissatisfac­ tion that the United States should lag behind other nations in the TERMS: education of its people. From 17 to 21 per cent, of our population are illiterate. In Germany less than 2 per cent, of the population ONE YEAR, in advance, SIX DOLLARS. cannot read or write. France and Great Britain, once far behind, Communications should be addressed to will surpass us in a few years unless the central government takes C. W. SWEET, 191 Broadway. the matter in hand. Of course we will make a better showing as the ex-slave population dies out. But it seems to be impossible to J. T. LINDSEY, Business Manager. induce some of the State governments to make proper provision for educating the new generation which is coming up; hence the VOL. XXXVII. MARCH 13, 1886. No. 939. demand for Federal interference. This is one of the symptoms which goes to show the increasing power of the central govern­ The real estate market continues active and the building move­ ment. ment gives no signs of abatement. The labor strikes during the week have naturally caused a great deal of alarm among the In the Legislature, on Thursday of the past week, Senator Cullen employing classes, and the price of stocks in Wall street has been introduced a bill to repeal the act of last year which restricted the affected by fears of possible disturbances in all departments of height of dwellings, hotels, apartment houses and other buildings business. There has, however, been an undertone of strength, and which are to be used for the residence of any person or persons. should the Reading reorganization be an assured success it looks as Mr. Fryer, Mr. O. B. Potter and Mr. Cornelius O'Reilly are working though there might be an advance in stock values. The heavy pur­ together in an earnest effort to secure the repeal of the law, believ­ chases of bonds shows that investors have faith in'the future of our ing that to refuse to let the city enjoy and make use of the prog­ railway system. Apart from the labor disturbances there is a good ress in the arts of building is to deal a fatal blow to her greatness feeling in business circles, so far as our domestic trade is concerned. and to her belaboring and mechanical population. The weak spot is, as usual, in our foreign trade, which languishes; for Europe uses less of our cotton andjgrain, because of the poverty Hopeful Side of the Labor Troubles. of the working classes, and declines to purchase unless' at prices The patrons of THE RECORD AND GUIDE belong almost exclusively below the cost of production on this side of the ocean. There, is to the classes which employ labor. Bankers, real estate owners, every prospect of a fair business until midsummer, and if the crops builders, dealers in material of all kinds, contractors and the like, then prove good the prosperous times will continue for the rest of do not, as a general thing, feel it to be their interest to advance the year. wages, shorten the hours of labor, or submit to the dictation of . « trades unions. There is no need, therefore, for us to present the Why do not the great trunk lines anticipate the demands for stereotyped arguments against the demands made by the working higher wages and voluntarily advance the pay of such of their people. Our readers know them by heart. A more profitable employes as have reason to complain. The railroad companies employment of our time would be to point out what possible advan­ were forced to cut down expenses in 1883, 1884 and the early part tages may finally result from the labor agitation which is now of 1885. Their employes were forced to submit; but the conditions going on all over the country, and which is destined to seriously have changed. The railroads are now doing a profitable business. embarrass all who are engaged in supplying capital for productive It would be an argument in favor of sustaining rates which the enterprises. business community would appreciate if the corporations could show In the first place, it is clear that the demand for shorter hours and that their running expenses were necessarily higher. Then it higher wages is an evidence that the times are better, and the great would have a good effect upon the business of the country if the business interests of the country are on a paying basis. The very advance in wages was voluntarily. If the roads wait for a strike general success which has so far attended the efforts of the laboring which is almost sure to come if they do not anticipate it, a bad classes shows that prices are rising and production profitable. The effect is produced in business and stock circles. It would save workpeople have found it impossible to advance the general aver­ them money eventually were the railroad companies to take the age of wages when the times were bad. The depressed industrial initiative in increasing the compensation of their employes. situation which followed the panic of 1873 completely disintegrated the trades union organizations. They went all to pieces in the What a different state of things would exist in every depart­ fierce struggle for employment which followed that blow at the ment of business were all railway employes made a part of the industries of the country. police force of the nation—that is, were they subject to govern­ As we have frequently pointed out in these columns, a general ment regulation as to service, wages and discipline. There would and large addition to the wages of labor, provided the state of trade be no more strikes on the transportation systems of the country, warranted it, would advantage every material interest in the and such a thing as au interruption to trade between different parts nation. The working class is the spending class. Not one of the country would not be possible. Then the conductors, brake- in a hundred of the wage receivers save any portion of their men, switchmen and ihe vast army of railway employes would be income. Ifc follows that an advance in wage3 means larger an invaluable aid to the government should riots prevail or a local expenditures and a heavier consumption of food and goods. insurrection break out. A mob in our large cities would be robbed There are say 10,000,000 people who work for wages. An addi­ of much of its power for mischief were there fifteen or twenty tion of $2 per week would involve the throwing of $20,000,000 thousand employes of the car companies under the orders of the per week or over $1,000,000 per annum into the channels of retail police. The railroad riots of 1877 and the strikes which are taking trade. This is a prodigious sum, and its disbursement would place to-day should call the attention of the public and Congress to stimulate every industry in the country. Hence, while it is the this suggestion. interest of every individual employer to get his work done at the minimum rate of wages, it is to the advantage of the great body of All the papers, everybody in fact, favors the annulment of the the business community that the working poople should be in Broadway charter by the Legislature; but if ifc were done there receipt of a liberal compensation. The objection to the Chinaman would probably be a quick revulsion of public sentiment. Corpo­ as a laborer is that he spends nothing. He saves his money to rations with vested rights would become alarmed, as the Albany taka back with him to his own country, and hence not only the lobby would go for them at once. Then the fact would be noted working people whom he underbids but the manufacturers of con­ that only one side of the Broadway business has been heard. The sumable goods are opposed to the presence of the heathen Chinee aldermen have been ready to testify, but are not called upon, Mr. among us. Trades union interference is a serious annoyance to Roscoe Conkling's tactics being to discredit them before they are all employers of labor. It is exasperating for an outside committee heard. The innocent stock and bondholders, for there are such, to tell a " boss," who has his capital engaged in a business, what do not know as yet who got the money; whether it was Jake wages he should pay and under what rules his men shall work for Sharp or the aldermen. But with only ex parte testimony so far, him. But, setting this aside, the uniformity in wages and hours public opinion has been organized and legislative action called for which results is a decided advantage to the best class of with the object of punishing everybody connected with the Broad­ employers. Under the old system, when there was no restraint upon way railroad. There can be no defense of Jake Sharp's doings so the selfishness of the "boss," the meanest, most unscrupulous, f ar as known; but if the proceedings against him are illegal or one­ had the liberal and high-minded employers at their mercy.