The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-08-18

There never was an invention OF the
working class for improving their position
more natural or more defensible, and ut the
same time more crude and impotent, than
Trades Unions. They are the scomerangs
Of the working class. That peculiar Indian
instrument is, as the reader Is doubtless
aware, q bow so constructed that when jerk
ed through the air it has the uncomfortable
property Of returning into the face Of the
ingenious protector who jerked it out, un-
less he take good care to change his posi-
the arm propelling it, the more violently
10 the propeller struck. We have seen Trades
Union Strikes compared to the boomerang.
Projected at capital, they return and strike
Labour. Ssrely this instrument may be
improved. II, indeed, this cannot be super
seeded, some other auxiliary appliances
might be called into the field. There is
cretainly room for little originality.
There would be great change In public
opinion upon Trades, and of the general
character of the working class, were these
unions T. be devoted to objects which effect
the honor as well as wages Of workmen-
their artistic character as well as their per-
Ronal independence. The sworking Glasses
is formidable term now. The whole body
bination amoig them is at once a sign of
intelligence and power. Yet it is wonder
full how little they do, compared with what
they might accomplish. There are noble in
telligent men among Trades Unionists, but
they do not always put themselves forward.
They oftentimes give place to ignoble men.
They are too modest TO be useful. They re-
tire before the noisy. They are afraid Of
ALn,w nvpr nrdar hodnnk~ ;kaalf Il. an~% of
eowsrdly or criminal thing, when it shrinks
from action. Intelligence should be self
asserting where improvement can be effected.
The way is open, and the majority Of WORK
men would be rather glad than otherwise
help the wlsest to the top and see them dp
permost.
The "trade" feeling is all you get now
from Trades Unions. They are grossly
material without exactly knowing it. They
aim as far as they see, but do not see far
enough. Unions should have higher, wider.
nobler views. The workman should aim 10
be thinker and an artist. English work
men have more pride in their work than
Scotchmen; but Scotchmen have more
pliancy of mind, more industrial ambition,
than Englishmen. When Scotchman has
worked in one branch few months, he as
pires to learn another branch. He wants to
do, and he viii do something else. An Eng
hsh workman will grind flies, sharpen
needles, drill holes, hammer at an anvil
viii do one thing all his days. An English
man will do one thing tolerably well-a
Scotchman will do many indifferently. The
Scotchman is more useful, and has many
chances of rising ~ an Englishman's one.
Trades Unions do not take iuto account Or
Rnm - .gc ~ -
only his wages. His power of commanding
higher wages might be indefinitely increased
in hundred ways nohler than strikes albeit,
strikes may do duty until better devices are
apparent-and it is high time they were.
The workman has had, in modern times,
no nobler friend, no wiser adviser, than Mr..
John Ruskin. He would make the workman
q man, not . tool-a thinker, not a machine
an artist, rather than mere operative. In
q foundry In Birmingham. where more than
q hundred men were employed as moulders,
carpenters, .patternmakeFs, smiths, filters,
and engine builders, there were but four
artists among them all. Three commanded
high wages, because their work was incom-
parable and indispensable. One, the mo-
blest of them all, was neglected, paid badly,
because his employer had no discernment Of
his value. An old, thin, half-fed smith was
he. He had 60 wife, only daughter, who
was employed black leading CRATES in the
same foundry; and when work was over she
hurried home to make a FIRE and prepare the
nightly tea for her old father. The sad gal
liant old man bad honor as well as o true
workman's pride in his work. He would
always be 81 the foundry doors before six
o'clock in the morning. Before the bell
rang be was there. He was never late
never behind time- He never laid down his
hammer until aftrr the breakfast or dinner
bell rang. Helwas back ut his anvil before
il rang again. He woald pften tag dinner
in bis shop in order to make himself tools.
His tongs were Of every variety, forged With
exquisite skill. Each was WORK 81 blackr
smiths art. There were no such hammers
an the whole town as HE. He would not
work with a bad tool. His tools were the |
admiration Of oil the indifferent andinaetivel
workmen in the place, who would borrow
them az often a they could sometimes for |
get 10 return them. Never, however, did
they try 70 make similar ones for them |
Selves The sinexy, shFnnken old man was
employed in forging and fitting, 10 black
smith's not whitesmith's work !; bat no such
work az his was seen TN allthe town. His |
oven doors turned on their hinges like in |
teLigent, healthy, willing things. He would
not work fast. Paid or not paid, be would not
hurry. He worked By the piece, bat every
piece was perfect after its kind heforcit ieftl
has hands. Mr.. Ruskins or Mr.. Carlyle
would have wDfshipped the poor, grim,
sAnsHys melancholy, old man, who, however,
eo,ta sss 'li ~ S n ss "a r. honest