The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-07-21

the case. Ned right and not poDz been
victorious, the ,sla.-s. Of the South gwr.id,
have been ensncipsted long ago !; Ireland,
the land OF Enmst and 81 Moore, the beauti-I
fol the emerald isle, would not now be
groaning under the heel Of the oppressor !;
Poland would again be nation and Hun
gary be free venesia would once more bask
under the protection Of the mother ofmodern
art andlscience, and the toiling workingmen.
the weary day drudges would be heard
when they cried out in their anguish for
relief.
The stone cutters have not ncceeded in
accomplishing what was intended Their
case wa peculiarly hard They did not
strike for eight hours q day, nor for in
creased wages, but merely for nine hours
pay for nine hours work The demand was
riglte eas, jast and honorable, but the com
b;ned power or capital and influence was too
strong for the poor aud uninAuential Iaborer.
Yet, although the strike has failed to ac-
compiish its purpose, ii has nevertheless re-
suited in good. The workingmen were de-
feated il is true, but then 6atHe has BEEN
fought. This u sof vast Importance. II
serves to bring into stronger contrast the
antagonism between capital and labor, and
also to show that the producing portion Of
the community are chatting beneath the OPP
precision to which they are compelled to
submit that they are alive TO their interests
and are ready to seize the first favorable
moment to free themselves from bondage
ITO know ourselves diseased is half the
cure" vas the observation Of thoughtful
writer, and not only the stone-eutters, but
hundreds and hundreds OF other strikes In
every department Of industry have proved
beyond a doubt that, the laboring men Of
America see where the evil lies, and have
actually organized and taken stand against
il Who would have thought this few
years ago. Who ever dreamed that the
man Of the workshop, begrimed with sweat,
and SCOT, and dust, with the coarsest Of
clothes and his hob-nailed shoes, would ever
dare have the presumption to plead his low
and vulgar cause and calling in the hearing
Of those delica4 ears accustomed only to
criticise Italian music
Strikes are always Of doubtful expsdiency.
They should never be undertak en- without .
thorough organization Of the whole craft
throughout the country. When the stone
cutters, or any other class Of woIkingmen,
have rigid organization, extending from
Boston to New Orleans, then they may
count upon the success Of strike with per-
feet certainty not before.
Let us examine Tor q moment and see
what would be the result Of thorough or
gaDization. In the first, 1t would embrace
within It's membership every stone-cutter in
every town a iPPortance, in the United
States. These town unions would send an
nual delegates to q State congress; from
these, delegates would be chosen to ma
tional congress, and central committee be
there chosen and empowered to &C: for the
general welfare Of the whole association.
This COMMITTEES you'd thus he placed in I'M
mediate correspondence with every union in
the United States. There would also be, Of
course, a general sinking fund, 10 be dis
posed Of by the direction Of the general
congress. This arrangement is simple and
practicable. Now, suppose that after the
Siokin0 fund has c,,fEoianflv aaounr,la fad
and the association become perfectly organ
lied, and is running smoothly, that the
general congress declare that eight hours
shall constitute days labor for the stone
cutters of Chicago. The other unions work
on Cor the present at the old hours, know
ing well that their turns will come IN due
time, and in addition to the siEkiog fund
they vote contributions 10 the Chicago
strikers. What ~ the result The strike
is made at the opening Of the season and
the men are independent Of their taskmast-
ers for one year, and longer if necessary.
The whole strength Of the American Stone
cutters Union" would be thrown into
Chicago. Advertisements for this class OF
laborers from other towns 'ould be nnAvail-
ing, for all would be equally interested in
The movement In such growing city as
Chicago the work Of building would not be
stopped. II present contractors would not
yield to the just demand for eight hours,
other contractors scould. -.
Let the fact once be made clear that the
strikers are able to hold out and that their
places can not be supplied, and capital has
received one Of its first telling blows; then
strikes for eight hours day viii be sue
cessful. The Convention of w ,rkingmen to
he held in Baltimore will, doubtless, give
this question the consideration that its i'm
portance demands. Fl.
Thus far we have seen that strikes are
not lik ly to succeed under the present cir
cumstances we have shown how these cir
cumstances may be easily remedied By .
more rigid organization, which will insure
united action. We shall say word more
about the policy which the workingmm
should pursue in order 10 enable him to win
bis cause the more speedily and surely.
You have the BALLof-Boxi Working