The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-06-02

The Great Eight Eour strike

Boston Voice writes IS follows regarding thu
difficulty between the shlp-buiIders anG
cauikers Of that city
The defence of -Allatoona BY Gen. Cors,
IN tne autumn Of 1884 sent thrill Of ad
miration throughout the whole country, anC
raised the thermometer of loyal popular
feeling above the nineties. The gallant stanC
now being made for the eight hour system
in this city by the shipwrights, carpenters
j0lners and eanlkers, is having similar ef.
feet on the hearts of the true friends Of
labor reform bet here ard elsewhere. The
men have now stood out nearly seven
weeks, and appear to grow more determin-
ed every day. Their unprecedented pluck
is evidently telling upon the unscrupuloas
capitalists of the shipping interests, and
the latter are already growing among them
selves. The fact Of the mat, ar is that they
treated the courteously preferrea request Of
their employees with such aristoerS;.. lnso-
ience and scorn, that the chagrin OF giving
way at this late hour to their demand would
be insupportable. They have raised heaven
and earth for the last six weeks in the vain
endeay0ur 10 fill up the vatant situations al
ten hours day. The trade organizations
are too sharp for them, and invariably sue
coed in spiriting away the dozen or SC Of
strangers that have sought work on that sys-
TEN. A gang Of thirty traitors recently
went to work in one Of the yards on the old
basis, but they were almost Immediately
driven Oft by mob Of about three hundred
strikers, ard some Of them seriously injured
This reprehensible summary processing wa.
not without it's effect, for the "scabso fed in
md ko,~ =. -
ance. notwithstanding the master shir
builder have guaranteed the 'srats'' the
protection of the police, and offered re-
ward of $500 for the srrest and conviction
OF any OF these assailanrs, the yards still
remain deserted, and while tie capitalists
have already lost 81 100000 BY their OBJ
stinaey and diseourtesy, the men, although
suffering in majority of cases, have turned
their hands to outside employment, and are
patiently waiting for the "eoon to come
down." The ship-joiner have nearly all
got employment at house-work, and pay in
a good percentage OF their wages for the
support of the families of their suffering
brethern. Many philanthropic citizens have
subscribed Literally to the strikers, and sew
eral trades unions have contributed freely
to the general fund. The printers haveoontri-
buted $500, carpenters $500, hatters 81. 900,
and other trades a greater or less amount.
The pride Of the employers is being terribly
rufBed. Heretofore they seemed to have la
bored under the impression that their work
ingmen were pieces of human mechanism,
With arms, hands and legs, to be used as
often, az long, and at such prices as they
chose TO give, and now, when they find a
powerful brain and an undaunted bosom in
every human machine, they swell up with
Indignation, and declare with all the grand
lose pomposity in the world, that they can
not allow dictation--the men can accept
their ultimatum, or 90 without work. Late
ly, however, they are apparently begging
the question by publishing TO the world that
if the present condition Of affairs continues
much longer they must move their establish
ments TO other ports. The threat ie foolish
ness OF the utmost transparency. With the
unfinished work now on hand in the ship
yards, in this city, it would cost fully fifty
million dollars to remove 10 other ports, and
even then they would have no assurance
against another strike, for this eight-hour
spirit Is catching. IL thrives under martyr
dom, and spreads like the true essence Of
Christianity. In the beginning Of the strike
tbs bosses published false circular impugn-
ing the honesty and madness Of their work
men, calculating by such q course to nip
the cooperative movement in the bud, by
lndaming the minds of the merchsnts, ship
owners, a. ents and its adherents. Partially
foiled in this, they started on another tack
OF lying by, threatening to remove their
yards from this port. Business men are not
caught with chat, and in some cases hey
themselves threaten sending their work 70
other ports, II the ship-builders do not ami,
eably arrange matters with their men. By
small sacrifice Of arrogance aud selhshness
everything could be settled, and things again
work smoothly. Shipownsrs know this, and
are not disposed 70 lend a passive hand TO
the employers in their effort 10 crush the
labor reform movements any longer. 1t is
estiUAted thai fully Of ght thousand persons
have been thrown out Of work b. this strike
and OF this eight Thousand not one hundred
have shown. any disposition as vet to take
the back track. If courage and perseverance,
can aid the eight-hour' movement, the men
Of tbsasihp-yards may be 'scounted in"
The newspaper press of the city, with the
exception OF the Times and Herald, has
favored the cause Of the men. Bennett and
Raymond are aristoeratic dogs, and bob mob
and guxEle champagne with the milliOnsres
Of the shipping interest, and consequently
the action Of the men, in their eyes, has
been the cheeky presumption Of gang OF
upstairs. The ship-caulkers and others are
proving themselves breaker against the
storm Of greed that seeks TO crush the rights
of the workingman. They are sahguiDe OF
eventual success In their strike, but as yet
I see but little encouragement, although
the situation has frightened somewhat since
my last letter.
The following from the sane journal Of
the 26th inst. shows that the Ship Carpen-
tiers and Caulkers of Boston are making
common cause with then New York breth-
rem and are determined that the contest shall
end in signal triumph for the eight hour
system
The latest news from New York indicates
that the men are more determined now
than they were on the first week Of the
strike. while the bosses are getting tired Of
the struggle, OWN; to the fact that vessels
.ent from New Yolk to other ports for re-
S.irs meet withs the same fate as in New
va II The ship Archer, which was sent 70
ria 8ort for repair q remains in the dock IN
60 Roston. not a man being found who
1T str,ks 4 blow upon her. We under
stand thattthe master, caniker q the char'
s $500 "a navy yard, Mi. Alden sampson