The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1867-08-17

Repubiish ed BY request.
PTnBLE SIGHr.-We can excuse a sea-
employer, 50 to speak, but contempt is no nam
for the feelings we entertain towards working
mea who pander TO them. Last Tuesdaf after
noon we were aecosted BY one Of the leadin,
builders Of this city, who was anxious 20 know
the position and condition Of the ADVOCACY, an,
whether or no it still insisted on the adoption
Of the eight hour system. Upon being inlorme,
that il still progressed, and that orr faith in III
ultimate triumph Of the principles il had sdvo
Gated and intended to advocate, were un shAk en-
VIC were joined by the foreman, who very anxi
ously inquired inio the nature 81 the discussion
when the following conversation ensued:
Employer-C-n, do you really suppose tina
the eight hour humbug is going to succeed
C-n-Aost assuredly | do, and unless you
earthly career is cut short, you will see the
eight hour humbug, as YOU call it, as universally
recognized as the ten hour system is at present
| Foreman--Now, this is ali id humbag NJ
sensible man believes word Of it. The truth
/ Is, the Trades Unions are at the bottom of it all
and tell you What it is ,hey won't last great
while longer The only object they seek to &C
eomPlish is to compel employers to give as much
to poor workmen as TO good ones, and if they
refuse to do so, they insist upon a strike
C-n-Did YOU ever belong to a Trades
Union, sir?
Foreman-No and don't want to.
C--n-rhcp now do you consider yourself
qualified % Judge
Foreman--wen, that's my business. You
can't prove TO the contrary.
C-n-There's no need Of proof You evil
IDENTIFY know nothing about what you are talk
ing. Moral cowardice or incompetency alone
prevents a workman from connecting himself
with union, and have no reason to believe
you are an exception to the rule.
Employer-Now, look here-that's all very
nice. tell you the best men / have had to
work FOR the were non-union men. What DO
YOU say to thats
C-n-That depends altogether on your defui-
ton Of best"
EmpiOyer--Weil, Imean the men who allowed
me 70 DO the debating. tell you, Sir, when
man works for me, he has got to allow me to be
the Judge, and do exactly As l want him.
C-u--Exac'ly 50. That's your idea Of a good
workman. v 4lI. uaion man thinks he has jast
as much right 60 put value on his own labor
as YOU have TO dictate TO him.
Employer-So long a. can find men to DO
nv work, they must 90 e ] want, and work on
my terms. take what ! offer, and DO days
work according to my idea
C-n-No~ sir, in your experience YOU have
had both union men aud sca5s work tor YOU. As
a class, which did you find the most bogorabb.l
men or competent worh@en When did yos
ever had The ur'5n men advocate the same pay
s2snt % Incompetent as TO competent workmen,
or deny your right 20 discharge boteh. Name
q single instance And yet You insist tnat
these the only objects union seek to &C.
eoinpiish Moreover, didn't you aivsys e-.'
deeper respect for the man Who placed proper
value on his own work and manhood, than the
man who surrendered both 81 you :
Employer-Oh, that's all buucomb. That amt
my point. l laye known many incompetent
iA.'i ititlt@ " a Hhloi-
C-n-Very likely But when YOU we're try
ng "a -eak Up union did you not hire a.
most any body who came along, regardless Of
ais ability. and caa you blame worklnen for
f Ehting you with your own weapons
Emrioyer--Did you ever know fuss raised
by bsiekiayers against bad WORK iaan, or be
cause he could not do his work
H-u--(A member Of The Bricklayers' Uniog
who vas presently Yes, sir. know Of just four
such cases last week.
EmpIoyer-Were they members Of the union
H--n-No, sr. they we're not. They did not
know their business, aud would not have been
admitted had they applied.
Employer--0n whose Jobs were they
H-n-One was oil one Is, one vas on
Walls, and two worked on the North side. Ard
noe, sir, since You have said so much, chal-
lenge you 70 refer to single instance where you
ever discharged union man because he WIS al
incompetent workman. have known you for
years to be niggerqdriye., and no man, who
bal 4 spark Of self respect would work for you,
under any circumstances AS to your foreman
here, he confesses he knows nothing about a
union, and il Is eminently proper he should work
fos man who claims to own him body and
breech1s. Unless there was something rotten
in Denmark Ne would not be your apologist to-.
day, and taking position which proves him to
be lost 70 All sense Of honor manhood. Good
day, sir.