The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-06
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NEW 4shA3 M4J 1vs xovo-
~ ne Kdltor Of the woaKmexArsB ABvoeARs.
The lAbor movement 10 new .ssaming some !
II is old ACTIVITY in this city, and estriks
the oaly means, - seems, w wnich the me
shanic can obtain justice ,are ths order Of the
IL. n does, indeed, sssm strange that men
should have to resort to tho barbaFous me
thod Of strike before capital win yield the
slightest point 1t will and does resort to the
neanest lodges 10 resist the simplest de-
mand made upon Il. We had case this
week that serves 10 illustrate the manner I'm
which workmsn are treated. The large and
wealthy arm Of the Steinways Chat have
lately been spending their thousands Of dol
lars about taking prize at the Paris exposi-
ZION, cut down their men, some twenty-five,
to 30 per cent, during the slack time last
winter. But now, when the men want the
old prices restored, Grade having again re-
vived), the firm equivocates, and says
they are unable to pay 1t, that they are sell
ing nothing but second class pianos, on
which there Is no profit; in short they re-
fused to advance one cent, which drove the
men into strike, and then those same men,
who had, only few days before, declared
that no advance could be given, when they
found their factory closed and the men de-
termined, gave the advance. This Ia another
clear case Of strikes being necessity under
certain circumstances, and the only means
the workingmAn has, ~ The present time, to
bring capital to terms. / think It ID . bar
barous method, but in the present condition
Of society 1t cannot be dispensed with alto
gether; but believe the time "a fast APP
preaching when, BY the cid Of thorough
union and cooperation, strikes will be a
thing Of the past. Capitalists will become
convinced that they do not, as they ave
hitherto thought, own labor and when they
have arrived at that point we may expect
something like justice being done. Yet the
fault is not all Oh the side of capital, much
Of it rests with the workingmen themselves,
they have always been too willing TO let the
capitalist FIX the price Of their labor, when
they should have done it themselves.
The bakers are to have another grand raj
lv tonight preparatory to their expected
strike for tscelve hours q day with one hour
for meals out of it. Little en- ugh to ask
for, all your readers will say, yet 1t Is very
doubtful II they will get ever that small boon
without . struggle and, perhaps, long
strike. There is, however, on thing in IN
yor Of the bakers believe they have The
public sympathy with them, well knowing
as they do, what an ill-used class Of men they
are. The people will be only too glad to see
them treated something like men. Should
thew not be successful in their demands, and
have to resort to strike, 1t Is to be hoped
they will at once open cooperative stores
and the people will support them. By thai
means they can out-hank heir bosses and
secure their object.
The impeachment question having subsid
ed, a. if BY common consent, all are now dis
cussing the nominations made in your city
by the Republican party. Whilst it make
but little difference to the workingmen Wit
is nominated BY either party, does max
some difference as to what their platform o
principles are, and in reading the platform
ado pied at Chicago confess | am not dis
appointed to find labor left out altogether
in fact, completely ignored, whilst the bont
holders are taken special care OF, and the In
dustrial classes are called upon not only Il
carry out the letter Of the law on this point
but il that is not sufficient land there appear
to be some doubt about it), then the spirit o
the same ~ to be invoked to make the poo
over-taxed mechanic toe the mark and pa,
for every thirty cents borrowed ia shin
plasters one hundred cents In gold.
The men who drew up that platform evi
IDENTIFY knew Tor thought they knew the mel
whom they were addressing; they said y
themselves, owe always have been able t
humbug them, and we can do Sd STILL" Il
their blind zeal to help their party, labor O
course, was not to be thought of, If they ca
depose president because he happens I
differ from them politically. How can ii b
expected that labor should have any claiu
on themf Neither 70 think II has, for Oh
labor that will not legislate and protect il
seIf by passing the necessary laws for it
benefit, does not deserve place in the coun
ellis OF the nation. Still, as soon rs | rea
the platform saw at once they had com
mitted q great blunder in ignoring Labor
which, il their Opponents are wise, they wi
take advantage Of. now find one Of thei
sages thinking the same thing, and he make
all the haste be can to repair the blunder.
The Union League Club met to Tatify tn
nominations, when Horace Greeley made on
Of his telling speeches to the members o
that body. / make one extract, sufficient /
enlighten your readers " he can throw
tub TO the whale. In referring to the worl
before the party. Mr.. Greeley urged that the,
must become acquainted with the mechanic
and workingmen of this city.
Thousands Of them vote against u.s." sal
Mr.. Greeley, "who never heard of US. Blu
to do this work, those before him, and TWEEN
ty thousand others like them, must do thei
duty at the polls, and before they come 4
them, by talkinr to those whom they EN-
ploy, or by whom they may be employed
And then, on the day Of election, instead Q
hiring men to attend the polls, they shoult
do 90 themselves"
twill be seen at glance what II Is tha
is required to be done. Every employer b
labor is to see to it that his men vote the
straight ticket. If not, what then, Mr.. Gree
lev, are they to be discharged You do MOI
say so, but The language Is very much like
it, and We know by the manner In which yor
hsaped anethmas on the heads Of senators
who did not do your bidding in the impeach-
ment business, what labor may expect in .
like case. You own that the workingmen
vote against you-why do they do 80 Thal
| 10 the question. There must be some cause
for it. Il il simply because you do nothing
for labor Your Eight-Hour Bill that you
gave us was q cheat, and you vas one Of the
first TO declare it 90. There 10 ~ Eight.
Hour Bill for the government employees that
your party has been playing hide and seek
with for the last two years, and yet, ia the
face Of this you ask US to support the Repub-
lican party, and il we do not do it you are
prepared to take measures to make Us do 50,
but for one, warn you and your party that
such . thing will not work.
Until the workmen have party Of their
nwn thax win chnnsa the laast ne fwn ezils