The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-05-30

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ana oihers with nothing else than the bread
and butter. I inquired Of the book-ksspG |
whnt wages were paid the msn, and ascer-
tainod from HE answer % this and several
other uuestions rAt 10 him, that the wages /
.arsed .:>Sn el.25 % Sz25 per day, Tor |
male handA while the females received from
a. 70 % 81 week that nine-tenths Of the |
male hands received Less than Z rs per day, |
and thas during the dull wiuter just passed |
ths wageu Of TIE men were reduced fifteen
per cent: that the work performed In the
mills, both by males and females, was Of an
exceedingly irksoms kind, and that their
employees after service Of few short years
In ths mills, entirely united themselves for
any kind Of arduols employment-Picture,
No. q.
sGlve a. ahis day our daily bread" The
workingmen Of this country will need to call
upon the ssOmniscient," that be may pro-
vide for them and their families, and they
will need to look 10 Providence for some
other means Of obtaining livelihood il the
tyrannical sway Of such employers Is much
longer countenanced. The wealthy factor
who pays $3.50 for o dinner for himself
alone, and the principal owner Of the mill !
n sntioned, a. we'll as Of several other SINH
lar mills, walks ct the same time in the same
pair Of pantaloons.
EIGHT HOUR Law.
ba6 rnade numerous Intellectual attempts
to secure q copy Of the eight hour law IS
passed by our last Legislature, that might
send it t. you for the edification Of your
readers. & day or two since / accidentally
came across it in one Of our country papers.
Il reads thuslY:
Snc. l. That on and after the FIRST day Of
July, 1868, eight hours Of labor between the
rising and setting of the sun, shall be deemed
and held to be q legal days work in all cases Of
labor and service by the day, when there is no
contract or agreement to the contrary. Pro-
vided, The pay be the same as In ten hours.
| SIC q This act shall not apply 70, or any
way affect, farm or agricultural labor or service
| BY the year, month or week nor shall any per
son be prevented By anything herein contained,
| from working 40 many hours overwork or extra
work az he or she may see IT. the compensation
to be agreed upon between the employer and
the employe.
SEC s. All other acts or parts Of acts relat-
| ing to the hours of labor which shall constitute
days work in this state are repealed.
shall pass over this glaring fraud upon
the working population of Pennsylvania
with the stereotyped remark that comment
is unnecessary" The reader can easily sup
ply from his imagination, what IN immense
amount of benefit must accrue TO the suffer
ing toiler from the passage Of such law
Who shall say now that the workingmen arr
not being allotted q portion Of the additions
profit which labor saving machinery hal
caused to pass into the pockets Of business
menf
THE yoURNEYNEN sToNB-cUTTKRs
Employed upon the United States appraisers
storehouse have struck because the con
tractors refused to accede to their demand Il
be allowed to quit work ut three O'Clock OF
Saturday afternoons. The strike commence,
during the early part Of the week. Whethe
the journeymen have gained their point o
not, it 10 impossible for me to say.
THE PHILADELPHIA HoD-cARRIERs.
Ia the absence of any apparent evidenc
that the producers Of this great city are Ia
boring for the emancipation Of the whit
, semi-slaves in the North, after having worket
so sedulously for the eradication Of blacl
slavery in the South, it is gratifying to Be
, at least one class Of men who are awakenin,
} 60 sense Of the duties they owe themselve
and families. The hod-carriers assembled il
convention on Saturday evening last, 70
the purpose Of organizing q union, the, OBJ
ject being the establishment Of a uniform
! rate of wages and to make provision for tn
introduction Of the beneficiary system int
their proposed organization. 1t is proposes
J to regulate the price Of their labor at 81 81
per day. The consideration of constitution
and bylaws which were read by the secreta
~, was postponed until the next meeting
They evince a determination to let Us hea
from them again at an early day.
) STEAMBOAT LABoRERs.
II is q fact not generally known that th
Laws Of the United States are disgraced b,
a statute forbidding steamboat employee
, licensed by the general government from or
| ganizing an association which shall bear a1l
resemblance to q trades union. Engineer
below the grade of chief are paid insufficient
4 salaries, and when it is taken into consider
! alton that they are allowed 80 little time {
/ commune with families and friends, it mus
be acknowledged that the wrong done theu
! 10 very great. There Is law of the Unitet
States requiring every pilot or engineer t.
obtain a license, with the issue Of which th
steamboat inspectors of the different dis
tricts are charged. But 10 spite Of the Law
steamboat owners or captains employ mel
who are not licensed, and who are entirel,
! untitled for the tasks imposed upon them
Like all other incompetent workmen, the
are doled out an Insignificant saIery. Th'
: inspectors are almost always engaged in th
inspection Of boilers and bulls, and conse
quently have not the tin, 70 notice, report
or make provision to prevent or punish thes
oft-repeated violations of the license law
There is great need OF legislative interven
, ton in this connection.
The excitement in reference to impeach
ment has almost altogether subsidec, ant
loiterers and loungers occupy their time an,
tongues in discussing the merits and strength
Of the candidates nominated at the reccn
convention in your city, and in cobjcc:arinI
who will be the nominees Of the 4th Of July
convention.
Over-expectant friends seem to have sor
Of an idea that spring really intends to droI
in upon M about the fourth Of "Ju-new