The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-29
CORRESPONDENTS.
FROM NEW YORK.
Nav YoRK, Aug. ., 1868.

To tns Editor Of the WoRKIxGxAS's ADVOCATE
The excitement attending the strikes Of
the Bricknyers is somewhat subsiding, both
parties claiming the victory. The bosses
say they have sll the men they require &C
ten hours, while the men say in their meet
ings that all the members are employed at
eight hours and thst many more could hnd
EN- ploymsnt ou.the same terms.
Thus the matter stands at present. /,
however, have no doubt as to the final re-
suit Of the strike being in favor of the
josrneymeu-and had thore been more.nnan-
unity among the men, it would have been
better weeks ago, bat it has been the same
in this strike as in all Others. Men have
sold themselves to the bosses, to the great
injury Of themselves and their fellow work
men-so true is 1t that the workingman has
no enemy "ercept his tslloU-oorkmen."
One great source Of trouble with the work
ingn-an IS the spite and envy they exhibit
towards their leaders. Yet there must be
leaders, without them nothing can be done.
There are but few men who are suitable
for these duties and still fewer that are
willing to do it; then when we do find a
man in any organisation who is willing to
become q martyr, the whole Of tat trade
should sustain him, instead of which some
paltry Islander is got up against him, and
after the Union has used hin as their tool
be is thrust ASIDE, prescribed by both bosses
and men. The bosses know all these things
and they take advantage of the weakness Of
these men, and this is the rock on which all
the Unions split and on which they lose
their strikes, whether for eight hours,
wages, or anything else. The workin 2
classes have to learn one tning before they
can accomplish any good, and that il, that
they are men who are willing and do serve
the cause or labor without any selfish mo-
tives ]" when thew reach this point they may
expect to do govu for themselves. They
must adopt the plan Of the fle-grinders Of
Sheffield, stand by their leaders. When the
whole Of the trades Of England repudiated
the acts OF this man, his association said
whatever be has done has been done BY our
orders, We will sustain him, and they did do
20 to this day, on the principle Of my country
when it 10 right, but right or wrong, my
country
When workingmen learn these great truths
all labor reforms will be easy Of accomplish
ing. The carpenters, under the able guild
anee Of w. j. Jessup, are about to rally
their forces again, II possible they have
called o mass meeting early in the week;
it rs to be the FIRST Of seriesto ne held 1t
is somewhat late this action Of theirs, bFs
still il is better late than not &C all. The
result Of the bricklayers strike would have
been different TO what it is had this trade
done rs it ought to have done, demanded
eight hours on their old wages, instead Of
asking an advance Of wages and leaving the
hours for some one else to gee for them !;
had they done this they would now work
ing eight hours aud their demand for labor
would have sent their wages up to what they
are now, instead of that many Of them are
out of work, owing to the number Of build
ings standing still, on account Of the brick
LAYERS strike. Never was a clearer case Of
selfishness overreachlng itself and defeating
its own ends, Il should be lesson to all
trades, that to wait Tor others to do for you
what you could and were bound to do for
yourselves, is a losing game 1t all times.
The political cauldron begins to boil and we
find i'm nenss sums being lavished upon mu-
sic, banners, and all the other gewgaws al
tending upon an election, and ngular ~ IL
may seem, those parties can find immense
audiences Of workiogmen TO listen TO their
speakers, whe are just now engaged IN
abusing each other to get the sPoils Of Office
and cheat lsbor out Of its hal earned dol
lars. bat doubtless the pleasure il as great
in being cheated - il 10 To cheat; in no other
rxy can account for workingmeu acting a.
they do, politically. Lst Us hope the next
Labor Congress will do something to remedy
this state IT things and put candidates in
the 6sld, % that the working classes NAV
haze . pertlon Of the forty thousand Offices
In the gift Of the Governnsat.
MECHANIC.