The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-08
CORRESPONDENTS,


FROM CANADA.
QuEBEc, Feb 2, 1868.
70 the Editor OF the woRK1EamAHs ADvocArE
According 70 my promise when in Chcs-
g, and in view Of an article Of yours Of the |
18th January, in reference to the Quebec
strike, 10 which You stated that the ship
and caulkers Of Quebec accepted
the terms offered to them by the Quebec
Board Of Trade, ! now give the facts Of the
case and beg leave TO contradict these
statements. The terms wore indignantly
refused by the committee Of the Ship
Carpenters and Caulkers and, in my OPT
MON, very justly too. As far as any mutual
settlement is concerned, it is still the same
as it was four months ago, and hope 1t will
remain 90 rather than that any member 81
the Quebec Union would do any act Of which
The terms offered BY the kind hearted capi
tallsts OF Quebec were, that the men accept
ing work should sign document stating
that they bad renowned the union and never
would become a member Of any combnati on
Of the kind again. These are the sole con
dltions Of employment. My reason for cali
ing them kind hearted, Is the fact that they
have started soup kitchens in the city for
che poor fellows, whom they have driven, BY
their actions, on the streets, from starving.
This will class as an act of charity in the
ancient capital Of Canada, but if they would
give rs q fair remuneration for our labor
there would be no cause for soup kitchens
in Quebec
There il, at present enough OF work in this
city to employ neatly all the carpenters in
the place, but they will not give work to any
man who refuses to sign this document. A nd
what ID tneir object in this case1 Mr.. Edi-
tor, will tell you. The trade OF Quebec il
in the hands of a few, large as it is, and
they have decided 70 employ no man that has
the nardihood and the manliness to attempt
to belong to any combination that would have
tendency to dispute their golden right to
rule and they know that If we be allowed 10
meet and frame laws, and have something to
say in the management of our own affairs,
that their right TO pay US forty five cents per
day IL gone past. And they also know that
il they cannot get one gang to work for that
there is no use 10 asking another. But II
they can succeed in breaking up the unio2s
then the terms of forty rive cents and soup
kitchens will come again aud in view Of
these facts they have established the system
e. L "A, - a.
the passport to the advancers' Golfers. And,
SIR, il IS laughable to see the list of names
affixed TO that honorable sheet-some BY the
poor mechanic, bat more by the builder him
self, for he must have as many names as be
mas hands employed, but he could not get a
great many to syn, so some has got work
without signing, and some have signed, but
not ono 10 ten that the sheet shows, for the
builder is the gamer by the more hands be
employs, for the advancef shaves the builder
IN the shape Of his 20 per cent, and the
builder shaves the carpenter 10 the shave "
10 cents which is drawn from the advancer:
bLl never paid to the poor meshanie Thu.
! you will see he is the victim Of double shay
ing.
The majority o. our members look upon
the signing Of that sheet as a mere farce, and
say nCNoc,AtN noS nO low, 0tA L on uoRHN ~
say that all those who have signed are as true
TO the union u ever; and we hope to sL- y
the builders that, If they have TIE advantage
now, we will have it again. The most o.
tie members Of our union view the signing
I Of that document as q disgrace, and thare
fore refused to sign ii, and, great a. u th'
distress prevailing in Quebec amongst th'
ship carpenters and caulkers, many fn,
/ fellows can he seen wandering in the streets
and 1t il easy to see that they have not haC
he same kind OF fare a. the aceursed shave
and builder has had for their meals. VI
want nothing but pay for our Owl
labor, and If we get that We will ask n,
favors from any man.
Before concluding I will give word o
advice TO all good union mes Let not th'
smile or frown Of the capitalists infiuenc
either one way Or the other, Tor the smile "
him 70 whom your acts Il gain, il not wortl
having; keep bold front, and you may De
/ fy his frowu What c0nfdence can " ma
have in a person who to-day will take a.
oath and so morrow break it. Now il I'd
y time FOR all union men 70 stan4 fast; wher
|. the efforts Of c$pital and the bard tines At
I arrayed against US. aRf II Itis necessary T.
REFUGE our--Eages let ms do so, and let the
r'z5...sss zse that We can give a. well AZ take,
when trade rates one another.
1 will eonclui, y hoping that all good
union men, Of all trades, will see and under
stand the oil saying that, United we stand,
divided We fall, !" and of the ship carpenters
and .cauIkers in particular, to stand firm
through this storm and we will have no fear
for the fut-re with such true and trusty Of
fcers at M wheel.
Ia addition to all the above tricks to break
up the Quebec Union all Its officers have
been arrested for being officers of an illegal
combination, and thus We are with neither
uaion or friends, bu- We will, hope, work
into some safe port il spite Of al the power
Of capital. have the honor to be yours, Sc.
L. @. L., w. p. Union No. SO.