The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-10-10

purpose, be asks that some attention be pai
to it now.
The following remarks and suggestions OF
cooperation aud strikes are worthy Of at
tension:
The system Of cooperation, the repor
says, IL OF great impor,anc: to he indussria
classes, and should enlist your mos; careful
attention. Is ensures TO workmen equal,
as good pay As they may he now receiving
and produces additional com moensation
arising in tLeir share of the profits OF th'
establishment 10 which they may be Engages
or interested, thus stimulating them TO re
newed exeftions, and producing Q bette
quality Of work; while, by furnishing ar
easy resort to business on their own respon
sibility, an effectual means is provided o
avoiding strikes or in case they occur, o
preventing their damaging results. T,
avoid the pernicious Influence Of strike
should merit the careful study and attention
Of every body Of workingmen that asssm.
bles; for they are an evil tnat inlicts last
ing injury upon trade organizations, and
does more than anything else to unsettis
those peaceful relations tba. should exist be
tween employer and employe. As dernier
resort, deliberately taken under cireum-
stances where forbearance ceases TO be q
virtue and resistance becomes o necessity, OF
to obtain right that cannot be otherwise OBJ
tained, 'trikes are justitiable, and may be
made to serve a useful purpose, but, un
fortunately, great many strikes have moi
their origin in such circnms ances. Toe
often they are the result Of sr y judgment,
brought about by the lnconsiderate coansels
or dictates Of rash domineerIng men, who
lead their followers into troHbte. and often
times basely desert them, les ing them to
founder about 10 their diff 'nes, until they
have exhausted their reso, ses aud become
subjected by their necess es to whatever
harsh terms may be exactt u them. The
result Is general y--for t. test is not Ar
equal one-that Trey are ;. !. worsted and
demoraiized in their assoc Itions, which
may or may not be preserved, and they re-
turn empty pocketed to their work, saider
but wiser men, whose experience has been
very dearly bought. Anything that will
IN Jdify or abolish this pernicious system
merits and ought to receive your most care
ful attention, and your {, e. rts should be
given To thar end. The relief desired will,
believe, be found in the COOP rative sys-
in England and the following extracts from
fhe report Of W. II. Sylvis. Esq the able
and energetic President of the lronmould
srs' international Union, made at the ninth
session OF that body, recently held, is fac
illustration Of the successful working of the
system in this country:
Immediately on learning OF the seriou.
troubles in Albany and Troy, N Y, which
we're the beginning Of the strikes Of 1866, |
= ent to Troy with my mind made up to stay
here, it necessary, to start a Comparative
oundry Company. After few days talk
ng a company was formed, a charter
was secured, a location fixed upon, and the
pushed rapidly forward, amt long
before the end Of the ear one of the most
complete found'is in the country was in
successful operation. Ii is nov one Il tie
nost sold and rue. essfuI concerns 10 the
In November Of the same We sr, .
company was organized in Albany and the
shop put 10 operation early in 1857. They
have been eminently successful they have
wo shops, and have, ~ soon viii have, one
hundred and thirty moulders at work, which
places them among the largest foundry
10 the land. refer particu
arly to these two companies, which we're
in 1896, because they were the
beginning of new era in our trade Since
hen, there have been two more shops start
ID in TROY, one in Rochester, two 10 Cleye-
and, ore in Chicago. one in Quincy, one 10
Louisville, one in Somerset, and one in
making eleven in all All Of
hese that have been in operation long
,nough to furnish test are completely sue
,essful. Besides these, q number Of com
oanies are in course Of organization, and
nanv more being talked about. The sys
EN- seems TO have taken q deep hold upon
,ur members generally, and, with pr, per
Encouragement, will soon spread Itself all
,ver the land"
The apprentice question Is also one Of
,reat interest 90 trade societies, and fruit
ul source of difficulty to workiDgmen's
IL woald very properly, 1
hInk, receive your cansiderate atten tion
md careful consideration. The rights Of
hree persons are always Involved in every
apprentice queshon the rights the of EN-
ployer, the jcurneymsn, and the apprentice 4,
mi particular carr -lCG.lld be taken in max
NJ regulations, shat they be nGs 50 rigid as
% eneroach upon the individual rights o.
'thers concerned Apprentice regulations
'ught TO be, in my opinion, the result Of
'aretul Investigation and deliberation by the
,ldest and wise-t members Of the society,
md much good will often result, l believe,
rom Sonferring with employers, for, TO be
'uccessful, the regulations should be mutu-
lily acceptable u does no inj iry 10 con-
'ult with employers On the conlrar-,
through il anticipated trouble maJ be Osten
sxerted, or present difficulties settled, OF
regulations essa blished that will be mutually
acceptable and advantageous. Trouble
often arises, and Injury en-ues, because an
of views has not been had, and
wishes and demands mutually expressed aud
discussed. 10 my judgment, II apprentice
regulations are to cxist-and I've no doubt
hey will--they should BE- upon the most
liberal basis, and par ticuiar>care should be
observed in defending our rights, that We do
not invade the rights Of others.
The question 0f female labor Is one of par
amount Importance 70 the industrial classes,
md merits the attrntion of trade organiza.
tions, local sne national. The extent 70
which female labor 10 intr 1duced into many
trades makes IL q serious questi0n with work
men therein as 10 what course shall be pur-
sued in reference thereto, and how they can
protect themselves from ,ts depressing infiu-
snce I; for the effect Of introducing female Ia
bor is 20 undermine prices, that character Of
abor being usually employ ed, utjustIy 10
The womcn, at . lower rate than h paid for
male labor on the same kind Of wcrk--an
injustice thss sincerely hSpe to yet see re.
moved. for there 10 no good reason why q wo.
man should NOT receive n mucs pay as is giv.
Tn man, " she sxrcates quality and Qusn-
tity OF work equsi - that executed bY him. |
believe that every effort should Be made "a
encousags and assist 10 the formation Of 70.
male sOcistiss. and then they should bs
brought into cooperation With the mems 50.
cist.es. To bring up he lowest to the Level
Of the highest 10 the true principle Of reform,
and By making that noble purpose the nm.
dsrly'ng principle o. our action, the happies
VI results must ultimately ensue. t's'
fie next salk attention to tie polisica
principles ensncistsd at the lsst session d
the National Labor Gong ress u Chicago
and recommend workingmen "a stand aloo