The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-04-10
FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
PHILADELPHIA, March, 20, 1869.

70 the Editor OF the WonKMoMAS's ADVOCATE
II Philadelphia were another city than
Philadelphia, the actual status of industry
as it exists here to-day would Tot get ere
dencs outside its limits; but it has so long
deservedly borne the reputation Of being
the slowest and dulIest section il all the
country, 80 far as its mechanical interests
are concerned, that no statement emanating
from it, and depicting in no matter how
gross hyperbole, the utter absence Of the
spirit Of progress from its precincts, could
fail to enlist general belief. LIS mechanics
are, without exception, the nost pliable
tools Of cap ital that can be found anywhere
within the limits Of this so-called republic.
II has generally been conceded that in the
matter Of apathy our carpenters had attain
ed the furthest accessible point, but recent
development IS demand that the palm be &C
corded to the machinsts, brass fnishers
and others, employed in our various locomo-
tive works.
"Malty" Baird, the principal owner OF
the shops winch attained q national nOtorie-
" under the name Ct the Baldwin Loco
motive Works." 10 the employer of several
hundred Of these somnoIent beings, unde-
servedly yclept men. Machinists and fin
ishers, who prior to the war could CON-
mand $225 to $3.50 Per day, are now en-
ployed in his establishment at an average OF
81, many Of them receiving as httle as $40
per week, and son actually as low as 81.
The foreman Of the works, who we believe
IS somewhat interested in the firm, has
adopted a similar plan to that mentioned in
my last, as the method by which the mess
sellers keep up their stock Of cheap labor.
lie bias entire control OF the shop, measur-
ing the mems wages by q guage constructed
OF his own inplacsble mesnness, and exeI-
cises a very careful surveillance over the
work" allowing nothing to pass that he
deems imperfect in any one particular. He
aims by this course of conduct to ingratiate
himself into the good graces Of his purse
worshipping chief, and will, no doubt, one
Gay be rewarded for his infsmy by an in-
creased share 10 the business. These fore
men, or superintendent as they are gener-
ally titled, are the bane of mechanics every
where. Vested with little brief authority,
they tyrannize over the unhappy Flower
willing SUBMISSION to their petty dictates,
no matter how infamous or unjust they
msy be. When Matthew BAldwi was lv-
ing be would hava scorned to retain such s
snlvellng apology for manhood in his ser
vice. He required the best OF workmanship
Of his employees, but was always willing 10
concede that good work meriteu good pay
Under the present regime matters at the
r.
allowed scarce sufficient to provide necessa-
ries for himself, and is forbid the poor priv
Ilege Of protest. He dare not even hint NJ
the injustice OF the treatment 10 which he
10 subjected, lest such an exercise Of man
hoods primary right..be met by . summary
dismissal from the works. The machinists
union OF this city, once prosperous organ
Zatlon, il il has an existence at all, Is to
Jay but q miserable shadow of its former
self, utterly powerless for good-while the
6nishers have never yet been brought to
recognise the advantages Of combination. A
few among them convinced that UNION will
Al.ay if nc: enl.TeIy remove their grievances
are aOxIous to join, but Of these there is
barely a corporsPs guard, .ho majority being
seemingly content TO remain IN unmAnly
submission 10 the existing order Of things.
have but little TO guarantee it, but cannot
help hoping that both these crafts may be
brought 20 see "the error Of their ways"
ere the world is many months older.
daily paper thoroughly independent in
purely paTusaln matters, published on FRI
Gay last, q very excellent article which it
sty led Legislative Nations" and dedicated
to as maLdpert a body as ever convened to
disgrace the legislative balls Of this state.
The present legislature has Matched more
numerous batch of plunderlng and partisan
schemes than any Of its peculatlng preoe-
cesors, and the cry is still they come. An
independent Sunday paper yesterday had
four full colu ms OF editorial exposition of
few Of tnem-emoracing q metropolitan
police bill, "cattle' bill, the l2tn and 10th
street railroad bill; one giving to one Of the
larger wards . receiver of taxes who is to
act entirely independent Of the general re-
ceiver, and q number OF others equally
atrocious and at violence with the will Of
the people.
| A wholesale and retail jobbing triumvir-
ate who seems to be all potent in the House,
have unitedly or severAlly engineered their
measures, and rash, indeed, is he who dares
dispute the Justice Of them. IL would re-
quire more space than | suppose you coulu
spare to give anything like . comprehensive
expose Of these several schemes, or | should
not mind undertaking it. To such as are
interested in the stucy OF how far outside
the bonds Of reason 'schsek'' will carry peo-
pie, especially legislators, such IN expose
could not fail to prove in the extreme ed
flying.
The journeymen brlckmayers have re-
solved TO demand, Tor topping brickmAkers,
"a per day for second class brickmakers
and pressers, es 81 per day and for bottom
brickmakers, &275. To sustain strike II
there demands be not Acceded to, the craft
ba,e q numerous and Efficient organization.
The journeymen plumbers we're again in
conference with the employers during tbs
week, upon the apprentice question, but the
result Of their deliberations has not been
made public. G. BgN. j.