The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-05-08


found that they had made a heavy Eeneisi
reduction on almost everything doubtless
la view OF the resumption OF specie paw
ment by tho government year or two
hence Whsn tell you that the price We
bad been receiving was the Same al had been
paid as before the war, you will be surprised.
We refused 70 20 TO work at their list, but
10 turn drew up one, asking moderate raIse,
and at the same time prepared "to hgh, e
out on that line" and appealed to mechaE-
ics, and workrngmen in neighboring cities
70 al us while the contest lasted. And
right molly have they responded. Many Of
the unions In Phladelphia have contributed
with q Iberality that is praise worthy, and
entities them 70 our deepest gratitude. The
same can be said Of Newark, elizabeth, and
Jersey City.
For some tune before the lockout the
bosses "blAek- listed" our msn with impuni-
~, and began 70 enforce a system Of dis
charges, which | can compare to nothing
better than the ticket of-leave" system.
u they could enforce this we would be re-
duced to a state az complete dependencs,
or we would have to get written dieeharge
releasing us from one employer, before We
could engage with another , In England tue
same system was enforced 70 some extent,
but It was such gross wrong, and produc-
Cd 50 much suffering among the working
classes, that the matter was brought before
the courts, where Sergeant Shea, q celebra-
ted Irish Barrister, made such an exposure
Of the system that the court decided il 10 be
conspiracy, and imposed heavy fne and
Imprisonment for term Of years upon the
pottery firm that bad been enforcing il. II
appeared % evidence AZ this trial that The
employers had agreed upon a system Of pri-
vate marks or signs, and when a workman
incurred their disPleasure 10 any degree
they would band him his discharge, aud 10
~ call blm good workman, etc., but AZ the
same time add marks OF disanprobation,
which to the uninitiated looked like harm
less fourishes OF the pen. With such
document IL his pocket, a man might be
honest, Of good morals, and an excellent
mechanic, bat 1t would avail nothing, for
employers would shuu him as though The
marx Of Cain was upon his brow or be hal
I the plague. The Trenton Pottery Manu-
tacturers are endeavoring 20 introduce this
( system here. The friends Of capital are
loud in their cries or "mad dog" " trudes
unions, but what body Of mechanics il the
VI NSN4NAy WOhA4 bLAIA Va A4AAANAAAAE nAN0 "a
great wrong upon even c0lored men, we
are not only struggling TO get fair days
wages for fair days WORK, but also 70 en-
tirely do away With such a relic Of slavery
and baroariam, as have Just described.
Nearly three WeeEs ago. the men opened
a correspond ence With the bosses, and offer.
ed to let The dispute DO settled hy arbitra-
ton, viz. 10 have an equal number TX men
and bosses meet aud discuss the points Ia
dispute before a dsinterrstrd parts, who,
after each had hearing, would decide COZ
I scientiously The bosses would not c0nsen.
70 this arrangement, but asked conference,
which Was granted. Nothing was done AT
il, however, toward settling the difficulty.
Shortly after the report " the contergne Ne
COMMITTEES hal been laid before tile manu-
facSurers' union, that body sent cJmmuni-
cation 90 our association. stating that n0
terms would be offered but tue reduced iis.
A hrmi bot courteous reply was sent q
I this, saying that they need entertain nl
hopes OF the men beginning " rk % such
terms.
! Ihls X will he seen that everv LOnorabl,
means has been resOrted 20 on our part. U
settle the difficulty. The bosses kn8w thal
We we're Gnprepared-at least financially
for the contest, and boast that tho assist.
anoe we have received from other unions will
soon case, anu rhat We will then fal. Ak
easy prey 10 them. We think thew will b
bitterly disappointed 10 this calculation
We are sendlng our men 70 other district,
as fast as VS. can get situations for them
and also putting them q work &C garden
ing, soiking on gravel Irsins, digging Gel
lars, etc, 50 yoa see we are not Idle, by anl
means. There Is Considerable manBVerln.
On both sides. The bosses, or their friend.
have written to districts from which we Dad
received money, ssying that the trouble W.
all over, and We we're 10 need II Do further
supplies. As We correspond weekly with
parties Ia those localities, II was ~ muct
postage wasted aud lies told 10 10 pufgos,
or their part
AT the end Of the last week All The cot
teries 10 the bosses union, with one excep-
tion, entirely ceased work The men are
given to understand that IL was i0tended AZ
measure TO bring them 20 terms, but, in re-
atty, they could not 20 on, fur 0ur vigilance
committees have been very active, and a,
soon as big apprentice or a weak kBeec
iourneyman-and the latter are few nun.
ber-sesmed willing to begin a. the drop
be would he waited upon and, n possible
induced to help the men 10 fght BIZ battle,
for some men require % be told often tia
they are working ~ their own interests, ID
order TO keep them to the scratch. Another
reason Why the bosses took this course va:
20 prevent an optn split 10 their union, fol
some potteries did little, while others wer,
entirely stopped, and the latter insisted tina
the former should be 10 the same boat Eui
they have not remedi4d the evil, FIR %,
manufacturer, more liberal than the rest
has Withdrawn from their union. This ID thi
entering wedge.
All through the lockout, or- UNION hal
steadily opposed anything Ike intimidation
or violence towards aOy who might work a
the drop, but confined its action in thos,
cases entirely to argument, and this policy
has worked admirably. We are now begin
ming the seventh week Of the look out, sGG
The men remain as united as ever, and seen
hopeful Of complete victory.
NJ A LocK-orr.