The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-05-08
A WORD WITH NON-UNIoNIsrs
krvsra ri

laws Of nature, reason and common sense
than that men engaged in me trade, mutu-
ally dependent On each other should wish to
meet together, TO reason, discuss, and en-
tighten each ether ~ 70 the best steps to
taken in order TO promote their own social
and pecunisry welfare Let us illustrate
this . little. Take for example 1900 men
engaged in trade ID one town and working
for s. per day. A slight depression OF that
particular branch taxes place, and 500 of
them are thrown out Of employment En-
ployers see at once that there is surplus
Of labor ia the market, and they hold their
neetin g, quietly Of course, more stealthiiy
and secretly tran these Trades Unions they
are sc much opposed 10, and resolve thai
they will pay but s. per day to the work
men sull remaining employed, although
their profits remain the same, production
and sale icing al That j. temporarily de-
ranged. NJw If these workingmen have no
means Of meeting together, coming to a mu.
tual UNDERSTANDING with each other as to
whether the employed as well as the unem-
ployed cen accept tbs profered sun per
day, whether business revives or not, Nould
Il not cause at once : mutual distrust and
dislike OF each other, and tend still further
20 reduce wages, and WHO can say where the
reduction would sIopS Live they must by
some means, fair or foul and their Calon
presents them the manly. honest way Of
obtaining tnst living.
Now, on the other hand, suppose these
1900 men are combined ,5Sether for the
mutuei support Of each other, ami on receiV-
ing notice Of he proposed reduction, meet
together, and a. reasoning ard thinking be-
ings, consider them after pc and c0a, for
and against, accepting the reduction, and If
they, as "a body Of men, uniled IN word and
deed, agree not 20 accept il, then there IS a
mutual trust and faith thAt each man will
stand by his fellow lsbc-er foF good OF for
evil, through thick ard through thin, down
20 the asst bitter end, il need be.
Who, We ask, are better qualified to Judge
Of any grievance arising in a trade than a
number Of enlightened, thoughtful men,
connected with that trade, working at il
daily, and who are not yet personally COZ
nected with that grievance Let the enc
emies Of Trades Unions answer this plainly
and ightforwardly, for we contend that
its ">uth is unjenisble; and We are much
mistaken the whole Of the great and 7ex-
ing matter Of strikes and lock-outs are not
in nine cases out of ten brought about By
refusal to recognize their just claims. Let
US also ask them which they think best
calculated 10 promote peace on earth and
good will to men: a blind competition or a
mutual understanding amongst al Sho labor
OF employ labor
All properly organized Trades Unions
then, are based on the recognition of the
principle that 40 identity Of interest exists
between he employer and the employed.
and consequently confer as many benefits
en- the employer as the employed. The
welfare Of bo,n is duly considered and
guarded. They infringe on the rights Of
no one, while they defend their own. They
claim, and justly too, that the employee shall
have an equal voice with the employer in
10 detern ming the value Of his labor. Again,
We insist they are purely defensire in charact-
er, unless preierrIng to trust TO the power and
justice Of their united claims rather than, TO
the generosity or mAgaSnimity Of capital be
deemed an act Of aggression.
They are also the creation Of necessity,
and will continue % be so, so long as CAPT.
tai, surplus labor, Yields the unholy iDfiu-
eDne 1t does at present; 50 long as poor, de-
PRAYED human nature remains unchanged
80 long as the strong tyranizes over tbs
weak SO long as the lsborer, by ineessant
toll. is rendered incapable Of understanding
tnose laws Of political economy which, I'M
der our present Ubiquitous financial system,
gravitates the products Of lab r into the
pocket Of the Spectator and noG-producer,
while the man who labors, who creates the |
wealth Of the world lives from band to mouth,
and who, even bY the strickest economy, is
barely able 10 exc out q miserable sxis tence.
Trust to the mAgnanimity Of capital, for
sOothI Do you know a single instance, fel-
low-workmen, during this recent rebellion,
when the necessitiec e lite advanced from
$50 to $50 per cent. where Rrm or oorpor-
alton voluntarily advane u he wages Of
their employees single cent, until tie re- |
! uest had been made; until even tie frugal
wife's pinching and scraping was unable TO
make both ends mestS Nor 10 this 70 be
wondered at. Remember always that the de-
hands Of capital are Like the grave-insati-
lble, and that employers, like other mortals,
argue from premises to conclusions, and act |
accordingly. .-.ass-----