The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-02
4" WOLVES AT BAYo

Is the name OF play lately produced upon
Philadelphia. As the play is an index of
the ignorance that pervades the arIstocratic
kite bobtails, by which we mean that class
Of itinerants-publisher Of insI gni6cant
newspapers and other panderers to aristo-
cratic prejudices, we propose giving a sue
cinct account of the plot. The scene is laid
in the interior Of Pennsylvania-time, the
present. wealthy iron founder who en-
ploys q number of hands, is supposed by
combination q unfortunate circums, ences
| TO have had his profits reduced, while at the
same time the cost Of life's necessaries ex-
perienced a raise. The men demand an in
crease of wages, which he quietly but de-
terminedly refuses The strike is supposed
to be instigated by ? certain cry bad man
who has had partial charge of he founders
| business, and who is il love b the daugh-
| ter Of this wealthy poor mar The men
| ployeT, resolve TO continue til strike at all
hazard, and whereat the founder wakes
wrotb, and announces his de -mination to
he as stnhborp az they sre th- consequence
is that the men maddened wi'h strong drink
''tbreaten all sorts of dire thin ]" unless bis
| stubborness immedis sely Implies with
their demand. Dur ng the 4bseDce of the
proprietor, headed by the g A-1, bold man.
before mentioned, they enter the en-
plOyer's house, demanding wine and money.
The author puts into the mouth of the
leaders Of the strike this expression /:
Whiskey is good enough drink, but it
amt champagne" What a world of know
ledge the author tere gives us. How justly
has he conceived the all pervading passion
of the poor? The daughter, an angelic
amazon, if there can be such a PARADOX,
nothing daunted, faces the half maddened
crowd with a loaded pistol, wbereat the
covering, criDging crowd shrink from the
presence of the valorous piece of petticoat-
ing. A conference between the founder
and his foreman developes the necessity of
calling in the military to subdue the stri-
keIs. Accordingly they both bic them to
the city to procure the services of the de.
sired bayonets. This coup de-etat coming
to the cara of the instigator of the strike,
they determine in council to cut the trestle-
work of bridge over which the train must
pase, q. d letting it with its cargo Of human
beings suddenly into eternity. It Is unne-
cessary, of course, to tell that the plot is
carried out, as far as cutting the trestle,
and the train is only saved by the valorous
heiress, who endangers heI life to give
warning.
We have now given the reader sufficient
insight into the play to understand its tenor
and its purpose. The incidents of the play
are so preposterous; SO contrary to all ma
ture, that they could have had their iDcep
tion only in the brain Of one half deranged
by the wheedlings Of Goldfish, coal-Oil and
shOddy arlstOcracy, ambitious to sparkle in
the upper tendon, he disregarding all truth,
panders numerically to the prejudices of
wealth-filli the rich mans house and
heart with all that is virtuous, and in.ima-
ting rather broadly that misfortune and
vice are lnseperable companions.
The author is a certain Thomas Fitzger- |
ald-as complete a toady, as veritable an |
ignoramus as ever put quill to paper. He
edits an Insignificant sheet In Philadelphia,
known to a select few as the City Item. 1t
is the organ Of the notorious Bill Mann, the
late District Attorney of that city, and the
most corrupt of corrupt politicians. A man
who is universally known as the pal of the
worst characters, and who never fails to
roll up immense msjorities throughout the
purlieus Of Philadelphia. Such is the con-
author Of this trash, and his pal,
If such is the kingdom Of heaven. Fitzger-
I'D 10 universally acknowledged to be an
sceundrsl, and this last puny
md pusilanimous attempt to attach discredit
% the labor movement, BY presenting the
Mechanic in an unquestionably false light,
Ein but assist his political and socisl dam
loEOms ~ Nr #.4