The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-01-22
The. Strike of the Cincinnati Cigarma-

kers.
NF e clip the following extracts from
the letters of our Cincinnati correspon-
dent, relative to the strike of the cigar
makers of that city. Under date of
JANUARY 10th, he writes rs follows:
Iwould state to you that our strike
herb still continues; all the members
aresout of work except about fifty. Our
unibn has, on an average, two hundred
and fifty members, and the bosses de-
sire to reduce our prices two dollars
peE thousand, which is about equal to
a reduction Of 80 per cent. We have
\ lus1 completed the third week Of the
strike, and there is no disposition TO give
up7On either side. We are determined
to win, for well we know that if they
cosquer US this time, we will never
again be able to maintain our rights.
Their organization is so formed that il
is almost impossible for any one Of its
members to desert them or withdraw
from their association. They have a
laSr in their constitution which declares
thSt no member shall give employment
to a striker, and for violation of this
laF the offender is subject to q fine OF
ten dollars week for every one that
hd so employs. Again, if a member
wishes to withdraw he must give notice
two months in advance. Now, taking
these laws into consideration, it will be
seen that the object of their association
isjnOt only to dictate to us the prices
that they wish US to work for, but also
td destroy our union root and branch
fer these laws, just quoted, gives ;
member no chance to back water wheI
they have once got him fairly in. So
! you viii perceive that our strike is no
OILY to retain our bill of prices
hut it is also fight for the future e1
iStence Of our union, both Of which W
qnean to preserve at all hazards.
Under date Of January 10th h
adds:
, | am sorry to be compelled to inform
you that the strike still continues, an,
Is likely to continue for some time t,
come. -Four weeks have passed sine
e It began, and instead of there being an
, signs of its speedy termination. TIL
feeling OF the bosses towards the me-
is. becoming more indicative and bit
ser every day; not being satisfied i
: aheir attempt to reduce us to thei
Z prices, they have gone still further
i they have passed a resolution in thei
jlast meeting, looking to our total dis
1memberment as a Union. The resOlu
ition referred to declares that no en-
iployer shall hereafter give employment
ito any union man. This refers to tn
l. independent men a. well as to as, an
= has had the effect Of throwing abOu
! 200 men out Of work. There seems I
! be on the part OF our employers such
! spirit of determination to subjugate u
y, to their will as never before was exhil
l., tied in any similar organization of caI
q italists; nor are they content to begi
~ and end their work here, but hay
y! saught to establish similar organic;
! tons throughout the country, an
~ not alone in their own particular branc
nj of business, but in all those in whiC
q. the men have organizations for the
:; protection against the aggression
i capitalists.
: Now, the capitalists elsewhere al
y but awaiting the issue Of this struggl
. and if they prove successful THAT i
Is their organizations here), they will n,
/, be slOwto form similar organization
| elsewhere, in every branch of the m
= chanical arts. Knowing all this, v
4f feel that it is our bounded duty-a du
It that we owe to our fellow-workingmt
4. throughout this great country-to r
I sist their Internal Vaccinations again
= us, and to stand up manfully and bait
e for that God-given right of fixing o
be own price for our own labor.
Id Though we have exhausted our tire
!, sury, and though our men are poo
there is that spirit Of determinatl'
'e within them not to be subjugated, th
It's must eventually carry us on to victor
&C. To bring our strike fairly before I
h. working classes, we have called a ma
Il meeting of the workingmen of this cit
Y when we will endeavOr to show the
Is' the danger that now is beginning to
re viron them, and thereby to put them