The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-11-19
ADDRESS
CONTINUED.

ADDRESS:
CONTINUED.
The objections to any more than a fixed
number of apprentices, as now 80 stringent
y urged by many Unions outside of the
one represented here, as well as the custom
adopted BY the glass blowers and glass cut
tcrs unions, and others as well, to make
tb rade hereditary and to allow none but
blood relations to acquire practical knowl
edg If it, think a wrong verging on
anarchy, as it attacks justice and freedom,
the most sacred rights of man. 1t prevents
the enterprizing youth from following the
Y carning of bis nature, and shackles from
development the divine spark within him.
1t tells him be shall not earn his bread by
the genius given biln for that purpose. Il
tells him he must not aspire to feed his
craving nature, without their consent. In
vain he does sspiTe-he is put down, dis
courageG by bis fellow workers-he seeks
other avenues of toll, out of bis sphere.
Result, a poor workman, of little use to
community, Of less to himself. Who is re-
sponsible for this human wreck
All honor to the intelligence and humane
measures OF the "Nlachinists and Black
smiths U Mons" which have not only dis
carded this cruel' system, but adopted
much higher that Of making every appren-
tice under their charge a skilled workman
thus bene6ting themselves by helping
others. And further to insure them this
boon, they are demanding an apprentice
(system) law, which will compel the master
to instruct them in all branches Of bis trade,
and not as now, keeping him at one part
during his time, and then using him as an
instrument to crush down wages, inasmuch
as be is but partial tradesman, and conse-
quently dependent on the good will of bis
employer, to deprive the apprentice of skill
in bis calling, is to deprive him of the in
dependence of man.
In regard to the reduction of the hours
of toil-never has their been more Just
and humane demand-one which will have
a tendency to crush so many Of the exist
ing evils resulting from ovcrwork-as in
temperance, lcentiOusness, premature death,
caused BY Overtaxed bodies and attempted
resuscitation by false stimulantS-as well as
extinguishing many evils, it will have a di-
rect tendency to raise wages, and place
master and workman oD amore equal footing.
| But with all due appreciation Of the ef-
forts which have been made to reduce the
eight hour law to national custom, | must
say that unionists action has in many cases
been in direct opposition to economic law
thai of demanding a reduction of the
hours of toll without cousenting to a like
reduction in point of wages although !
believe in the end, there would be quite as
much work performed in eight as in ten
hours, and besides great loss and waste re-
sultiDg from carelessness caused by fatigue,
saved to the employer. Yet it is not fair Ia
make the demand. And just so long as the
demand is put in this shape, the eight boul
law will fail to become national custom
The true plan is to submit to like reduction
in both time and wages. The Flaw Of sup
ply and demand" will attend to the rest
And just as true as the law becomes ma
tional custom, wages must eventually q
up at least twenty per cent, as the result o
natural law-otherwise we must fail.
UNIFORMITY OF WAGES.
The last and most important feature
shall notice under this head, is that Of uni
formity in wages, as enforced by trade
unions in any given trade, irrespective o
skill, efficiency or deficiency of the mem
bers Of that trade. For illustration Al
apprentice who has just finished his tim,
and entered as a journeyman, is supportet
by many trades unions in demanding th,
uniform rate Of wages paid in ythe shop
probably as much as mechanics who bav,
the experience of twenty years work a
the trade. This hold to be most fata
mistake on part of trades unions, and yer,
injurious not only TO unskilled. but tn skill
ed labor as well.
i II Is Of injury 70 skilled labor in point q
| wages, inasmuch as profits Of labor are ca
'pable Of paying 10 much - wages and u