The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-12


marks the lsL, Of March a. the opening day Of
spring, but il is very rarely that The cold, and
other incIemencies OF winter begin 10 be dissi-
pated at 90 early q date. The actual opening
up Of spring generally occurs after the rainey
days Of April have been numbered with the
past; then business begins to brisk up, farmers
think Of going actively to work, buildings are
put into energetic course Of erection, and
and the busy hum Of ind ustry is heard on every
hand. This always provided the country is
laboring under no financial incubus, to stay the
wheels Of progress, and deter those anxious to
work. The outlook for the spring which will
soon be upon us, is by no means propitious; on
the contrary, We have very little reason to be-
leve that it will bring with it any great measure
OF relief Employers in almost every branch Of
mechanics, aver their determination to force q
general reduction Of wages, a course which they
claim is warranted by the recent decline in the
market value Of gold This decline has certain
" affected the wholesale prices Of imported
comOdities, but it has produced no mate rial
ehAaRe iu the retail Fases Of such asticlas IN en-
ter into the consumption sf the workingmsn, or
his family. The prices of those articles remain
substantially ss they were, and We fear vail so
remain, Notwithstanding the mechanic may be
compelled to submit to q reduction Of wages.
Ia Hush times workingmsn are unfortunately
apt to prove unfaithful t. their unions, and only
when things become tightened do they cog
nice the necessity Of regular attendance at, and
prompt payments to such organisations, and
then, they are generally in too impecuuious .
condition 70 afford them the financial couris h :
ment 30 indispensable to their well being In
consequence, few trades unions are, al ever
the best of times What they should be, while 10
contingencies such as that which spring prom.
ises To bring with it, they are seldom of much
avail. Thus it 10 that the strikes are more often
unsuccessful than productive Of good results
and naturally enough the imbecilisy Of those
who engage in them brings them into general
disrepute. If wcrkingmeu would remember
that two things should always precede q strike,
and that they are a certainty Of success, and an
equitable object, we are convinced that such
movements would meet with more favorable
verdict at the hands Of the community. The
last Of these prerequisites to well advised
strike or lockout, is seldom lacking, but twenty
strikes are entered into ~ q forlorn hope, to
one which SC It's inauguration promises success
II requires no argument to prove that defeat
ed strike is infinitely worse to the workingman
than no strike at all, and though in some cir
cumstances it may be commendable to '.hold on
while plank lasts" that rule is not good one
when applied to strikes All the world over,
and ever since It began, defeat has been consid-
cred Synonymous with disgracs. Rebellion when
successful Is laudable revolution, when unsuc
cessful it is reasonable insurrection. This in
the Light Of strict morality may not be Just, but
it IL nevertheless one Of the few rules to which
there are scarcely any exceptions. We respect
ing people generally, in the hope that they maj
be deferred from participation in any rash
efforts to increase their wages If their organ
izations are insufic iently formidable to resis
the attempt that will certainly be made to re-
duce them, il is as much AZ they can be expect.
ed to accom- plish. Wisdom dictates an in6nitel,
more profitable course, and that il to consist
emily encourage and devote a bare 1.-THE o
what a strike would cost to assist in agitatins
financial reform. Upon the success of thos,
nov engaged in it's behalf, the salvation Of III.
country depends Without pecuniary assist
ance they cannot be successful, but q very
triGing smount from each workingmau able I.
give will aggregate an abundance. These suR
! gestions will be lost upon the fool-hardy, ant
followed BY all such 40 are 10 earnest search 0
permanent relief They will stick to thei
unions, which are valuable schools, beware Q
hopeless strikes, and contribute both their sym
pathies and their money to the one great cause