The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-04-23

I'VE do mot hold eersslvss rsspoassss er any cyan
Ion expressed BY our corrssposdsaAs-l
FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN FRAscrsco, April "a.
10 the Editor Of the weRKmsxAs's ADvocAss:
MECHANICS STATE COUNCIL.
On my return to this city find that
all the talk about our associations hav-
ing broken up, and the members hav-
ing gone back to the ten-hour system
of labor, is the sheerest nonsense. On
the contrary, I am only astonished that
they are in such good condition under
the pressure Of hard times.
1 find them full Of life, and each de-
termined to carry their point, which they
will do. Once in q while a member
violates his pledge, and is fined for it,
and kept out until he pays up, or so
explains as to have his fine RENTED.
But out of four or five thousand mem
bers here there may be Thirty or forty
under trial or found guilty. That's all.
The fire among them may die down,
but the embers will be easily kindled
by adding fuel
No set of people ever met with great
er success than our mechanics have
done. The Council sent a working
committee to the Legislature, had every
bill passed they asked for, and defeated
every one that was likely to be iniuri-
GUS to their interests. All the work of
the State must now be done by the
day, and at eight hours per day, and
large appropriations have been made
for public buildings. Every man must
educate his children, or the public will
do it for him if he is not able.
The hue and-cry against the eight
hour system of labor is to our advan-
tage upon the principle that the
blood of the martyrs is the seed Of the
Church"
The people are seeking intelligence,
and they will not be content with any
thing short of more time to acquire the
necessary information to make them
equal to any in the land. We have
taken the field, and don't intend to
leave it until our enemy is subdued.
The organization of the Mechanics
State Council of Maryland and Dis
trict of Columbia" is one of the most
important movements that has been
made on the mechanical chess-boGrd A.
+. Cavis, Vice-President of the Nation
al Labor Union, is a good member,
and with the time that he can spare
will be of good service. p. Corcoran,
President of the Council, is an active,
attentive man, and is President of the
Stonecutters. In fact, as far as l can
learn, all the officers have been atten-
tive to their own societies, which is
the best evidence that they are reliable
men. D. w. Finn is an active and
very intelligent reliable man, md
proofreader in the Government print
ing department. He will be an able,
attentive member of the Council. The
fact is, l am much pleased with the
Council at the city of Washington it
is a good body of men.
Last night the Council of this State
had large and interesting meeting,
and did considerable important bust
ness.
For the support Of the eight-ho w
exchange, the legislature has appro-
priated $4,000 for IKE past, and $3.50
per month for the future. This will
put the exchange on good footing.
Your readers may not understand
what 1 mean by the " Eight Hour En-
change" We have here the "Cali-
fornia Exchange" which was first sup
ported by private subscription, and
now is being supported by the State !;
but the intention was to break down
the eight-hour system of labor, but it
did not work that way, it only furnish
ed employment to those that would
have been in our way. Both of these
Exchanges are to furnish employment
to men, so as to save them the expense
and loss of time in hunting work.
Ours furnish to mechanics the infor-
nation how to become members Of
leagues, and where to get employment,
while the other furnishes to any that
comes along-so that both work in
harmony. But we would not let the
bill pass to support one unless both
received public assistance, so that
both were passed, and are now laws
of the land.
Our men are very enthusiastic in
their societies, but some, of course, fail
to come near. This is a drawback on
the societies as it is everywhere else.
Yours truly, A. M. W1NN,
President NJ. 8. o.iCAHfOrnia.