The New York herald., 1871-09-14
Tho Grievances Assailed.

jOurned.
The Grievances Assailed.
The following brief statement OF the special gricv-
anccs complained OF by tho workingmen who pa
raded yesterday forms paper prepared by the
Committee OF Arrangements and circulated among
the speakers as u sort OF brief on which to base
their oratory-
The following embodes programme OF the grlev-
ances suffered by the workngmen heretofore and
yet employed on the Capitol III Albany. 1t s well
here to state that for the redress or such grievances
committee OF New York men waited on their
Legislative representatives in albany last winter,
and by them were foo,ed and satisfied for the time
by deceltful promises that they would not only be
renewed OF their grievances and the tyranny I'M
posed upon them but that these representatives
would make 1t their special business to remove the
authors OF such wrongs. But they forgot these
PROMISES and consequently those tyrants (and
especially the worst OF them all-namely. Superln-
tendent John liridgefori reins,atei I, ana this
gave the latter an unlimited scope as he took it for
granted that he was thus empowered TO trample
State.
AS a specimen of the interest taken in our cause
ny our elected representatives, Mr. William NJ.
Tweed, when spoken to, coolly answered that he
Mr. william Iiltchman sad that they had already
made slate out, and intended to 90 by 1t. Mr..
FIELDS told the committee that he was too busy TO
attend to 1t. Mr.. Genet swore that II he could help
It there should not be 81 appropriated for the Capt.
at all in Albany.
The wOrkingmen or stonecutters, seeing no alter.
native, then resorted to strike for the removal OF
ther grievances ana FOR an enforcement of the laws
passed III the Legislature for their benefit. Here
commenced series OF the most unjust and tyran-
meal proceedings ever Witnessed in the Stale. The
m n sought the enforcement of the Eight Hour Law
at the current rate OF wages and the Commissioners,
depressing RON the man point IN question, met In
secret session and UNANIMOUSLY passed a resolution
and published 1t In the pubic press as sIollows:
Resolved, That the Superintendent John Brdscford, be
empowered TO employ abores and mechanics the various
branches at the same of wages they have
received at the Capitol works.
Brldgeford, through some tyrannlcal motive, IN the
absence OF tie commissioners and his own
responsibility, threw tnls resolution aside, got
up himself, which was 10 work by the hour at The
proportOnate rate per hour as was received here.
tolore; and also compelled the employees to sign
articles not to notice or interfere in his routine OF
work, or with his army OF foremen and slnecurlsts;
aud to work with union and non union men as he
took his last dollar he would defeat the New YORK
men in their demonstrations and movements.
AS one OF the means OF intended success he is this
year running the works solely IN the interest OF
slate fixed up by the pOiitclans OF Albany county,
and so much so that out of the thlrIy-two foremen
sltiongven to New York, and that Is an assistant
1oremanship over stoneculters. lie goes further,
Vac as remen gs he openca another
ment OF tyranny, viz "a class OF spoilers. rms Is
the most outrageous act OF all, and was intended
politicians He has employed two or three OF these
low.mlnded villains, many OF whom are known to
Prisons pV Of the State for burglary, stabbinS
&c. These are the men put over decent mechanics,
hn hmse S % aeS nns not
scoundres. In this body OF story carriers and liars
he has made position for q relation OF his own, in
the person OF one Garrett Hooker, who Is head or
leader This mans appearance even portrays his
want of honor. But hts position is lucrative. This
IS the economy practscd on the Capitol works. AS
cloak to cover all this rasculity and extravaganza
Bridgeiord drives the workng men as II tney were
If shower OF rain niakss It's Appearance work dls
continues for the day, but the foremen and time.
keepers ana spoilers, Who e, number enc for every
pay.
The Short Time Movement in tho Old World
Full and Comprehensive Statement of the
State Of kHuir, Abroad.
LONDON, August 20, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD:-
Every year and every season has Its own special
pecullarlties The other day all mad for the
franchise; then everybody was to DO made happy
either by emigratng or by having chance to cuti-
vate the waste lanus now the whole working popu.
aon of Europe is up and doing to reduce the hours
OF labor, and the capitalists Try all means within
their reach TO prevent 1t, for trade Is busy. In
Switzerland, where women and children still work
thirteen hours day In factories and frequently on
Sunday, the men strike for eleven hours day and
the masters, having suspicion that the lnterna-
tional is at the bottom OF IT, get the councils Of the
cantons to exrel all who are not natives of the re-
spective cantons and out OF work. In the
new imperial town, Berlin, 1900 masons
and brlcklayers and about TWO thousand
carpenters and Joiners are on strike to reduce
the working hours from twelve to ten day, with.
out any reduction OF wages. There are ever so many
little strikes in various parts OF the Fatherand for
the same object, but the Berlin building operatives
strike puts all the others IN the shade. According
to the latest accounts the men have fair prospect
O! success. Many Of the large builders have taken
their old hands on the new conditions, ana the
knObstcks that assisted some Of them to defeat the
strike are being discharged.
In Belgium the metal workers, including engi-
neers, smitns &C., are stirring for ten hours day.
The factory workers. who work from five III the
morning I'LL nine at night agltatc for the twelve
hours working day. AT Ververs the engineers and
metal workers have succeed in reducing the
hours OF labor to ten day, with slight increase
held meeting ATTENDED by delegates from the In.
at which resolution was Unanimously
carried TO reduce the worS!ng hours to ten day,
even If a corresponding reduction OF wages had 10
be submitted to.
AT Newcastc.on-Tyn . 200 engineers are on strike
TO leduce the working hours to nine a day. SIR
William Armstrong has imported Danish govern
ment workmen, and the other master engineers
have obtained about three hundred knobsticks from
various parts OF England and distributed them
among themselves. but they have to be protected
by the police, Which does not always succeed.
There have already been riots and The military
IS threatened. The master engineers OF New.
castle and Gateshead have calculated that 1t Will |
require G2l,o0O 10 bring sufficient number Of |
hands TO Newcastle to I'll up the places OF the |
strikers, and they appeal to the capitalists OF the |
United Kingdom IN general and to the master Gu
glneers In particular TO subscribe money 10 help |
Them resist the cxorbitant demand OF the men |
which, II once conceded would not stop at the |
nine hours nor be confined to the engineers
Of Newcastle. They nave subscribed about seven |
thousand pounds themselves and trust to their ie-
low capitalists in other parts Of the country TO do
The res They have sent agents 10 the Continent to
engage 5000 workmen, and the International has |
sent counter agents 10 prevent such engagements.
TIL now the masters agents do not seem TO have
met with any success. They have been more than
a fortnight on the Continent, but not soul has |
arrived yet that has been engagea by them Botn In
Belgium and Germany meetings have been held for
he purpose OF denouncing the Newcastle agents.
and resolutions have been carried pedging the |
work people OF the respective localities 10 prevent
Dy ali means In their power. the engagement o
engineers for the Newcastle masters.
Tie jotners OF Newcastle and Gateshead have now
been eighteen weeks on strike for the nine hours
working day ami have thus Iar been literally sup.
ported. Some OF the master Joiners stole march
lpon INC men oy quietly importing some two
lunQreu BelglAnS, who still there. They for