The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-06-10


vor of the rights of workingmen deserves
thanks in the pages of the ADVOCATE.
But prefer to let the report speak for IT.
self, and will, with permission, make few
extracts from the first part, headed
"NARRATIvE."
This chapter commences with an investi
CATION Of strikes, and justties combinations
on the part Of workingmeG.
"RULEs OF THE ANCIENT GUILDS"
al. No person to exercise the trade I'M
less he had served an apprenticeship OF
seven years, or had been instructed therein
for that time by his own father.
III. No member to instruct anybody in
the trade except apprentices regularly
bound to him, or bis own male children.
III No member to employ any work
man except such workman were free Of
the company" Ga free member Of the gid }
" No journeyman to work with non
member.
v. None to lend out, or put out any Of
his apprentices to work with any other mas
ter, because it will hinder and take away
the living Of free journeymen.
VI. No foreigner to be employed before
a free journeyman.
VII No householder (master) to keep
above two apprentices at one time, unless re
employ free Journeyman, and then be may
keep three.
VIII Every master, warden and assist
ant may keep three.
TX. ~ the Sheffield rule, no person
to have more than one apprentice in his
service at one time, nor to engage another
before be il II bis last year, nor to engage
another before the former is in his last year,
nor 10 take any for less term than seven
years"
THE ANTIQUITY OF RATTENING.
"Gilds had the powr, also, TO enforce
payment Of fees and assessments By the
very means used by some modern trades
unions, of which these gilds we're the fore
runners, By td5iag aoIy The tools OF debt
ors therefor. Moreover. they could eyep
dues, WI "a mo Tern unions cannot do, and
this right IN Ter the law continued from
the reign of Edward Ill. N327-70 down
to the seventeenth century, and may be
clearly traced back to the earlest laws and
usages of the old German tribes"
MORE "RULEs OF ANCIENT GUILDS.
con entering a gid a craftsman's tools
were tested, and his own skill, even 70 the
most minute details Of his method Of work
ing. Specially was it prob bted, and in
strongest terms, 20 mir interior mcteri-
ais tcifh better to the injury of buyers, b,
TO sell Old articles patched up for neW.
Further to secure the good quality of their
work, the gid statutes ordained that no
one shall work longer than from the b.
ginning Of the day to curfew, nor at
night by candle-light." The best authori-
ties attribute this rule to a regard to the
general well-being Of the members, that
leisure might be had for fulfilling political
and domestic duties, and to prevent their
being forced to overwork by the compoti.
ton of few Jealous for rapid gain and
from being deprived Of every enjoyment of
life, though the methods Of work were
then less monOtonous than now, and there
fore less wearing upon the bodily and men
tai power Of the workman. Is less leisure
required now, in the nineteenth century,
than in those remote days, Tor the same
objects n
POWER AND EXTENT OF ANCIENT GUILDS.
Guilds, like modern trades-unions fire.
quently formed guild unions embracing
whole countries. The talIors in Slesia
had a union extending through twenty f ve
towns, while the building lodges in Ger
many, in 1852, under guidance Of Dolzn-
ger, chief master at the building of Stras-
burg cathedral, effected a conf-deracy re-
nowned throughout Europe, with sub lodges
in the small towns, and central lodges
with head quarters at Strasblrg, Cologne
Vienna and Zurich, the subordinate lodges
sending each twp 4 puties to the meeting,
Of the central society and submitting to it,
decision all matters which could not b.
settled at home, the Vienna lodge admin
istering Justice throughout is district 4,
late az l1S9.'
CAUSES OF THE RISE Of MODERN TU,pvs-
Unions OF GUILDS
"Gradually this old system passed with
it, manifest independence, its common
sympathies between masters ami men. Il,
absence Of jealousy and competition. il,
freedom and its opportunities tor relaxation
Then gradually disappeared small ma,ter,,
Journeymen, apprentices, all being merged
INTO the common operative class under ~
pern'enden's aud oycr.ee With long AM
liked hours, uncertain employment, speciaI
ty Of work, sudden reduction of wages
mlsIlke AMI distrust Of employers, cpntine
ment, from the very necessity Of the svs-
ten,to close rooms, in heated atmosphere.
AMID the deaieniug roar aud rattle of ma
chneIy. The old craftsman is no longer a
Tree craftsman. He is subord;nated 10
anothers will, controlled BY fear OF sudden
discharge, loss Of work. and therefnr,.
y wages, with consequent destitution Of
seH anu household, he and his fellows. al
'iileS' "rahSlers IN mimic war with a
stronger power, IN which the STRENGTH If
capital, 10 alliance with the cr,yir,o,s u
empty stomachs, is pretty sure Of ~ IVA
tory. Thrnce sprang up new Nina IN
combination, wholly Of Norkmen INA
ia societies and unions, all Of which
multiplied greatly, after the repeal of the
EIizakethan Act in 1909 to 1914. and /
spread among the shipwrights, the hatters
the tailors and other trades"
EXTENT AND USES OF TRADES UNIONS.
The 'Amalgamated Society Of Engi-
neers" guarantees to each member los