National Republican., 1873-03-12
4 GREAT STRIKE INTENDING.
Excitement Among tho workmcn Of New
NaFIf

y ehLatE FlhhhE thEEsNbtN"s
Excitement Among tho workmcn Of New
York.
The prospect Uf general strike among the
wofEmen Of the country seems more probable
than was expected month ago. The following
from the New York Herald Of yesterday shows
the progress Of the movement IN that city
The excitement that at the present time pre-.
walls among the various trades Of the city seems
to Indicate that another gigantic strike Is I'm.
pending, such as that Of last year, which for
several months paralyzcd the industry Of this
and ncighboring cities. The strike OF last year,
as may be remembered was lnaugurated by the
carpenters for the purpose Of securing eight
hours as the maximum Of days work The
movement rapidly extended, and In a few weeks
the entire trades representing the building In
tercsts OF the city had suspended work, along
with many other branches Of industry. The
struggle was hard one. The employers held
out until the last moment, aud refused to acccde
to the demands madS by the men; but business
was pressing, orders were pouring In, AMI after
some weeks spent in idcness the carpenters,
joIners and hficklaycrs returned TO work at their
own terms, the masters at the same time stating
that they yielded under protest, and did not con.
slider the compact binding.
The other trades were not 80 fortunate In their
| nght for the reduction Of the hours Of labor. 4
vast amount Of money was expended, leagues
were formed embracing all the wOOd-workers,
but It did not avail; the employers were too
| strong for the men, and the latter were forced
| by the pressure Of circumstances and the neccs-
stiles OF their families TO resume work under the
| old rrgiHlc While the strike lasted tho misery
suffered by the families Of the poorer strikers
was intense, Many OF the trades started In the
crusade with weil.flled treasures; but before
the struggle was ended tho treasures were
| empty, the trades were disheartened, and the
termination Of the contest was looked upon
as blessing by those who at the outset were
| most eager and enthusiastic In favor Of the
movement.
Even among the trades which were successful
| The new system did not work well. There were
| many nOn-union wOrkmen who were forced iutO
the movement against their wish, and their sup
port OF II at the best was but half-hearted. How
ever Just the demands Of their fellow-craftsmen
might be In the abstract they were not disposed to
ABANDON THEIR BUSINESS
when II was briskest aud engage In a light In
which they were certain to lose time and money,
| with but a faint prospect OF victory. However,
they had no alternative but to do as the maiOr
lty aid. The trades unions, while abstaining
from the eXccsses which have dlsgraccd sister
societies IN England, had no intention OF allow
Ing their plans TO be spoiled by those who were
not union men, and, by threats In one cases
and moral suasion In Others, they succeeded In
Inducing the wavering aud irresOlutc 10 make
common cause with them.
When the strike had successfully terminated
the discipline which had Been go strictly main
tained while II lasted was In some measure
dropped, and the black sheep Ot the organiEa.
tlOnS, when surveillance OF them was lost, did
all manner Of things which they ought not to
have done-workcd the ten hours a day, and In
some cases even longer than this. So lax did
they become that the carpenters, when all was
over, were forced TO form vigilance committees
to watch tho dellnquents, but without much sue
cess, and the abuses still continued. During the
past four months times, as usual at this season
Of the year, have been very dull, and trade has,
In great measure, been at stand still. With
the opening Of spring prospects are Frightening,
and the indications are that the coming spring,
summer and fall will be unusually brisk.
II was well known to the men at the ternllna.
ton Of the strike that the promises Of the mas.
ters were not made In good faith, and they have
Believed that they Wor,id seize Inc frst opnoTtn,
nifty to go back upon their agreement. This sup
position was correct. For some days past
movement has been In progress among the mas.
ters to compel the men TO return to the old hour,
Of labor, and on last Thursday evening, at the
quarterly meeting OF the Employers Association
held at CoooEer institute, action was taken IL
was presided over by Mr. William Blackstone,
president OF the association. During the dis,
cussOn resolution 10 the following effect was
offered:
R.solrCi, That On MONDAY next We pledge our
selves TO use all the influence In our power I,
induce the worklngmen IN our employ To Tvtarr
several Of the most prominent builders Of The
city, foreseeng the consequences which III,
passage Of this resolution would entail, and
THE INEVITABLE CONFLICT
that must ensuc, strongly opposed II; but on
vote being taken, II voted for the motion and II
against and II was declared carried. Another
resolution was then adopted for the appoint
ment Of a committee to confer with the | I'nitet
order OF Carpenters and JOiners AMI effect
settlement Of the matter.
What transplred at this meeting was not madt
known until Saturday, and, OF course, 1t created
intense excitement among the wOrkingIuen
, The strength OF the Employers Association was
, known TO be formidable, aud the wOrklngmel
knew that IL would require hard fight to pre-
vent the enforcement Of the old time. The strike
Of last year took away most OF the snews OF wal
from the treasury, but the wealth OF the monop
olists was unmpalred, they having rapidly re-
covered from the temporary embarrassment
which the suspension OF work for three months
entalled. On Sunday groups OF w0rklngme1
| gathered ln various parts OF the city, paTticu
lATly the haunts which became famous last year
The chances OF another fight were eagerly dis
Cussed, and, while II was looked forward to with
no particular anxiety, the determination was ex
pressed by one aud all that no compromise
would be made with the employers and no return
to the ten. hour system would for a moment bt
, thought OF.
At the meetlngOf
TIE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
held on sunday the subject came up for discus
sion. II was resolved that, as the strike las
year was carried out for principle, II would bC
impossible for the men now working at the
elght-hour system 10 return TO the old OnO The
objects OF the elght-hour system were now prettJ
well known. IL was intended to beneht the
many, and not tho few. The adoption Of the
system had already secured tho employment Of
much larger number OF men than formerly
The return TO the ten-hOur system would destroy
all this, and thousands OF traJesmen who would
be otherwise employed would be reduced to
state OF starvation. II was resolved by the
society that the workmen should be sustained IL
whatever action they should take against thI
bosses. The latter would be compelled TO regTe
their hasty action before long, as the workmeI
81 the city were not prepared for the struggle
At tho next meeting OF the Federal Council thI
matter Is TO be fully discussed.
The trades which are most deeply affected BY
the sudden action OF the employers are the car
penten and tOners. The carpenters are divided
Into two classes-the Amalgamated Society Of
Carpenters and Joiners and the United Order o.
American Mechanics, The former, though moi
equal In number to the latter. have a mucl
English model. The society Is widespread In III
ramlicatlons and has branches In every city o
the Union, and In England also. Weekly feei
are collected from the members with great reg
ularlty, and, as those fees are large the treasuF,
is generally full. Agents are employed whose
sole duty Is to provide work for those member
who may be out Of employment, and for whoever
the union may send them when strike Is on
The organization has ave hundred members Ia
this city. As soon as the action OF the boss car
penters was announced on Saturday every mem
wAkSED TO DROP WORK
as soon as any reduction Of wages or lnCrcage O
the hours OF labor was attempted. Further In,
structlons were Issued inviting all carpenter
who were not members TO take like action, and
promising such strikers pay at once and work q,
soon as 1t could be procured.
A meeting Of the committee Ut the Union was
10 session all day yesterday at MunZldger hall
West ThiTty-secOnh street, who were to receive
reports OF any action on the part Of the bUssei
and To be In readiness to organize strike II ne
ccssaTy. Up TO late hour 10 the afternoon ne
such reports were received. To-day will proba
bly, decide whether we arc to be- Indicted with a
total paralyEailon OF all branches Of industry
rs most Of the trades are only waiting for tho
carpenters 10 take the lead.
THREE Albany young ladlos attempted 10 1nt
from female friend tho secret Of q valentine
by doctOring her with ether, under tho lmpres'
sion that under its influence she would respond
TO any interrOgatOTleA that might be put. The
more ether they adm nlstaTel The more uncom.
munlcRtlve she became, and II was hard strug
gle for the doctors, when called In, 70 save tho
girl's life,