The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-07-19
THE LABOR BUREAU.
Extracts from a. COrrespenAence.
tie lie COntinuOdl
Letter from "a mechanic

Letter from Il mechanic
Am iourneyman mechanic, have had
my health and industriously piled my
trade for thirty years What provision
have | made up to the present time, for
misfortune, sickness, and old age BY
strict economy, with my small family Of
three, together with some gains from ia
vorable bargains in real estate, have been
enabled to become the owner Of a small
dwelling, free from incumbrance worth
about 81. 800.
in giving this statement, only add my
testimony to that Of thousands Of others
which may be had from my fellow toilers
throughout our land, conclusively proving
that the great majority Of them are ut
terly unable to secure homes Of their own.
Ought such state Of things to be in this
land Of plenty In tracing its cause We
cannot blind ourselves to the fact that
there is a subtle grasping power looming
up in cur midst, whose presence in the ear
~ days Of our Republic vas comparatively
unknown and unthought Of: and At this
time the people, it would seem, are fast be
coming aware of its undue influence upon
the Government, Municipal, State and Ma
tional. But the question here arises Has
that power grown to such strength and
large dimensions as that the people (short
Of a revolution), may vainly rally to pre-
serve and perpetuate this Government in
its integrity, may strive in vain To cling 10
their beloved institutions which in spirit
and IN letter guarantee To them their
rights, and recognize the equality of mani
For one, | hope and trust not. vet In my
opinion, Judging from my own stand point
! cannot avoid the conclusion that justice
to the workingman or producer lies in the
far distant future, unless We can learn
both rich and poor, more fully to appreci-
ate and put into practice the divine injunc-
ton to love our neighbor As ourselves
Why do | include the poor Simply be
cause we lack faith in each other; and here
in, it seems to me, lies our weakness. not
70 say helplessness.
grant We need intelligence, lean we
gain it with long hours of manual laborO
but this alone will not serve us. Unite
mental culture with hearts warmed by
true philanthropy. softened with kindly
feeling and real sympathy towards one
another, as exemplifed by our acts, and
we shall build to ourselves stronghold
which will not fail rs, nor be- despised, a
citadel whose ample walls shall afford us
the protection we 80 much desire, and kin
die anew in our hearts a veneration for
the institutions bequeathed TO us by our
fathers. Yea, joined in solid phalanx by
this bond Of fellowship and brotherhood,
we shall not ask and be refused even the
sympathy and 90 operation Of many Of the
more favored ones around us, who seem
now arrayed against us, and hardening
their hearts to our earnest appeals.
A CORRESPONDENT from Fitchburg writes
that
''Twenty-four cases Of violation Of the
laws respecting employment Of children
and their schooling have become known in
that town that no prosecutions have taken
place, although in each of eleven Of the
cases, two indictments could be brought.
He adds, that eighteen of the cases were
brought to the notice Of the resident State
constable that complaints were brought
to the court officers, but no further action
was had, and the children are still employ
ed. subsequently the cases were brought
to the notice OF the School Committee, and
the matter of hall time school was urged. I"
The following statement was appended
10 circular received by us
II am inclined to think the Bureau may
be beneficial, but believe it should be
conducted on different system from that
on which ! und erstand it to be estab-
lished.
DESTROYS of making the Bureau as thor
oughly beneficial as possible, and therefore
taking hold Of every hint to that effect, We
wrote TO the gentleman, requesting him 90
make suggestions, either in writing or oral
ly, and stating that We wanted 10 reach .
collection Of facts and comparative views
on all matters pertinent TO the desired is-
sue of such betterment in the whole status
of the wealth producers, as may measur-
ably satisfy all reasonable parties"
To this we received the following reply /:
Very soon after the receipt Of your let
ter of Feb. 26th, was called from home
q number Of days, and on my return my
attention was entirely engrossed by local
enterprise in this city. These incidents will
account for my neglect of your letter of in
quiry. My statement that 4 was inclined
to think the Bureau may be beneficial, but
believe that it should be conducted upon q
different system, was made las stated ut
the time), AS | understand it, (the sys-
tenn OF course my idea is formed upon
what gain from the papers, and other
clippings that come to me st second hand.
% that my conclusions may be erroneous
and incomplete. Your system of sending
blanks to people throughout the State, i
not, think, q safe way Of obtsining the
statistics you desire
'sNow the most Intslieent Of the labor