The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-08-23
THE ROLLING MILLS.


IN the last ISSUE OF the ADNOtArE appeared
succinct statement Of the strike at the
y ,rth side Rolling Mill. Originating, as 1T
lid, With the proprietors Of the mill it was
not at all surprising to find that that portion
Of the press, whose arrows ar always pointed
against the working men, should have array
ed itself ON the side of the company lts
puny efforts to fix the responsibility Of the
strike upon the heaters was simply ndicu-
ious 1t is not to be supposed, according to
the philosophy of those caterers to the Lords
of Mammon,' that a heater or a puddler, il
susceptible OF having his dignity, manhood or
sense Of honor insulted One Of this class Of
journals in its issue of Friday morning admits
that the heaters very conclusively proves
that there was breach Of faith on the part
OF the proprietors, at the same time using a
milk and water argument to hold them re-
sponslble for throwing thousand men out Of
employment In its argument the editor adj
mIts that the principals grossly and mex
cusably violated their contract and yet de-
votes labored paragraph to make them
criminals What, keep faith with men who
grossly and inexcusably violated their con
tract-who belong to band of thieves who
rob the nation, and are members If nefa-
rious rings now engaged in plundering the
public" Bah What stuff 1t emanated
from diseased BRAIN, oF distorted magma
ton, and proves conclusively that the poss
essor Of it is demented, and sting subject
for Jacksonville.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE
For throwing one thousand men Or mere out
Of employment: H the company. or any
one IL the interest of the company can assume
III the face Of facts, that the heaters forced
the strike, OF are responsible for it is mex
plicable. A reporter of the ADVOCATE sifted
this thing to the bottom, and knows whereof
he speaks
If they were fool hardy and obstinate, could
they not have struck at 49, per ton and ask
regular rates for heating it.
II To STIKE
" As their only object they had amph oppor-
tunlty and coase to have done 50 weeks ago.
But such course was foreign to their mind.
Now let US trace the cause Of the strike to
it, proper source, and place the responsibility
where it rightly belongs. Effect is not un-
frequently mistaken for cause. SO that the
real cause is very often lost sight q, and the
effect allowed to pass for the cause. Follow
my this theory, and we believe it to be a true
one, We propose to show that
THE TRUE CAUSE
Of the employees of the North SIDE Rolling
Mills being idle to-day is the cupidty and av
arice of the proprietors of the North Chicago
Rolling Mills. When the
IRON MASTERS UNION,
flor, As Dogberry says, BE it remembered
hsy have union too, found the Irice Of raw
material was advancing, they determined to
reduce the price Of heating to ssventy-five
cents per ton Hence the demand ON the
men to heat iron at seventy-fve cents per
ton. Thus it will be seen that it was not an
actual reduction in the market vaue Of iron
demanded by the consumer, that led to the
demand for a reduction of wages, but posi-
tive increase in the value of the raw material
This advance they were not disposed to pay
out Of their profits, because it would reduce
their dividends. They were afraid 10 add the
advance rates to their already eAortionate
prices, so they finally concluded to take il off
the workingrnans wages So it became AN
IMPORTANT QUESTION
whether these monopolists, who arr central
izing the wealth Of the Republic in their own
hands, or the workingman who is toling for
a mere existence, should pay the advanced
rate in the raw material in the manufacture
of iron The manufactures attempted to re-
duce wages. They were, to use lega phrase,
the aggressors, and being the aggressors, are
solely and alone responsible for the one thous-
and poor men now out of employment on the
North Side.