The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-06-20
LETTER FROM JOHN JAMES.

To the Editor of the WORKISehAN's ADVOCATE
The Iron Manufacturers have resolved
to blow out all their Furnaces they car
afford to let stand, in the hope of keeping
up the present prices for iron by cutting
off the supply. They have also resolved
to petition Congress for an advaLce tariff
on the imported article, and to lend the
credit Of the government to the compile
ton Of certain lines of road between the
Atlantic and Pacific, and call upon the
workingmen of the country to aid them
through their organization by holding mass
meetings, and passing appropriate resolu-
tions bearing upon Legislative enactmenti
to effect those ends For this purpose the
manufacturers promise the sons Of indus
try heir cooperation. | for one would
be very willing indeed to see mutual action
taken on those important questions, on
conditions though Those conditions are
that the wages of the workmen remain
as they are undisturbed, and proper basis
fixed upon for advancing the same when
ever practicable, when an advance is OBJ
tanned ON the price of iron. Next, that
the men be permitted to hold union prin-
ciples, and establish unions whenever and
wherever they deem it to their advantage,
as citizen right Of the country, without
being attacked whenever the slightest de-
preston in trade takes place. That the
bosses allow a clause in the tariff law max
ing it obligatory upon them to expend one
per cent of all the benefits accruing TO
them from its operation, in erecting and
sustaining reading rooms and putlic libra
ries around their works for the benefit of
the worklngmen. On some such terms
only would | be inclined to Join hands
with them in this movement, and then only
for time.
No sooner has their meeting dissolved
and the resolutions published to the world,
than minions of those same men who
promised their cooperation with the work
men i'll this affair rushed t. those men
whom they want to assist them and ask
them-see them petitioning the men
. how much less can you men afford to
work for r say they. We cannot afford
to run the mines at the price we are get
ting for iron, and we are compelled to cut
down expenses or shut down altogether "
This, after such resolutions having been
passed at their meeting, all agreeing to
close down their furnaces for the two pri-
mary objects, viz, a higher tariff and the
maintenance Of the present prices Of iron.
Afterwards comes in the petition to build
the railroads to enable them to re-hght the
fires and employ their workmen now out of
employment. If they desire the assistance
and corporation of the workmen, they
must pursue a different policy towards
them.
The workmen in some cases have been
notified Of a further reduction in their
wages, and in their despair Of being able
have gone to work and asked not to know
how much they have been reduced. They
are working entirely at the mercy Of the
bosses. They can pay what they have a
mind to. If this is not serfdom, give me a
definition of it.
In the above case, where the men have
been asked how much they can afford to
lose from their wages, | refer to Burton
City Iron Works, Ohio. In the last, to
Works in the Shenango Valley-both
places we're represented at the manufactu-
rers meeting In Philadelphia, where the
resolutions referred to were passed.
The blowing out" policy is the initia-
tory to another raid on the living Of the
miners. would have them hold mass
meetings at every point, and pass resolu-
tions to the effect that unless the bosses
aequiesced to new departure, that they
every soul of them, (they being as bad as
they can be, having the name Of freemen
but only the name,) would vote only for
free trade representatives to the next Con-
gress.
What an idea, to ask of the workman
his cooperation to put money in their
pocket, while the very means they are en-
ploying is reducing them to paupers If
the capitalist is to have the sympathy and
aid of the workmen in this trying hour, he
must keep the cloven foot down, extend
the hand of fello wship to him in the en-
terprise, and be prepared to allow him
mutually to share the profits. Ii not,
then let the workmen all over who are
thus asked to support them in their peti-
tions, use the power they have got in the
ballot in the proper way, end to their own
advantage. This meeting, and those reso-
lutions of the manufacturers, reveals their
weak place, and the miners should not be
the least slow in taking advantage. II
they will prefer to work. and know not
what they are working ior, "a ln madness
concede reduction in wages, when the
employers have in company with the other
members of the association agreed tc
blow out" anyhow, then all right, they
have only to pay no heed to this lever in
their hands, md their desire will be graft
fed to their hearts content. But if they
desire to be men in the full meaning of the
word, then they must arouse them and
meet the other side manfully, and tel
them in plain terms the condition on which
partnership In this matter can be formed
The wOrkingman in this case has the ad
vantage OF the operators, for if the trade
goes to the other side Of the Atlantic, they
can pick up their all and follow it Capt.
tai is invested here, and that can not q
easily be removed. The men who dig in
one mine at this turn have been taught Il
feel that it makes but little difference, i
they are to be slavcs, whether it be unde
the regime Of monarch or president
The condition of the mining trade il 81
demoralized that strikes" ON the part o
the workmen is a. . bladeless rapie- !.
the hand Of cavalier for weapon Of de
fence, and the only effective instrumen
left them in the one pointed out by tn
bosses. Now Ia the time for them to Us
it, and TO their own interest. The manu-
facturen are powerlesa without the vote