The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-11-13
the M0LDERS.
Fnom the Molders' journal for November
THE SITUATION.


There has been slight Improvement il
the machinery branch, only noticeable
how yer, from the fact that for months
past there has been a steady decline The
dependence of machinery manufacturer
upon the prosperity of other branches o.
industry has been fully demonstrated, and
not until there is general revival of all
other branches of industry, will our
machinery molders be generally en-
ployed.
In the stove branch, there has been a
stacking off Of hands, although the shops
are all running, with one or two excep-
tlons, and will probably all run short
handed until the middle of December, if
not up to Christmas. In the stove branch
there is fair prospect ahead. The dis
pute between the dealers and manufac-
turers as to which shall carry a stock, has
resulted i'll both having no stock. The
foundries are running largely on ordersy
and dealers are only ordering what the,
actually require, so that when the shops
close, they will close without any stock,
and the dealers having none, the pros
poets are that there will be an early start
In the new year to fill orders.
In the agricultural branch, employers
are endeavoring to take advantage Of the
stagnation in general machinery, to force
wages down to that of the common la
borer. Their success Will depend altogeth-
er on the fact that many members nov
at work in the other branches, have their
names registered for luinter'S JOB This
will be properly exposed along with the
names Of the evil-doers, just as soon as
their dastardly conduct has had its effect.
The average Union man is one who Wis
its his Union once year. If all were up
to (but not above) the average, the Union
would meet once in each year. Yet the
average Union man swears he is as good
as the best, but says nothing about the
worst
HELPERS.
There is an old saying, that if you "give
a man an inch he will take an ell, and it
is verified every day in the foundry. 1t
should ever be borne in mind that the
national organization of molders was
brought about as much through the effort
to destroy the helper system as it was
through any other cause. The law en-
phatically says that a member can EN-
ploy person to skim, shake out, and
'cut sand, but for no other purpose. This
is the inch that the law gives, and every
day we are questioned as to whether few
more inches cannot be taken, such as brush
ing patterns, laying down follow boards,
flling up drag. making facing, etc To
hint to the parties that make such requests
that they are seeking to reintroduce
the helper system, would cause them to
slaughter somebody in their righteous (D
wrath. little innovation to-day, another
tomorrow, and another next day, will grad
ually bring us TO the helper system If per-
sisted in, and once the break is made the
rampant Union man of to-day would have
two or three "bucks behind him iii the
course of six months The men who
make these requests never stop to think
that if they can take an inch, their part
ners can take an ell with as much propri
ETY. and finally, all could 60 the whole
hog,"-in fact we fear "hog" is what is
the matter.
Detroit is good place for stovemolders
to stay away from. As a general thing,
they hire one week and quit the next, as
they prefer to starve and not work, to do
ing both working and starving. Of
course, few men are well paid to keep up
appearances.
The stove foundry in Stuyvesand, N.
Y, has closed indefinitely, perhaps perma-
nently, and the moulders have all got to
move. We would not advise them to GO
West" Union No. 81 surrenders for the
time being.