The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-01-15

IN keeping thea. down. and It requires but
small knowledge OF human nature to know
how such men wnuld M the standard.
As matter Of fact, it required several
supplementary statutes 10 be passed before
the masters could be brought 10 do even the
small amount OF duty imposed upon them by
this Law. they neglected thssr duty Of Annu
,.lly sssrs.inS ages. anu allowed low stand.
ard once iixed u be the standard ia years
Of scaruity ~ an years nj plenty This law
vi ElixAbrth's however. remained substantial
" the Law oi the Land till 1913, when all the
general Law ;, and ,Olne Of the particular laws.
iiNing the prices Vi labor were repealed. II
WAS not, however. till 1925. that the full
measure of statutory liberty was gwen to art
Ulcers, 80 that It may be said to he within
the memory Of living persons that workmen
have ceased to he legsslated for ia unfair
spiIit. but the "dious Masters and Servants
Act still remains unsatisfactory
Legislative enactnients Furnishing work men
" hv combined ~ RAISE the rate vi wages,
coupled with the power Of lock out, were the
instruments used b. the masters trades
unions il old days ~ Obtain obedience to
their regulations. bnt When the acts against
comLin Ntion By he ~orknen were repealed,
lo,k outs were the only levers With which
masters could work These were effectual
however tall the time " hen the wOTkmen's
trades mons founded on what ia their
commencement were only benefit societies.
int.n de, iur the rchri ol members in sick
ness aud when out ol work -sprang into ex
lstencc. and established the sources Of in
come sufficiently large 10 cope with The capital
Arrayed against them.
Before that time the employers Of almost all
kinds II lAh,r could afford o. he idle for =
YEAR OF more. living on the Accumulations
made IN past year. and a. = consequence could
hold out longer than the ~orkmeu. who,
without money enough to live On When III full
work oould certainly not save. and we're
therefore driven to accept the masters terms
A. a condition OF subsistence. Sometimes,
IN view ~ the inevitable shortness II the
struggle, and goaded 20 desperation by the
injustice 81 those who had power ON their
side, the men committed acts Of violence and
riot which Werr always severely punished,
and reacted, As all violence that IL unsuccess-
tul will react. "a the detriment Of the in
vukers uf it. Now. happily. the condition Of
the disputSnts Is changed; the Law no longer
assists either employer OF employed IN the
formation or maintenance OF combinations
against each other. The power Of the purse,
once held by the masters only, IL now shared
by the workmen, and amy dispute is now
brought 10 the ArottIaheht vi ING sAme IL
huences that decide the fate Of competitors
| OF any other department Of industry. OF
among masters themselves.
Now. sir, / think this proves eonclusively
that workmen were forced ~ unite to Obtain
fair share Of the profits Of its labor pro
duced. The press may roar; workmen can
afford to laugh in their onward march in the
path Of progress, drawing near, day by day
to that position in society which the producers
u all wealth have a right to occupy.
Yours, etc. JAMES GILMORE.
p Sin my next will attempt to give
your readers sketch Of upper class trades
unions Of the present.. >. G.