The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-01-29
No. 40


place for sitting for the purpose Of taking
evidence. By much application Of the
London trades unionists, permission was
given to a representative of theirs to SIT in
the hall with them, but not to participate
IN any Of the questions or deliberations Of
the Commission. Mr.. Thomas Connoly, a
stonecutter, was the chosen delegate To
watch after the interests of the working
men, and attended as such. Some time
after, Mr. Connolly ~AS At at a public meet
meeting and spoke unexpectedly Of Mr.
Roebuck. and he, (Roebuck) }, it will be re-
membered, WAS one u the Commissioners.
At the next meeting Mr. Roebuck declared
that II Mr.. Connoly were permitted to con
tlnue ia the hall with them. he would
Withdraw his services that he would, in
fact, work no more ia the same shop with
Connoly. The result was the discharge Of
Mr.. c. Now. my object in mentioning
this particular case is only to show how one
Of the very men Who were appointed to
inquire into the matter, and hnd if such
acts did occur among workmen, that he
himself committed this very same fault, if
fault II Is, before he Was many lays on the
Commission.
1 MAINTAIN Roebuck had the right ID act
as he did, and 81 has every working man;
but tLis is All act which, if committed by a
mechanic, would cause the press Ia general
to denounce. However, when a Member
Of Parliament does such tings, it is alto
gether different. Some Ot your readers
may say Why do | dwell at such length
on what occurred Ia England My answer
is that ] want TO point out how the united
action Of the moneyocracy # that country
for centuries trampled on the rights
OF the working man, and that it was and
~ the united action of the latter that keeps
these Shylocks from repeating their damn
able deeds of the past; and, as said in my
last, except . united effort is made bV the
workingmen, this country will, before
many years, be in the midst Of a bloody
struggle, greater and more terrible than it
wss before or since tho Declaration Of In
dependence.
President Grant thinks, or pretends to
think, that religion, superstition and in
telligence will be the cause of a struggle IN
this country. Not so, Mr.. Grant. re-
ligious man, Protestant or Catholic, will
cause no bloodshed. An intelligent man,
from the fact of his being intelligent, will
not cause strife. 4 superstitious man will
be considered tn" last, or one Vi the last,
to call for or rush into war. There is
nothing to be feared from these men ever
h..Iu n h. .aF hpt
great deal to fear from these men who
pretend TO be religious, honest and patri-
otic, and who will cling to party because
1t serves their thievlhg and money
grabbing purposes. We have honest men
who identify themselves with both parties;
but, alas they are in the minority. Party,
as it is called, is the ruin Of this and
every other country. What we want is
independent, honest men TO legislate for
Us, according to the wants Of the people.
IL seems 70 me that most politicians Of
the present day ia this country are like
the ancient Tory party Of England, whom
Tom Moore said, had " take the following
pledge
pledge myself tholzh much bereft
VI Nays an means ~ ruling III,
To make the most u shat are led
Ard s'ick TO al thSt's rotten srill;
TAough RJue the days u VI .es aud Den
Aud irOnes no more take All tbs honey,
pledgs yse1 20 crsm ELF
With all csn u l0ile money.
II is very true, "drones' do not get all
the honey, for some Of the most active
men Of the day are making themselves
rich on what they eau dir, city or indirectly
grab and steal. Why not the trades unions
VI this ami other cities take some lndepend-
ent action la the coming campaign j
would not be IN favor of unions identity
ing themselves with any party, Or with
high or low tariff, OF with contraction or
imitation, for these are points the members
themselves will differ on; but | would be
III favor of trades unions CIV ny their
united support to candidates who would
support the Elght-hour Law, the abolition
Of work done III the penitentlary, for the
purpose u competing with outside labor,
and the enactment Of lien law, giving thu
mechanic or laborer the first claim ia
work done on building or other works.
These are points that trades unionlsts are
united ~, therefore there would be no
fear Of dividing the ranks. What say the
stOnecutters of Chicago
Yours respectfully,
JAMES GILMORE.