The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-02
MOLINE.

G&S IOI tllc pOuCut VI tue CHtOH III Is
we'll enough to state that Oscar Peal g
father came to this country when Oscar
was little child and he (Mr. Peal ST., J
was ndturalazed before Oscar was in his
| teens. This was not the case with Wads-
worth, and the Union, in its attack on Mr..
Peal, only reflects the partisan dsaanluS of
the writer. Mr.. Peal has all along been
a Republican until this election, and left
the rotten party because he, like hun
| dreds of others, felt that the salvation of
the country demanded change He is
for Tilden and Reform, and that's what
hurts the Hayesites.
| eg-We would remind manufacturers and
business men that there is still much work that
| be done for the Republican In this city.
Don't let the time go to waste. The time lie short
and If we expect good solid victory, work must
| be done.-Gdzette.
@Does this mean intimidation at the polls !?
| 1t certainly savors of it very strongly and
| although not written up it sounds very
much like an appeal to manufacturers to
interpose the bread and butter" argu-
ment in order to keep mechanics and la
boring men from voting according to their
honest sentiments. Perhaps the plan
adopted, by Chicago firm may be inaug-
urated-the "placard' system" The hard
working men of Moline know who their
| friends are and will not be turned from
| the path of duty.
! sEWs heard business man and a manuf acturer
of this city say, yesterday, that if 1den elect
ed it would be terrible blow to the business in
terests of this country, that the wages of aborers
would drop, and we could expect very hard times
| Gazette.
Yes, this is the sort of howl that they
raise for partisan purposes and yet these
very same manufacturers, only few days
ago. cut down the wages of their men to
starvation rates. Not content with paying
only an average fair price for labor they
instituted a saoeeping cut down by which
wages were reduced 10 to 20 per cent.
This is the way the Republican party pro
poses to keep wages up, is it?
About year ago complete cut down
was inaugUrated at Deere Il Co. S shop,
some of the men being reduced as much as
40 per cent? The laborers who we're then
earning $3.50 per day were cut down to
81. 30 for 10 hours work and only $l.l7
for 9 hours Think of this, man with a
family obliged TO work for SLIT per day
or go to the poor house-many with fami-
lies, and number, perhaps, with homes to
paysfor. 1n the mechanical departments
the result was equally ruinous and
many was the poor fellow who had
entered into contract at the old wages
aud made arrangements to purchase and
pay for a home, found himself short on
his notes, behind with his grocer and
butcher-and why? Simply because the
manufacturers, knowing that winter was
at hand, and that men must live, took the
bread and butter from the mouths of their
men, reduced their pay to panic rates,
and this at time when ploao stock aUds
loaoer thGn for gears! This would have
been accepted in good faith if the prices Of
plows and cultivators had been correspond
ingly reduced, which was not done
Does this look like friendship for the work'
ingmen? Does this sustain the Gazette in
; its assertions that the Republican party
or its leaders here, are friends to the me
cbanic? The mechanics Of this town know
to the contrary and are not 10 be hood
winked by honeyed statements from Re
publican orgacs,
: Again, few months ago the moulding
shop at Deere & Cos. was visited an,
another heavy reduction commenced. TIL
men who had been getting for piece worl
AZ cents per wheel were cut down to 81
per wheel and were compelled to make
wheels per day 10 order to earn So. 81
This was proven to be beyond human en-
durance to accomplish perfectly and cor
tinuously, and the moulders very Justly re
= fused to work for such wages. Some G
the men who had families had finally t
go to work at these starvation wages j
iorder to live, or else miss payments o.
their houses, grocery bills, aDd othe
necessaries. The price of plows and cult
! vators remained the same; materials wer
as low as ever, and yet these friends {
the aoorkingnaen! these Republicans VIII
are so fearful that the poor workingma
and mechanic will be cut down if Tilden
elected, rise up as the prime leaders IN II
g. Increment! These truly loyal friend
Is these Republican manufacturers, are GOO
ie friends. are they not? This is not al
n. tie other day, saturday. another CT
e down commenced and now the laborel
n have to work 10 hours to earn 81 80 p,
10 day. The time is only hours howevt
l. and consequently they receive only ST.
: per dav. Mechanics. laboring men. exar
!, inc these facts and then reflect wheth
] there is any consistency in the howl Of Il
Gazette and the truly loyal Republic;
manufacturers of Moline.