The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-05-05

| eAu . r W. Nuiibe thc
TRADE MATTERS In some of our trade.
business has partially revived, but the revi
val is so slight that but few are benefited by
t. The indications, however, are favor able
that Ss the season advances work viii become
more brisk. There is however, one drawback
to the cheering prospects. There is a system
attic effort en- the part Of employers to reduce
the wages of their work nen The attempt
has been made, and IN most cases has been
successful. Ii is the old tale over again.
Employers take advantage Of the necessities
Of workingmen, and thus are made to dance
to whatever tune the " boss" may choose to
pipe.
THE MoLDERs
at the Chicago Stove Works were worsted in
their attempt to resist a reduction OF twenty
five per cent. on their wages. and their places
filed with Boabs
The MOlders have good organization, and
are sustained 10y the National Union, but the
small poI was too prevalent, and the place
had an infectious aspect. end Is now under
the surveillance Of the Board Of Health. {"
| II the disease does not soon abate quarantine
regulations will be established
THE sTONECUrTEEs
have plenty Of time on their hands Work
on the custom honse Is quiet, and private en-
terprises are few.
wALKEKs STAMPS
are not very numerous. al his credit is
like unto the leaves u the Aspen
The BKiyELAYEEs
have the matter of organization u der con
sideration. Several meetings have been held
but 50 tar nothing Of permanent character
has been established Several of the men
are yet receiving as high as one dollar and
/ fifty cents, and one dollar and sevtnty-five
cents per day, aud there is a growing feeling
among them not TO strike for any more
Well Lawyers aud Doctors. and other pro,
tessional men do not indulge IN the raigar
I practice Of striking. but they have an estab-
hshed cpI, among themselves, and certain
rules ana regulations. which a. honorable, men
they are obligated one to another not to VIC
late, aud It is sufficient 10 say TIER are all
honorable men But somebody will get struck
tins summer if flour goes up to eighteen dol
lars per barrel, and Joe Medills fixed stand
ard Of value, and WILDER F's money Of in
trInslc value goes up TO 81 %. or perhaps
reaches the old fashioned g.. so. But Brick.
layers don't trike. No, don't you. you can
live just well and dress better on 81 25
so don't strike
CARPENTERS,
or as those who need their service call them.
+ wood butchers in good demand, and
getting goodl'l wages 81 Is, 81. so, 81 IS ard
& %, they think the good times hove come
at last
PAINTERS
the men Of fancy colors) aud Calcimine-s are
the only men who have full work at present
and are commanding 3 30 per day. Boss
Painters say they are worth four dollars Der
day but then" said one Boss 10 a
reporter OF the ADVOCATE they do not ask
It, and why should We pay what we are not
asked for If they do not know their value
We aro not bond to tell them" Sequel. the
painters have no organization
TUE SHOE MAKERS
the men who attend 70 our understanding,
hat little 'onpleasentness" with their EN-
ployers. The latter The employers) antici.
patiug trip this summer to one OF more of
the fashionable watering places we're prepar.
Z INN IN. tittaf al
trip or trips. Among these were = contem-
plated reduc tion Of the wages Of their work
men in the shoe making department The
reason alleged was the old excuse, was labor
too high, and they could not compete with
eastern cheap production. They further al
! legged that the men were making too much
money. and were dressing extravA -antly
they were altogether too high toned for
''coblers, indeed they could not be distin-
guIshed from the gentlemen travellers who
travelled ION their muscleJ for their respective
establishment, and therefore the men Of
wax, pegs and jack" were called upon to
suffer curtaIlment Of their weekly wages
already at starvation point. But the chivalry
Of the Noble Knights would not suffer an in
suit to their honor, and so they threw 1own
the gauntlet, and invoked their patron Saint
to come to their assistance Such display Of
trmness, not to say stubbornness and OBJ
stinacy, was quite unexpected, and the leather
Lords were un2repared for it. They ex-
pected to have had every thing their own
way, and were more than astonished when
the gallant Knights accepted the issue, and
gave battle. A weeks diminishing ensued.
There was no Danube" to be crossed The
"Dardsnelers" offered no obstruction. Bis
mark, Gortschekoff and Moltke were men
spectators The Sultan and the Gar were
not interested in the quarrel but the renown-
ed Morocco, the ancient Tampico, the soft
and innocent Kid mot the pirate), the ven
cradle Oak. and the arm blooded Spanish
were at stake What if all those EMPIRES
we're to be wiped out Of existence with one
fell swoop? What If their fair names should
be sullied by the pollutlng hand Of avarice,
and they made unwilling tributaries to the
shrine of mammon NO, The sons Of Girls
pm inspired by the God of battles stood ready
to defend their fair fame and home or die in
the attempt The Lords of leather finding
the knights already equipped and prepared
Tor war, held counsel and concluded not to
prolong the contest. They gracefully aban-
doned the field and left the Knights the
victOrs.
The knights returned to their peaceful
pursuits, and now as you pass their wig
vans may be heard the tingle Of the ''hamer. /"
the ring Of the Jack, and the click, click.
click OF the Mckay" accompanied by the
silvery chorus Of scores of the prettiest. wit.
test, and merriest of Chicagos daughters.
who glory in the esprit de corps of their gal.
liant piahta NJ