The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-26
DULL TIMES STILL FOR LABOR.

THE woRKIHGMEN AND THE poLirIcrANs-xND
OF THE PAINTERS STRIKE IN FAVOR OF THE
BossEs-oNLY PARTIAL RECOVERY FROM
THE "HARD TIMES"
The world OF labor drags itself along very slowly
these times. With the eHervesccnt arrival Of thu
spring trade thousands gained employment who had
been idle for several months, and who had been re
duced to low degree Of poverty. But the sprius
trade did not give employment to all tho idle people
in this community, and to-day there must BE- At eas,
ten thousand men out OF work. The old spirit Of .bs
workingmen has died out with the hard times and
there is unity of sentiment among the mem.
bers Of the trades unions; at ali evsns the members
not willing 10 enter into combinations outside Of
their trades II is said BY some or the prominens
leaders OF the workngmon that there secret or
ganizng, ratherG reorganizng, going on, which
will evontuate Ia restoring the old unions TO working
order and placing them lrmer basis than ever be-
fore. But signs OF this work have yet appeared.
II Is said by the leaders that one great point was
gained in this direction last from tho nacton
OF members OF tbeLegislature in behalf Of the suffer-
ing workingmen. 1t is asserted that the working
classes ought fully TO understand how useless It il
to put any fathin politicians. matter what creed
oil politics may be procssed, democratic republican.
Last winter being avery exceptional one ought ia
appear II 1t ever was to APPEAR how much earneslnesa
there was In the pledged word Of the workingmen's
assumed representatives. The sequel has shown that
both republicans and democrats fought shy of the
workngmen's demands upon them, and IN fact merely
tried TO use tho mechanics TO gam for themselves
little buncombe notoreiy. Governor Robinson, some
oil them alege. "capped the cmaxh OF the WORKING
men IS despair In the average member OIL the Leglsa.
ture tor cy0n he threw brick " them ~ vctong the
big Job on the new State Capitol II cinned there's
tore that all this ought TO open The eyes OF the work.
ugmen as 10 who their friends are ana hs chef plank
to be- Trust only IN yourselves. Tor all others Wall
merely use you for themselves" THIS lesson has been
often taught the workingmcn that " ~ ialr to con.
cude they arc now just as tar IRON prodtng by expo
not learning from 1t as they ever were in me
past
The painters strike ended on Tuesday afternoon. 1.
meeting Of The 300 mon who had 'xone OUT was
called and ballot taken as 10 whether the strike
should be continued or ended The poor, suffering
gladly awaited themselves OF the Chance to vote
an njudlcious one. out OF 1900 painters 300 were
dic once and the result Is that SO tor from
ars and viii DO for some time gu. 81 work alopete
and the probability Is that the mon who had been DO,
lore me strike getting s. "a, day IN some Of
lower figure. 1t seemed to be cruel thing
to urge upon number OF men the propre,y
idea, when IL should have been remembered that
nearly all these had been idle all winter and badly
needed few dollars they were earning. The placer
doubt several days Will elapse before The bosses Will
wages Tho members OF this trade who were Mt work
during the strike accused Of having acted very
shabby in their treatment Of tho men who were out
They did not advance enough funds TO give strkers"
a single dollar EACH " IS said that there was good
deal OF speechmaking done, but IN such times ~
these the men were discontinued at not being
allowed work along in thor own way a. best they
could. Tho painters cannot boast Of having greater
rush OF business present than The other trades
nec.ed with housobuildng. Comparatively tew new
buildings arc being put up this season, ownors and
moneyed men contcnting themselves with improving
and refashi0ning and Furnishing up old ones.
GENERAL OPPRESSION.
In general way the small soFekcepers com plain Of
very dull times There ~ no chance OF collecting
money any length o: time, and stocks OF goods
In tho smaller stores are but slowly disposed
OIL The multitude. however, OF the Idle ana
the destitute who suffering last winter have been
relieved OF the fearful forms OF the depression.
The writer informed ny physician who Ia on the
corps the Board oil Health that the tene
ment still crowded with idle men who cam
by any possibility yet steady work. THIS gonte-
informed the reporter that is not At all an un-
usual sight The athor at homo In The tenement
house ..minding the children" whe the mother 10 Gus
Tor the day doing scrubbng work or at temporary en-
pIoyment as domestic. The exhibited OF STAR
vaton or shard times !" the doctor above alluded
TO- which may be Witnessed In the rooms Of some OF
the tenement houses, painful In tho extreme Last
winters desttuton still shows It's traces all ovsr The
city the dwellings OF tho poor.