The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-07

n.
TINT his employers did not wish to lose him.
There was Democratic meeting In Portland.
and posters were issued announcing that lbion
bradbury and other Democrats would speak
There were also sone small bills circulated in
which Democratic principles were briefly set
in the work she'd Not many hours aftcrward
ihhe Snpcrin'enId;sni PASSED that wov. He saw
wanted TO- know who put II there.
did" said Murch. stepping out from his
" We'll. you can leave. Do you suppose the
Government pays Democrats 2"
Without word. Murch packed his tools and
Vut thr yard. hut TINS action was the first Of the
direct Influences that have carried him to- Con-
gress. He had saycd money. and with part
nor went to Cape Ann, Muss., and began bust
ness on his own account. He had hnrlly got
under way before he was taken dangerously i'll
house for year. Tho business went TO pieces
Every cont that he had wns gone; he was in
debt hundreds Of dollnra. and with n family.
Some ono suggested that he 20 into bankruptcy,
but he said that he honestly owed tho money.
and would pay 100 cents ON the dollar. After toll
ins ms creditors that they must give him time.
and he would pny them in full-which he dtd-ho
went TO Nnal Haven. Me, and to DiN's Island.
whero tho contract had Just bcnn given fQg the
work upon the New York Post Onl"e; ondhcro
he obtained work ns Il stOnecuttrr. He suhsc-
lurntly worked upon tho granite for the Cin-
clnnati custom House. and was promoted to
the fotrmnn-h hip ~ gang. In the years he was
upon these islands. where Mt times nearly 2 900
,s fn TerG s employed s a gr?q hs NsY YORK r9ia;
buildings. he saw that those men were subjected
To u system of buiitiunnS "" &c ".hteinn5
Whicn sermedtu him ntrucious beyond mca-UI5,
lie also learned OF the mCrt startling frauds,
whereby the Government was cheated out Of lns
ne bcleN9sl many hundred thousands of dol
what he could to free his fellow workmcn from
what he regarded ~ practical serfdom.
\ little incident that reached the knowledge
9t the men caused them 10 look upon him n u
leader before he had begun any open move. A
stonecuttcr who worked in one Of the gangs
ncauti9usy y.nturcd ~ political opinion un-
favorable TO Eugene Halo. lie WAS at once
DISCHARGED. The poor fellow went TO Murch.
who was then foreman OF another gang
said that be- had "A wifo and family on
his hands that he had been discharged. and
asked for work. Murch Immediately gnvc 1t to
him, and was summoned before tho Supcrin-
tcndcnt for an explanation. lie said that hc
had room for the fellow: that the man was
needy, ana he saw no reason why he should not
81 guess you had bcttcr let him go" said the
Superintendent.
y" Are those orders ?" asked Murch.
Very well: when that man goes 60. unless
there arc good business rcasons for his dis
As ,Murch was a valuable man. he was al
was the first foreman who had ever dared to
Ills own time came in 1876. Tiden was run
gross IN llale's district. Murch determined
then TO make y stand and after work hours ho
{ TAXED with tnr men III the sheds ana urged
Tlicn and Mcclellan should bo elected. NOT 10
hesitate to vote rs they believed. lie showed
tho mon that tho only hOpc fcr them wns in
the defeat oi Hale and a change in tho national
Administration. One day. shortly before llalc's
election. the Superintendent met him Look
here, Murch. De said you must stop this.
IL Will be Just Ms wei. for you g. let politics alone
AMI stop seitins IA. mn against Hale.
! 10 do that. and. further. say here that have "a
right 10 eYerciSe my political priyi,rs. any
where and shal 10 H. Neither can bv black
This conversation WAS hoard by many Of tho
stonecuurrs. and. while the, gloricd ~ Murch y
! spunk. tney knew that H. would bc their fore
man NJ longer In "A lew days H." WIS dis
charged. no reason being given. MIR. Murrh
voted for L li"na and against Hale. Some weeks
alter tho Noyembcr erection he got work upon
! the Hartford Post Ofii'e contract at Clark =
Island. When his former employers heard Of
! II his now employers Wrre seen. and an order
was given that be DO discharged
Then Mr., Murch determined to devote his
time to such measures rs would show the peo-
ple oi Hale district the Nrnnpy t. which the
Government workmen wet" subjected. and make
cnHr;"- of corruption which h. was prepared
to suhstnntiair. II" began ~ once IA" orgHnl.
zaiion II Ia, Sioneculttrs Union aud ia Il fcw
months hnl -ur'c"ded In Geti'ng 30 bran hes.
y II which were IN New England. IN NV
/ York. IN virginia. and | in Missouri united
/ GERS were rleotcd MIR Murch being chosen Soc
rr'ary, with Headquarters in kleklaud. and n
/ trade Eve paper was established. OF which he
was appo ntrd the editor HE salary rs Secretary
/
Guiding his work AS editor Of the Stone. tN'7s
! JuIupidi md the benefits 81 organization wpre
such thH BE-" WIS nbl" tn gl to Washington IN
Juu", lSti. prepared tp make chhrsre ui cor
rupilon against the Granite Ring 10 HAYES.
sherman AMI the con'rnf c9mmi--ion. and
also e. nlrHd for iuir treatment for ia" men.
Mr.. Murch's account OF his interview with
Hayes IT. amusing. ielt tho in-incerliy u
the man. aHld lo, ar soon u- took his hand.
His scli-complacrnc WAS aston -hlng. and ha
has n condr,'enliug way of treating people-at
least h. hnd toward m,-thnti is excess iyeiy rri.
la .tf f. ..N NJ. lftt.t
all about tho stonrcutters grievances. and
when told him tlat tneY wanted iair NIX aud
what we cgn d. about it, That was ali the sat
i-factiOn | could get from him. and when | went
ha X 10 the hotel said 10 Mr. Clark. who was
with M. that that was an extremely unsat.s-
factory Interview.
The next day we went to see sherman and
he tod IA that II Commission had been mp
pointed 10 examine the letting Of these Govern
ment contracts, and they would give us hear
ing the ncN morning. W. saw that We were
the Commission. We told them what the con
ira tors were getting. and villa, tina men were
getting and said that, us matters wore. the mon
had no security that thcir pay would not be cut
down. We wished the Government 10 cause To
BE- inserted ~ the n"w contrlrts u clause 10y
which the CONTRACTOR bound themselves 10 pay
the men fair wages. Then We asked the Com
mission whether they wanted 10 ask Us any
questions. Vhrv did not.
"' Wei. then. Mr.. Glars my companion said.
We wish tO lay before this lpnima-lon formal
charges 81 corruption. and 10 Put you in tho
Thoso charges uYcrrrd that the contractors
for the W,rk for tliN Gov rnWeut hulIdings.
when Tn" contract WIS upon tho 10 per cent.
husi-. suffered Ia" men tn earn largo pay AMI
o. pr1ong the work. That contract proyid d
thui tAe Gov rnmrut should nay tle contractors
~ per cont Nh1V' tho 'Ost pIiec of turning out
t.r grant. Therefore tho lurLcr the cost tho
lnrsrr tur gross. percentage. Men were paid Hs
higl u4 - day. and allowed frequently 10
double tho number of dlrt Hrclssurj 90 uu-
plrte job. In addition tp that. Mr. Murrh had
tho ludrnturtn Oi numbers Of nI'n vino were re-
crlNlns ~ a day from tle contractors Hs up-
prrutl oe. and tlr Government wus charged
iu rates for them. Further. there WI propf
that many men were put on private work. while
thoir imos were kept ON the GOyarnm. ut pay
ROLL lie had nlso tho proof OF various oihcr
harefa'ed frauds committed at onctimo or nu-
other and estimated tho total amount imprOD-
crly Lthcn from the Government ON those
works at soyerM hundred thousand dollars.
The Commission list, ned To- the chnrgc-. said
only II few words. dismissed Mr. Mureh and his
friend. anl. 20 far rs is known, paid no lurthor
attention to the matter.
Mr. Murch returned TO Rockland. lIo saw
that II was useless to make any fight excepting
mt the ballot box, and the prospect cvon there
secmed draary enough. Tho contractors were
lIaes warm friends, and in every way they
intmatcd to the workmen that the onG price
they must pay for kecping their places was to
vOto for Halo. Mr.. Muroh has no doubt
A. 81 tl.. Nl Ia