The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-06-13

Ia. fvice therein is fixed by law ana
unless the estimates are presented in
full detail. He denOunces the whole
transaction with Williams as an ART,
rageous sWindle, land says it is amazing
InaI II should have continued so long.
Some OF, our readers may have
thought that in depicting the condi-
ton Of misery to which political mis-
government has reduced the laborinr
people Of the great manufacturing
centers of our country, we cverdrew
the picture. We will ask them to
read the following from recent edi-
torlal In the St. Paul Dispatch and
they will see that we have rather
understated than overstated the
facts:
The condition of the laborers em.
ployed by the great protected mininr
anu manufacturing corporations ST
pennsylvania ls,as notorious events Of
the last 1ew years have shown, horri-
bly, bad. They are at all times moor
and often starving and desperate.
Ihey are slaves in all but the name.
but slaves of such sort that their
masters have no interest in or care
Tor their welfare. And now it appears
that the cotton mill hands of Massa-
cnusettS are, even when work is
Aenty. but degree removed from
pauperism. A letter of the 9th of
May from Fall River to the Boston
Herald says, writing of the stopping
OF the mills there for two weeks this
month: >' 'A'''
"Thls city has no corporation hoard
ing houses like some other mannfac.
turing places where the helm can ha
boarded for small sum. the nricea
being from So to SIS here. Runnino an
full time. some have 81 week left.
after paying board. A few of the
mills Will probably run on full time.
and the help in these corporations can.
consider themselves very fortunate.
Good help are absent from their work
but very little. Some weayers have
worked in one mill for Is years:these.
OF course. will feel the short time
movement. Then there is class that
rove around considerably, who work
and recreate. and then recreate and
work. These, of course. are accns.
toned to short time, but there are
very few of this class. The great
majority are very steady workers and
the highest wages earned by weavers
q IN the nsighborhood of 81 per week.
With family to support for two
week this amount sdon't allow straw.
berries and cream, said ono to-day.
Nor meat once " day. /" ssid anofh1r
"But 1t will hehp keen "A fP0rr A. r. d. q,
poor farm said third. A great
majority OF the Fall River operatives
are Intelligent, sensible persons. ana
realize the stress Of the times. and
while experiencing the hardships Of
these dull times, feel that it is una
voidable. Few, indeed, are they who
breathe forth the spirit of communism
In these days. To the credit Of the
great majority it must be said that
they are well-behaved, well-disposed
persons; they know that many Of the
manufacturers are suffering priyations
in financial point Of view that is not
pleasant to bear. In conversation
with prominent manufacturer fhis
afternoon he said: II pity the onera.
tives, but how can we help iti We
are having men working for ma who
are filling boys places; they ask Tor
them and we can give them but sixty
cents 9 day.. Last week was the
busiest one known to the clerk OF the
Overseers Of the Poor, who issued Isl
orders for relief
In times gone by tive dollars dav
and roast beef was the rallyinr crv
OF the party Of protection. But here
we see the best Of American working.
men, industrious, intelligent, uncom.
plaining-reduced to one dollar a dav
and Liable at any time to be deprived
OF that pittance for . week two weeks
or 2 month, or more, just as NAV be
indicated by the masters interests in
keeping short supply OF goods On the
market. Here are men glad to take
boys places at sixty cents q day. and
otners' wanting work. who are COM
peiied Tor want of it. to 60 to the
Overseer Of the Poor for relief. Il
TINS not the pauperism from which
protection was to have protected our
working people And does II not
prove that protection does not pro.
tecti Y'O
The protective system has worked
like hot-house Influences uDon vece.
tation. 1t has made our great mann.
featuring interests too tender fo hear
exposure TO the chances Of trade. Tt
mas also weakened the sources 81
manufacturing strength in destroyine
trade and It has limited the ability cf
preserve our workin9men from ran.
perism; it has rather FASTENED their
descent into pauperism by increasfnr
tne cost OF living and by fayorin9
those combinations Of employer
which seek to thrive through cons1ir-
scles against labor on one side 81
against consumers on the other. pr0-
testion does not protect. Its simn1y
iegal thievery which. like ether crfnlp
inality. 1t last pnniahes itself.