The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-13
Labor Notes.

The great strike on the Gould system Of
railways in the Southwest continues, and the
number of men now out is estimated at nearly
10000. The operation of the strike extends
over 5000 miles of railway and affects the
traffic of four States. On Tuesday morning
an order was issued by H. NJ. Hoxie, First
Vice President of the Missouri Pacific road,
to the heads of all the departments of the
road, to at once dispense with the services Of
every clerk, telegraph operator, conductor,
and in fact, every employe not positively
necessary to the company in its present
crippled condition. This means that over
100 telegraph operators, 1900 freight house
hands, 800 clerks, $50 crossing watchmen,
100 to $50 firemen and many other employees
on the Missouri Pacific are let out for the
time being All told, it is stated, that nearly
5000 persons not interested in the present tight
will suffer the loss of their salaries until the
Knights return to work. 1t is stated on the
authority of high official that individual
notices are being sent by the company to all
strikers that their names are stricken from
the pay-rolls, and that they are discharged
from the service of the company.
The strike of the coal miners of the FEEDER
alton Number for the uniform scale OF
wages adopted at the Cumberland Convention
of February 10Th was begun on Tuesday.
Nearly all the miners in the region, nearly
5000 in number, are out.
Four thousand members of the United
Order of American Joiners and the Amalga-
mated Society of Carpenters and Joiners in
New York struck on Tuesday morning for
So. so per day of nine hours each for five days
and eight hours for Saturdays. Their average
pay has been 81 for day of ten hours. Up
| to noon eighty six out of about SIX hundred
shops had granted the demand, and the
others have done so since.
All the unions connected with the building
| interests of st. Louis have decided IN favor
of the eight-hour system, and provided for
conferences with the employers on the sub
iect The cigar makers of st. Louis have
resolved to inaugurate the eight-hour system
on May lst They anticipate no opposition
| from the employers.
The New York and New Haven Railroad
Company has voluntarily decided to raise the
paw of the laborers on all divisions of its line
from $l.35 to Sl.50 per day, beginning on the
LIST of April.
| The boot and shoe makers strike at Mil
waukee, begun two weeks ago, is considered
practically at an end, the Page Company
having signed the strikers scale. The other
two firms are expected to follow suit within a
| few days.
| A number of the business men of the Sew.
| entn, Elgnlu anu Niutu w diOo Vi OhiSoSN
met on Sunday and took steps for the organi
cation of a mixed Assembly of the knights Of
| Labor. The chairman said that at the re
quest of number of business men and Others
Who were suffering from the results Of toe
poor compensation that labor received, 1t had
been decided that business men should make
common cause with the laboring class, or
whom they relied for support, by thoroughly
organizing and CO. operating with the working
people in their various localities. report
was received that charter would be issued
/ to them by the District Assembly within few
days.
The knights of Labor at Decatur, Illinois
have formed a new political party, to be
known as 'sthe United Labor Party of Amer
ica.i They call upon all voters ''to unite
in the effort to emancipate the wage workers
of the country from the iron hand of the cap
jtalist,n and DECLARE that s.the alarming de-
Yelapment and aggressiyeness of great capt.
talists and corporations, unless checked vii
| inevitably lead to the pauperiaation and hope
less degradation of the toiling Masses ;"
The mechanics and laborers are firmly
united throughout the country and the ten
dency now is everywhere to work but eight
hours day and only for wages that have usu-
ally been paid for ten and twelve hours
Manufacturers and car companies are band
ing together alse for protection and long
struggle disastrous to business, if nothing
verse occurs, may be looked for.