Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1891-03-14
THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION,


this year, AZ against 2,15S last year, The
same period shows for Canada 456 failu
res this year, as against l3s in the CORE
spending weeks Of 1890.
"The industrial situation" observes
this eminent mouthpicce Of the capitalist
class. "is such as to attract wide atten.
tion, and bids fair to continue SO from
now until May /. A very general move
ment looking t. increased compensation
for mining is already in operation, AZ
may be seen from strikes, one Of 10000
miners and coke workers in the COnnells
willie region, and another Of 5000 miners
in the MonongaheIa district, Pennsyl
yana The latter strike is II compare
lively old one. while that Of the coke
workers was begun February 8 Efforts
are now making to settle both the coke
and he MOnungahcla strikes, with, 1t is
SAID, fair prospect of success. 1t has
been stated that q 900 industrial work
ers, mostly miners, were on strike or
locked out in western Pennsylvania on
March /, The loss to them in wages
to March /, iB placed at more than
$l,0OO,OOO, General business in the
regions affected is naturally depressed.
The probable loss to operators has not
been calculated.
"AnOther feature Of note is the de-
pressed condition of the window glass
trade reported from pittsburg. The
probability Of "A great strike Of coal min
erh on May for an eight hour day, with
the two great strikes mentioned in the
foregoing, do not make the labor situa-
ton rs promising as desired.
"The total number of operatives en-
gagged in strikes during February is
placed at about $4,000, of whom the
cookers strike accounted for "A large pro-
portion. The outlook for the building
trades in Chicago il not perfectly cloud,
less A strike of Chicago carpenters, it
is claimed, would involve all engaged in
kindred trades in that city Cigar-mak-
ers in that city have decided to demand
y more per thousand for making cigars
after May /. March 80 is the day set for
meeting at Lowell, Mass of textile
workers repre- senting every branch,
at which, it is claimed 100, 900 men and
women will be represented. The aims
Of the union which it is proposed to
organize, are to reduce the number of
hours of labor daily, to increase wages,
and to abolish weavers fines. 1t would
seem, therefore, that what is called the
labor movement is quite as active this
spring az usual, and that it promises to
be more than ordinarily interesting
Since this article was published the
great strike Of the coal miners of the
Monongahela region has been settled by
a victory for the men after ten weeks
struggle; but the general amount of en-
forced idleness is kept at the same leveb
| if not increased, by various lock outs,
among which that Of the Rochester
clothing cutters, which is said to involve
at least 10, 600 wage workers, upon whom
10000 people depend for their means of
existence
In every branch Of industry the work
ing classes, including the small farmers,
are made to bear in lis entrely the heavy
loss resulting from the shortage in the
crops of 1890. This shortage is not less
than 80, 900 600 bushels of wheat, POS,
600 600 bushels of oats, and 623 600, 600
bushels of corn. In illustration of its
effects upon the handling of products
and the consequent employment Of labor
i'll trade and transportation. we may
state that the east-hound shipments from
| Chicago last month were 302 900 tons as
against $4,000 tons for the correspond
ing month of last year, This large dc
crease in the movement Of Western pro-
ducts to the seab0ard would be greater
! still were 1t not for the enormous ship
me'.,2 of cattle and hogs, that the farm
ers cannot afford to keep, owing to the
deficiency in the crop of corn. The re-
ports of wheat from Atlantic ports in
February show a decrease from 6,420 600
bushels last year to 1890, 900 bushels
this year, or more than % per cent. On
the other hand, the exports Of cotton in
the same month increased from 431 900
bales last year to 59s, 900 bales this year,
and tie industrial development of the
South-owing to the special advantage,
which it now enjoys, of an enormous
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