Hide Article Text (OCR)
[From the Labor Standard.]LABOR ITEMS.fAre our readers interested in knowing how the war progresses in Europe? Of what interest is it for them to know that the Turks are in a critical position in Armenia, or that the Russians have obtained advantageous positions between Kars and Erzeroum? Is it not sufficient to know that those who are killing eachoother are the poor and the toiling ? Let us, in the name of common sense, watch the war that is being carried on against the interests of our class.Stone-cutters.—John T. Hunt, Secretaryot the United States Stone-cutters Association asks all stone-cutters of sister cities to keep away from St. Louis, Mo., as they are on a strike for $2.75 per day, and a corresponding bill of prices.Bricklayers,—The strike of the Hew York Bricklayers has ended successfully. It lias also resulted in re-organization. We hope all bricklayers will join their union.The tailors of Dublin are on strike and the shops are watched by pickets, relieved at short intervals. The workmen demand an advance of 3^d. per hour.The Trade Union Bakers of France have just held a Congress in Paris for the purpose of discussing ways and means for the improvement of their condition. In the first place they want the abolition of night work.The speakers declared that night work was injurious to health and altogether unnecessary. Mr. Castan said that bread made under such circumstances could not be wholesome. If night work were abolished good bread could be made which would still be fresh every morning. The French bakers could not, however, accomplish anything without a good organization. It was finally resolved to organize a national Bakers Union and establish a special organ in their interest. We reccommend the unfortunate Bakers of America to take a lesson from this.The wealthiest furniture bosses of Vienna have increased the working time of their employees from 10 to 12 hours. It is needless t say that they have not increased the pay. We are sorry to say that there is no strong cabinetmaker’s union in Vienna.The colliers of Seraing in Belgium are on strike and troops have been sent to “preserve peace.” They have already succeeded in doing so! by charging on the the people, injuring several and making numerous arrests.The Paris Moniteur says that the socialistic movement is assuming greater dimensions in Lyons and that the government is watching it. So are the bosses.Reports have been made to the British House of Commons complaining of the condition of the mills and of the number of hours during which the operatives and especially children are worked in India. It is expected that the Indian Government will introduce factory legislation.There are about 9,000 Italian toilers by sea and by land engaged in procuring and preparing coral as an ornament for the various nations of the earth. These poor men who prepare these ornaments are total strangers to all the enjoyments of life. And yet they toil from the cradle to the grave.Jacoby Co., Cigar bosses of this city “failed” some time ago. A meeting of creditors has been since held and claims proved, amounting to over $86,000. Strange to say the poor workmen who were in Mr. Jacoby’s employ were not invited to attend that meeting of creditors. And yet their just claims amounted to a great deal more than the united claims of all the boss creditors. But it must be remembered that the boss does not consider his workmen creditors. He regards his “profits” as legitimate. How long shall this be so ?New buildings are in course of erection in New York and other cities, but this slight revival is not likely to be of long duration. In New York city the bricklayers took advantage of the improvement to demand better wages, and, although not very well organized, succeeded in enforcing their demand. Their present wages, $2.50 per day, are not much to boast about, considering the price of provisions.Although this trade is somewhat improved, very many bricklayers and others are idle, and of course a standing menace to the employed. For this reason the bricklayers should consider the necessity of loeai and national trades amalgamation, and, above all, should agitate for shorter hours of labor. The one great means by which to employ the idle and increase wages, is to reduce the hoursof labor. This can and will be done if the organized workingmen onlyresolve to do it.Tailoring .—Reports from large cit ies like St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Philadelphia, etc., are not generally very favorable. A little more activity has set in, but, as a rule, trade is dull. One thing is certain; many are unemployed, while others have very little to do. Wages are low, and are not likely to lie any higher—quite the contrary—if the tailors do not make greater efforts to unite the members of their craft, InPhiladelphia and New York trade is considered a little livelier.Carpentry.—Slight improvements are reported in carpentry and cabinet-making in most of the large cities. As in other trades, however, many are unemployed, and the employed are overworked and miserably paid. Taking all in all, the prospects for this trade do not just now seem very flattering. So far as the workmen are concerned, it is really surprising that any of them should expect better times without combination. Do they imagine that the bosses will voluntarily increase wages or reduce hours when trade revives ? If so, let them banish the delusion. Only by combination will the workingmen obtain anything. The workingmen must combine in their trade unions for the protection and advancement of their interests; they must constantly agitate among the non-unionists; they must organize with a view to aid their unemployed and sick; they must work for a re-( duction in the hours of labor and aconsequent increase of wages; the}r must direct their efforts, when organized, to general trades amalgamation. Every cabinet-maker should belong to the Alliance Cabinet-maker’s Union, q,nd no carpenter should be outside the ranks of that admirable organization, the Amalgamated Carpen-penters and Joiners.Watch-making.—This trade is dull.In New York City it is a little brisker, but the improvement is scarce worth noticing. Instead of buying watches or other jewelry, the workingtpeoplewho have any jewelry left are fast depositing it with those philanthropic banking gentlemen whose sign is Three Balls. Large numbers of these working jewellers have been forced to tramp, or take up some new occupation.PLATFORM AND PRINCIPLESOF THEWORKINGMEN’S PARTYOE THEUNITED STATES.[We copy the following document, as itap-ears in labor reform papers. We do not now how far it represents the labor sentiments of the country, and present it for the purpose of finding out. We solicit communications and expressions of opinion in regard to it, and will therefore keep it standing for some weeks.At present, we can only say that, while we sympathize with the objects in view, we are not prepared to advocate all the measures or means proposed in this declaration.]The emancipation of the working class must be achieved by the working classes themselves, independent of all political parties of the propertied classesThe struggle for the emancipation of the working classes means not a struggle for class privileges and monopolies, but forequah rigfcs and duties, and the abolition of all class rule.The economical subjection ot the man of la bor to the monopolizers of the means of labor, the source of life, lies at the bottom of servitude in all its forms, of all social misery, mental degradation, and political dependence.The economical emancipation of the working classes is therefore the great end to which every political movement ought to be subordinate as a meansAll efforts aiming at that great end havehitherto failed from want of solidarity between the manifold divisions of labor in each country, and from the absence of concerted action between the workingmen of all countries.The emancipation of labor is neither a local nor a national, but asocial problem, embracing all countries in which modern . society exists, and depending for its solution upon the practi-oal and theoretical concurrence and co-operation ot the most advanced countries.For these reasons the Workingmen’s Party of the United States has been founded.It enters into proper relations and connec tion with the workingmen of other countries.Whereas, political liberty without economi-ical freedom is but an empty phrase therefore; we will, in the first place, direct our efforts to the economical question. We repudiate all connection with all political parties of the propertied classes, without regard to their name.We demand that all the means of labor, land, machinery, railroads, telegraphs, canals, etc.,) become the common property ol the whole people, for the purpose of abolishing the wages system, and substituting in its place co-operative production with a just distribution of its rewards.The political action of the party is confined generally to obtaining legislative acts in the interest of the working class proper. It will not enter into a political campaign before being strong enough to exercise a perceptible in uence, and then, in the first place, locally, in towns or cities, where demands of a purely local character may be presented, providing they are not in conflict with the platform and principles of the party.We work for the organization of trades un ions upon a national and international basis to ameliorate the condition of the working people, and seek to spread therein tiie above principles.The Workingmen’s Party of the United States propose to introduce the following measures, as a means to improve the condition of the working classes;1. Eight hours for the present as a normal working day, and legal punishment of all vio-ators.2. Sanitary inspection of all eruditions of labor, means of subsistence and dwellingsincluded.o. Establishment of bureaus of labor statistics in all the States as well as bv National government; the officers of the bureaus to be taken from the ranks of the labor organizationsand elected by them.4. Prohibition of the use of prison labor byprivate employers.5. Prohibitory laws against the employment of children under 14 years of age in industnal establishments.6. Gratuitous instruction in all educatioriainstitutions.7. Strict laws making emolovcrs liable foO A Wall accidents to the injury of their employes.8. Gratuitous administration of ju^t-uv in all courts of law.9. Abolition of all conspiracy laws.10. Railroads, telegraphs, and all means of trailsportation to be taken hold of and operated byt he government.11. All industrial enterprises to be placed under control of the government as fast as practicable, and operated by free co-operative trades unions for the good of the whole people.Executive Committee.PHILIP TAX PATTEN.No. 103 1-2 North WritSi rlt;‘H,Chicago, Illinois, Cor. Sec. W. P. U.MINNEAPOLIS TYPOGRAPHICAIUNION, NO. 42.Meets first Friday in each month.President—T. A. (Hark.Vice-President—C. W. Hills.Ree. and Cor, Secretary—H. M. Hall.Fin. Secretary—N. T. Booth.Treas.—A. J. Brown.S. at A.—Geo. S. Cyphers.Executive Board—O. A. French, Frank Park, Ed. O’Brien, J. B. Meaehara; T. A. Clark,
Newspaper Details
Minneapolis Free Flag
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Thu, Jun 07, 1877
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 04 Apr 2022
Other Publications Near Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis Uusi Kotimaa
Minneapolis Echo de l Ouest
Minneapolis Minnesota Stats Tidning
Minneapolis journal
Minneapolis Free Flag
