30,000 locked out : $b the great strike of the building trades in Chicago
John Locke · en
"I recognize the right of every father to have his son taught, and
of every son to learn any lawful trade, to be the same as his right
to a knowledge of reading and writing, or any other branch of
learning, which should be subject to regulations only by the laws
of the land.
"By accepting employment I agree in all my relations and
intercourse with my employers and fellow-workmen to maintain and
live up to these principles."
_Resolved_, That full powers be and they are hereby granted to the
executive committee to take all steps by them deemed necessary to
carry into effect the principles heretofore set forth and to
express the concurrence of this association with the position taken
by the Master Masons' and Builders' Association.
This action, it was stated during the discussion of the resolutions, was
not the outgrowth of sympathy only, but caused by the fact that Metal
men were suffering just as much as anybody under the then existing
trouble in the building trades. There were not cast seventy-five tons of
building ironwork a day in the city when there ought to have been three
hundred tons at least. The depression of trade was so marked that two
foundries shut down, throwing 250 men out of work, and all the
establishments were glad to have a pretext for closing.
DARK WAYS.
At the headquarters of the Bricklayers the statement was made that there
had been an important meeting of the dealers in Building material, May
30th, at the Builders' and Traders' exchange, at which it was agreed
that the material men would not wait longer than June 1st for the Master
Masons to get to work, as their agreement to not sell and deliver
building material only extended to that date. When asked about the
meeting, Mr. Mulrany, of the Union, could not say how many attended, or
give the names of any who were present. He insisted that the Bricklayers
would break the backs of the Master Masons, and would make them give up
for good. He was sure the lockout would not last long, because there was
so much disaffection among the bosses. Diligent inquiry was made at the
Exchange to learn if such a meeting had been held as the one mentioned
by Mr. Mulrany, but assurance was given that none had been. A dozen
dealers in building material protested that such a meeting had not been
held and would not be. The agreement to not sell or deliver material was
limited only by the duration of the strike. The statement was on a par
with many that emanated from the strikers.
A LOST CAUSE.
The Hodcarriers' Union, as a body, seemed to have entirely collapsed.
The funds of the Union having entirely run out, the men found no
attraction to the headquarters on West Taylor street. A great portion of
the men found work in other quarters, and those still out were ready to
go to work at the first opportunity which might offer, regardless of the
demands which were made when the men struck six weeks previously.