Farmers Weekly Review

By Sandy Vasko

With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror, and Fourth of July on the horizon, soon, it will be time for another national holiday – Labor Day.

But I believe the day has lost its meaning. There are many who still have to work, such as clerks, waitresses, highway construction workers and more. Most did not get extra pay for this. Is this fair? What exactly is fair in the work place? These questions were being debated in the mid-19^th century as well.

The year 1877 was characterized by labor unrest nationwide. Locally, in Braidwood, striking miners took over the town, ejecting the men brought in as strike breakers, and only stopping when the state militia intervened.

Workers in Joliet had other problems. The convicts at the Penitentiary were being used as free laborers in the quarries. Men with families to feed had been put out of work. In January, a meeting was held and a resolution passed with the following language:

“Whereas, The chief and almost natural production of Joliet and vicinity is stone, and in all times the great portion of her mechanics and laborers have been bred to the trade of quarrying, dressing and shipping that material, and they, with their families, in all numbering thousands of population, have become owners of homes here, with the purpose of pursuing their avocation through life, and

“Whereas, It is too late for these citizens to learn new trades or methods of supporting their families, and, if they could do so, all would have to leave, selling their humble homes at one time and consequently at ruinous prices.”

It went on to say that convicts, at 50 cents per day, half what a normal stone cutter made, was the cause of the poverty and want among the citizens of Joliet.

It was true that there was great poverty in the county. One of the ways the County Board of Supervisors building a new Court House would help. However, that was also criticized. The Pontiac Free Trader newspaper wrote, “Up in Will County they are talking of building a new court house in front of the old one, and as one reason, they say it will give some of the mechanics work. Has it come to this in free America that public buildings shall be erected simply to give employment to mechanics?

“Must the whole of the people be taxed to support the mechanics and laborers? The mechanics and laborers are not demanding such a thing surely. True, they are out of work, but then what right is there in taxing all the other men of a county to give them work. Yet this is in Joliet, a wealthy city, in a wealthy State. Where is this thing going to end? Will someone rise up and explain? They have good crops in Will County. They had a good one last year, but times are just as hard there as they are anywhere else.”

By 1878, the labor movement was in full swing, mostly fueled by immigrant labor. Many of them joined the Socialist Movement; some even termed it “the Communist Movement.” These were idealists who wanted bizarre things, not possible in normal society, things that we take for granted today.

Ed Conley, of the Wilmington Advocate, got hold of one of their propaganda papers and published their outrageous demands.

1. 8 hours for the present as a legal working day, and prompt punishment of all violators.
2. Sanitary inspection of all conditions of labor, means of subsistence and dwelling included.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics in all States as well as in the National government.
4. Prohibition of the use of Prison Labor by private employers or corporations.
5. Prohibition of the employment of children under 14 years of age in industrial establishments.
6. Compulsory education of all children under 14 years of age. All materials, books, etc. necessary in the public schools, to be furnished free of charge.

` 7. Prohibition of the employment of female labor in occupations detrimental to the health or morality, and equalization of women’s wages with those of men, where equal service is performed.

8. Strict laws making employers liable for all accidents resulting through their negligence to the injury of their employees.
9. All wages to be paid in the lawful money of the Nation and at intervals of time not exceeding one week. Violations of this rule to be legally punished.
10. All conspiracy laws operating against the right of working men to strike or induce others to strike shall be repealed.
11. Gratuitous administration of justice in all courts of law.
12. All indirect taxation to be abolished, and a graded income tax collected in its stead.
13. All banking and insurance to be conducted by the Government.
14. The right of suffrage shall in no way be infringed.
15. Direct popular legislation, enabling the people to propose or reject any law at their will, and introduction of minority representation in all legislative elections.
16. Every public officer shall be at all times subject to prompt recall by the election of a successor.
17. The importation of Coolies under contract must be immediately prohibited, and those now in America under similar obligations shall be released from the same.

In 1881 Will County saw the birth of the many unions we have today. From the Joliet Signal,

“April 26, 1881 – The journeymen stone cutters and painters, etc., have banded together in unions, and now the carpenters have the fever. A meeting was held at Weiner’s Hall last week, and a union formed and a scale prices agreed upon.”

“May 3, 1881 – It seems that a rage for strikes has broke out all over the country. The rolling mill laborers in this city caught the infection yesterday afternoon, and large number of them struck for an advance of wages. Considering the high prices for all the necessaries of life the demand of the working men seems reasonable enough. As a general rule we do not believe in strikes, but often the men are driven to it.”

There would be violence in Will County’s unionization, but that is a story for another day.

Sandy Vasko is Director on in of the Will County Historical Museum & Research Center and President of the Will County Historical Society.