The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-31
THE LABOR MOVEMENT.



me journcymen job printers now on o strike were
again in consultation yesterday at noon. They seem
to have the impression that the more secret they
keep their deliberations the sooner and the better
they viii succeed. This probably Is the only reason
they have for excluding the representatives Of the
press. But II they believe that they are successful
in preventing the press from obtaining whatever OF
information Of general interest they win be con-
WINGED OF their mistake by reading this report The
meeting was addressed by number OF members.
all urging theoretically the necessity OF holding out,
and ali denouncing stintlessy the New York Print
ing Company" as set OF rapaclous cormorants
who feeds on ne public Sa treasury ana yet are
Iutlons were offered and passed unanimously
embodying their views In somewhat milder form,
and committee was appointed to see the super
vls0rs Of the county and TO propose investigation
into the affairs OF the Printing Company The ire OF
this COMPANY and Il ali the Ihincs sad about It At
this meeting be true 1t sounds rather ridiculous that
. COMMITTEES should be appointed to wait on the
Board OF Supervisors with complaints and appeals,
for that-provided always that the statements made
are true-would practically amount TO suing the
wolf for devouring the lamb, before a whole con-
clave OF wolves. The meeting adjourned at three
O'Clock p. NJ. and most OF the members repaired TO
No Chambers street, TO the rooms Of the Printers
Library where new members were received the
weekly allowances to those on strike paid, but no
further business transacted.
The Printers Cases-ssirilxe, But Hear Me.''
To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD:-
II Is not assumed thar the public at large are su
cieny interested In the connict and controversy pre-
vailing between the employing printers in this city
and the workmen 10 make 1t worth while, on that
ground, to cndeavor TO set forth reason for the ap
parent discrepancy In the public press emanating
from the two parties but, such statements are up
pearing from day TO day, ] propose to show how
they may have originated and what measure Of
truth they contain
II Is claimed by the workmen that certain Offices
the proprietors Of which are named-are paying the
scale demanded OF them, and such state
ment may be substantiated in this way,
that in many offices where miscellaneous
work Is done the employers long since advanced
the rate OF wages TO the better class OF workmen to
the amount now demanded for mere typos and
bunglers and this better class possesses that IN
teligence which enables them TO command higher
rate for their services they are able thereby also to
comprehend the reason why employers cannot &C
cede to the demand made upon them in the scale
attempted to be enforced. On this point-that such
men are retaned-and this solely, 1t is believed Is
the statement put forth that many employers are
accepting the new scale OF wages.
1t Is fact capable Of the most perfect demonstra-
ton that the rate Of wages In other cities Is so much
the class Of work that was relied as afording the
only chance for reasonable profit in book composition
VIZ, reprint, has 10 great extent been sent else
where, dev0vIng upon the printing houses Of this
city the execution of exceptional manuscript works
requiring the most careful and expensive elab0ra-
rion while at the same time the loss OF so much re-
PRINT work involved them IN the most severe c0mpe-
ttion with eacn other as well Ms with other cities
Yet in view OF this Iact and OF q recession from
their own prices OF from twenty TO thirty per cent,
no demand was made upon the w0rkmen for an
abatement from their scale.
1t Will be observed, therefore, that although there
Juany offices In this city that not greatly az
fees already made by them, having chosen to retain
their good workmen at rates now demanded for the
incompetent, yet there Is a specious and partial
character IN the statements made concerning the
offices accepting some or the terms or the wOrkmen