The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-25
HE Is INTERVIEWED, AND BOOSTS
LOWER,
Trying to Garry Water on Both Shoulders

~ AAsE W NoAAf W dLOI Uu nOLn 0nOuIuOLse
The authorized government organ
having outraged the feelings of the whole
by its lack of sympathy with
our toiling fellow-ci:izens employed at Rock
Island Arsenal, became alarmed at the
growing Indignation ofthe people in regard
to its course, and, this morning, it makes
an effort to say something on the other
side, but spoils it all by saying
The stone cutters should try and believe that Col
flagler was driven by necessity and not by any de-
sire to mlnre them, to take the course he did.
The stone cutters and masons employed
at Rock Island Arsenal are not children
and don't care to be approached as nurse
approaches a child with dose of castor
oil, saying, do take it, please, Bobby, it
will do you good. They are men and
tellow-citizens, most Of them, who know
that the Unions misrepresentation of
their cause are not warranted by single
well-founded fact. The Union admits this
by saying
cSNeTdl errors OF ISCt Crept INTO our nhSllN pre-
pared article on the reduction of wages at Rock
Island Arsenal.
The Union was not only guilty of pub
fishing several errors of fact, but it was
guilty of want of sympathy with our own
citizens who are oppressed by an unfair
advantage taken of them. Within ID
months Col. Flagler has three times reduc-
ed their wages, the whole amounting to a
reduction of 81 a day within that time
The first was in May, 1873, as we stated
yesterday, six months previous to the pan
lie, and, Of course, was not caused by the
panic, as the Union claimed, The reduc
ton then was about IS cents day. Last
November, about the time of the panic,
came another reduction of % cents. And
now comes the third reduction, amounting
to an average of about 81 day-a cutting
off of about one-fourth the wages paid af-
ter two previous reductions within about a
year.
Previous to May 1873 stone cutters re
ceived an average of IS, $3.50, and SAL
cOrding to the capacity of the man and the
task performed After that time S4.25,
1915, and 1926. After November 81,
$3.50 and Sand now So, $2S0,and 81
90.
Masons have been reduced to 1926 and
s..
These reductions are fearful, and bring
wages down to less sum than is paid by
our DUN citizens on private work.
Stone cutters on priv ate work are now
=-..~ 49,. -.' ~. Ga. t -. :
comparison is enough to show that our cit
liens, artizans and tradesmcn are being
oppressed and crowded down to less figures
than are paid on private work.
Evidently it is not the policy of Col.
Flagler to encourage skilled workmen to
settle here as permanent citizens. We
have many such citizens now, who own lots
and houses and who are among our most
worthy and respected citizens. But they
are not encouraged by positions of fore
men, task-masters, time keepers. etc, such
positions almost exclusively being filed by
aliens and persons who have no idea of
making Rock Island their permanent home
1t seems to us that the Industrious, frugal,
respectable citizen should be preferred to
the alien, every time, if he is competent.
The Union may tell these people to''try
to believe" that Col FIagler wants to do
all he can for them, but they can t
see any evidence of it. They do try
to believe it, but the effort is failure
Wages at the Arsenal have generally been
less than in town, and now ale very mate
rally less. In 1870 and 1872 day laborers
got only Sl.75 a day at the Arsenal, while
s. was the iuvariable price in town. Skill
ed hands then got $40 and S. in town,
and $3.50 at the Arsenal Carpenters
wages at the Arsenal are less than in town.
And it has always been the case that
wages were less there than in town, The
late reduction is 50 great that it amounts
to an absolute oppression of he industrial
classcs-and this too without giving them
fair warning, 50 they could secure other
places without a loss Of time. To some
men the loss Of a week work b.ings posi-
tive suffering. Try to believe in Col.
Flaglcr's sympathy as much as they please
they make failure Of it,-and they insist
on two points which they will not yield:
!. He has reduced the wages too low.
,. He did it without giving them a
chance to find remunerative work else
where,-imposing the hard alternative Of
immediate compliance or discharge.
If he intended to make i reduction he
should not have made such a ruinous one,
and he should have given them month
notice. Many of the men have refused of
fers of work elsewhere, within two week
past, at 80 cents a day more than the old
wages, simply because they did not sup.
pose any reduction would be made, and,
having homes here, aud attachments &c
the place they preferred to remain here
Now they are given the hard alternative O
work at 81 day less than old prices, or NJ
work at all, tits unjust and oppressive.
/ The uobbiest styles aud fits also custom
work Of all description, at Loeb's.