New-York tribune., 1874-04-25

properly paid. BY tho sliding scale. when the whole
sale prices OF iron advance the manufacturers
receive Increased profits and the labormg men
participate; when the prices fall, the operator and
operative lose In equal proportion This feature and
that Of arbitration the two great objects of the
workingmen OF Pennsylvania to-day. Arbitration, as
understood by them this: difficulty arises in
MILL Before going strike, the deputy and a con-
mttoe duy constituted hear grievances, consider them
and report the same 10 the National Forge. The Com
mttee wait on the manufacturer and try to bring on
an understanding II not successful and IL the majority
OF the National Forge sanctions it, tho entire mill is
privileged 10 a strike, and the workingmen are
supported from the national fund. In all cases, how
ever matters arbtrated and satisfactorily arranged
Impossible, without striking
The IRON manufacturers In many localities do not ap
prove OF sliding scale, and argue that 1t il their exc
ve right and privilege pay their just what they
honestly think they entitled to- They consider the
unions very dangerous TO the iron interests OF the
try and think that when belong to unions they are
too apt 10 act ont Of reason and at times to make out
rageous demands, and that when organized they can
at will throw INTO wild disorder and confusion entire
establishment 1t is alleged that the workmeD, feeling
themselves under the protection OF the national fund.- at
times would rather trump up false charge, strike, be
dle andreeeiye money from their distant brethren and
thus live on about hapay than work at all at the
best prices the operator could possibly give.
uhfVh pohy VI puuulcrs can, Ou tHc
pretext shut down and stop whole mill,
while the proprietor will be obliged to sub
init TO 1t II unable to obtain help TO push the work
Thus industries suspended the trade - crippled
hundreds OF dollars lost every day and hundreds OF
men are thrown out OF employment who would willingly
work If the union would permit them These evils
the iron manufacturers are trying to avert
TIE RoN-CLAD AGREEMENT
The Sons Of Vulcan strongly and steadily contest
NJ thair all he
past month the local press Of the iron country has
spoken OF the "iron-clad agreement" This Is paper
the manufacturers offer for their employees to sign The
men obechng are allowed by the National Forge to 30
strike. The Objectionable feature in the Iron
clad agreement is the clause requiring the men to re-
nOunce the Sons OF Vulcan and cease being members
thereof This clause is the frebrand Of the present
troubles the Labor Unions OF the iron pudders aud
boilers OF Pennsylvania. From nearly mill in the
State. twhere the sliding scale has not been adopted
there forebodings OF this trouble, although
some its, approach Is slow. In
the mills where sliding scales OF wages are
paid everything for the present smoothly II is
difficult TO say whether the operators will perseyere,
particularly If the manufacturers in the eastern half OF
the state will not adopt the sliding scale. West Of the
Aleghenies the sliding scale is recognzed from this
fact 1t evident that there division among the iron
operators Of the State this question Eastern iron
operators dislike tho union and an established scale
while Western capitalists apparently do not oppose It,
On this subject President Harris stated that wherever the
sliding scale serious strikes were unknown.
In Pittsburgh the leading iron mart OF TINS country ac-
cording To Mr. Harris, the mill operators and the men
have perfect understanding with each other and WORK
in harmony. When trade is brisk, the wages OF tue
go up, and when trade Is slack they decrease III ex-
proportion To tnis, he thought, could Oe attributed
much OF the recent the IRON trade o that
city.
This then, is the labor problem In the Pennsylvania
iron country, particularly here in the eastern section
majority OF the wOrkiugmen belong 10 the UNION,
and want sliding scale of prices established. Ilelr
employers are opposed to these conditions, and eacn
party striving carry its point. Ia the interest OF
the trade Pennsylvania and the trade at large an
early and amieable settlement il desirable.