The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-26
MOLINE.
ARGUS HEADQUARTERS ~Mo11NE.

ARGUS HEADQUARTERS MOLINE,
RICHARDS & SoHRBECK's Drug and Book Store
opposite First National Bank, where all orders
can be left for the ARGUS, and where all Moline
business is transacted by .. j. Beardslee Busi-
ness notices should be handed in by noen to en-
sure publication the same day.
The Strikers Perfecting and Strength
ening Their Organization.
The Deere strikers held lengthy secret
session this morning, commencing at and
continuing until 10 o'clock. They showed
no signs of weakening. Short speeches
were made by number of the men, ex-
hortipg them to stand firm together, avoid
all violent manifestations, keep sober. but
make no more concessions to the firm.
At the meeting yesterday afternoon a
proposition was made to have the COM
mittee wait upon Deere Il Co. again, but
it was unanimously voted down. They
say, I'VE have been to them twice, and
they have refused US any satisfaction; now
if they want any this time let them come
to u.s." They have adopted rules by
which they will be governed, and all
Deere & CO.. men signed them this morn
| ing. They say they can stand a siege of
| 3 months, if necessary. Everything is
quiet and as yet none of the strikers have
been drunk or tindulged in any Iboisterous
proceedings upon the streets. The sym
pathy of professional and business men
as we'll as laborers are entirely with the
strikers. and proffers of assistance from
all classes are being received. A sign was
nailed to to the old Phoenix House. last
night bearing the inscription: Velie House,
crackers and herring This morning it
was taken down and destroyed
The meeting this morning adjourned to
meet at 9 o'clock to morrow morning.
Deere & Co. and Their Employees.
To enable the public to fully understand
the position assumed by Deere & 20.
towards their workmen, we give the
written communication which passed be-
tween the parties yesterday, viz:
| MOLINE, July 25.-Deere 4 Co., Sirs:
We, the committee to whom was referred
the matter of adjusting the present diff.
Guilty existing between employer and EN-
ploye do very respectfully request that the
late 10 per cent. cut be rescinded, and VIZ
positively deciiuo to work in your shops
until it is restored.
GEO. L. CORNWALL,
/ ID. STEWART,
JOHN HoLTZ,
W. BREITBACH,
! ERIC ASP,
w. r. OYLER,
Committee.
DEERE & co. s ANSWER.
To Geo. L. Cornwall, Dan Stewart, W. r. Oylcl
and others, Con mittee:
In reply to your communication of to
day, we submit the following:
1t may not be generally known tina
there was serious and continued declin
! during the past six months in the price o
implements of our manufacture; tha
more goods are left over unsold, at hom
and IN the hands of dealers. and tha
heavy losses from bad debts have occurre
during the last twelve months than in an
previous year since 1857.
1t is also true that the selling price fo
d. the fall trade opens considerably lower tha
t those ruling for the spring trade.
I 1t is admitted by all that the prosperit
of every citizen of this city, aud to som
: extent of the adjacent country,is intImatel
). connected with the continuous opera
= tion and prosperity of its manufactures
l. aud at the close of this business year it b.
came a serious question with US on wkt
e basis We could run our works with safety
. and maintain our trade for the coming yea
g In regard to wages for the future u
can say that we will not ask men to wor
: for US for less money than like establish
4 ments are paying throughout the countr,
q We are not willing now and cannot f
wages for the year and agree to run OF
works.
Our past record should be suficiel
!. guarantee to our old mployes-many
whom have been Identified with the growi
and prosperity of this concern for year
: and can testify that they have shared the
u full measure Of benefit from such pro
II perity-that we skall adopt no reductiC
&c of wages beyond what the times demaut
:, and that in the proposed reduction, whiC
u we have not fully matured to our satisfa
ton, it is our aim to adopt the course th
q promises the best results to all cOncerne
ie sEWe cannot hope to continue our prese
extended business without the support al
Is CO. operation of our employees, and will
~ these trying times consult freely with oV
workmen, as heretofore, on each individu
case as fast as we can reach them, and
all in our power to put, and keep cur wor
in full operation to our mutual advantag
C. and to the end that the largest numb
may be benefited.
In times of popular excitement, fal
and idle rumors are started and kept
N circulation, thoughtlessly, and genera
be with no purpose of creating discord a.
O. tumult, but always with that effect, q
nY discussion growing out of false statemer
t and misapprebensions of the real fat
are never productive of good results
%. any one.
IS, I'VE kindly and earnestly counsel all "
r are identified with these works to a ca
n and rational consideration of the quest
n in all its bearings, assuring them Il
they shall be met with like considerat
on our part.
m Respectfully yours, DEERE 4 Co.
By Chas. H. Deere, Vice Press t
Yas These communications, it will be und
ion stood. passed between the parties after
etc strike took place, and after the workm
he in deliberate consultation, had resolved
of put their request in writing. Il is 9
; stated the workmen had received
sht previous intiClation of a reduction
re- wages. but at the last pay dav were
nts formed their wages had been reduced
lay per cent. including the pay for that Il
as well as for the future.
The correspondence which We print,
these statements in regard to the time
nal manner of the reduction. will enable
ore readers to fully understand the pres
aW- relative position of the parties.
ing A careful perusal of the reply of De
Irst & Co. fails to impress US favorably in
the gard to their views in this emergency.
10 is altogether too vague and general il
n q ! q i 1t