The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-03
THE SHOEMAKER STRUGGLE
ATTEMPTS BY M4NUFl CTURERS TO
CRUSH THE CRTSTINS.
History OF the Organization In Lynp-Bar-
rony and Prosperity In Yenrs gone by
The Order Put down aud Revived.

The Order Put down aud Revived.
Y1om N, Boston H,r,M
March 3, 1868, the first Crispn lodge was
formed in Lynn. and in less. than year two
others were added, the three having u member-
ship of about 5000. On the 23J OF April. 1869.
general convention of the order was held IN
Worcester. and a preamble and constitution
The Crspin organization welded cons lleraPe
power In 1868 and 1863. owing tn the friendly
support of small manufacturers. The large
manufacturers were very much opposed TO
Crispinlsm and claimed that the Crispins were
presumptuous. exactng. and insolent in their
these men assumed control OF the manufactu-
rers' whole business, During 1869 there was
distrust and i'll feeling hctwean EMPLOYERS and
employers. and the Crispins' records show evil
dcnces of trouble IN certain shops.
In the spring Of 1870, a committee OF Ave
scnle Of prices. and the committee being heavy
manuiacturtrs, the mrlspins We're ENCOURAGED
and strengthened. TIL" other manufacturers
were drawn into the arran9ementn and accepted
urice list The manufacturer who brought about
this state OF affairs felt tina; he was serving the
best interests " the manufacturers. A mnss
meeting OF the Crspn lodges was held in 1870
and. after some discussion. committee OF five
was appointed to confer with u like number of
mttees met In the Board OF Trade rooms. After
two days discussion u list of prices was adopted
tees then exchanged congratulations, aud
speeches were made by manufacturers COM
mending the Crspn orcanlzaton. and plcdg-
ment made. Tho Crispins were jubllant over this
recognition. At the expiration Of the year an
other committee Of employers met with the Girls
pin committee. and congratulated them on the
success Of the agreement just ended. and
another scale OF prices was adopted and agreed
upon for another year. During these two yenrs
business prospercd and Lynn grew. Dstrust
began. however. to be rnHcndercd as enrly IA
the fall OF 1871 and burst forth In flame in the
strike. The records Of the Crlspin lodge show
where manufacturers cut under the established
prices III less thun three months after the agree
msnt. The Crispins say that, In attempting 10
adjust these difficulties. they received neither
SYMPATHY nor MD from employers: that they
could never get n meeting with any board Of
arbitration on the purt OF the employers, and
finally those manufacturers who had taken part
In making list of prices refused to bo con-
sidered us belonging to n board OF arbitration,
and ignored the Crispins and their compact.
On the other hand. 1t Is said that bitter and
vinulctivc feelings crcpt into the lodge room !.
but the Crispins. US an organization, adhered to
the established price list, and struggled 20 main
tain IL. About the middle Of June 1872. u cir
cuiar WAS sent to the manufacturers by the
Crspins stating that they were reudy to meet u
COMMITTEES To arrange list OF prices for the
ensuing year. To this communication no re-
ply was ever received In July some OF the
large firms intimated their intention OF reduce
ing the price Of setting edges onc-half cent a
edge setting machine. The workmen replied
that the machine did not facilitate their labor.
and invited the manufacturers to appoint u
committee and fix on u scale OF PRICES. The
manufacturers stated TINT they could and would
manage their own business IN the future.
Thereupon the Crlspins began holding mass
meetings. New members joined. and old ones
Hooked forward to pay their back dues. heso;
lutions declaring IN favor OF Il determined stand
were adopted. and finally. committees were ap-
pointed 10 wait ON the manufacturers to EN-
deavor 10 effect settlement. The manufac-
To- recognize the order. The Crispins then
held u meeting, and ordered men al factories
where IA cut had been made to finish up
their work and come out. In accordance with
these instructions 80 shops stopped work.
Those man uIucturers. VINO had not reduced the
wages OF the men. allowed work 10 10 on. The
manufacturers began to organize. anu openly
aNowed that they would crush the Crispin
Organization, and on the "a OF August they met
and adopted the " irOncIad, that Is IN force
to-day. 1t WAS printed. and So names were
appended. The, manufacturers held meeting
on Aug. =. Ia Music Hall. anu adopted reso-
luton Notifying TIE workmen that ON and alter
saturday Aug. ~. they would give no new
work TO amy person subject to The control OF an
organization claiming interference in contract
made between employer and employee. The
result was that more than 1000 workmen gave
W their situations rather than leave the Crispin
organization. The Crispins then held meeting
and adopted resolutions.
On Aug II the Crispin committee met. the
situation was discussed in all Its aspects. and
the result was determination to effect a recon-
Citation. A COMMITTEES was appointed. and tho
next Monday forenoon waited upon many oil
the leading manufacturers VINO had signed the
agreement OF Aug. ). ana made the following
proposition, upon the adoption OF which the
committee guaranteed that the men would re.
be not raised by the employers whether or moi
the men belonged 10 the Crispin Organization
when order should continue 10 exist ~ hereto
fore; and. secondly. that ths list oil prices Toe
abolished. and that each firm make Its own
contracts ami arrange lis own prices with Its
own workmcn. irrespective oil any other nrm
ANA without interference by the Crlspin organ
lHatlOn.
No notice of this action was taken by the
manufacturers. At u mass meeting al the Crls-
pins. neld the next forenoon. the failure 10 effect
as"ttement Was reported. and there WAS inuch
excitement. speeches were made. and resolu-
lions passed prdglng unwdNrriu. fidelity the
order. Manufacturers commenced work wItn
what help thry could get IN ly mn and elsewhere
some firms sent their stock Ia bs made up In
other places; other iirus set men 10 WORK under
what they called SPECIAL agreement which
Mas that though theb belonged 10 The Crispln
THIS TACT should nave nothing 10 do with any Oi
their relations 10 their employers The board
~ arbitration demonstrated against this. and
the MOrkDicn published "A card tnAt they were
not under fore. vi the manufacturers resolu-
lions, but st.ll rssarlrd themselves subject 70
Tie Is. q. =. C. For this action the men were
discharged. but subsequently, r-trat.d their
iorner statement anu were again put To work.
ID this ume tho board oi arbitration began
10 feel powerless. The treasury was eA-
haustrd 1000 members oI the order
wer- without employment. and mostly
without means OF LIVING. Manufacturers were
oierin. WORK NJ the highest prices To MI VINO
would renounce iuaity To the n. q. :. c. One
shop crew after another met. and voted that II
Was hopeless To mona out, and 10 go 10 WORK al
The best terms they could get. by the 24th OF
August the strike was virtually at an end. and
though lodge meetings were stu held by lew
tnc Crispln organization Tell entirely to pieces
About the beginning ui 1873. the last cnArteI
WAS surrendered 10 the International Lodge
Al the beginning OF 1875 with considerable en-
cVufaschrhi from manufacturers. the work
men again organized. under the name of the
shocinakrrs League. one OF the man features
beng board ul arbitration. They hardly mum.
bered 700 al the most Alter eleven months
strugSl" 10 exist. 1t dissolved Dee. I. 1915. ano
the members organized 10 Unity Lodge. Il. y
>. C., adopting the ritual OF the order, ana To-
ceIvin. the charter from the Grand Lodge
winch was surrendered IN 1873. the lodge nov
numbers about 5000 members. ana since It's or
kanlzlllon has sent delegates INTO Is towns unC
the above. II will be seen that the strike oI ls7.
Is almost u parallel case with the present dliii
Guilty.
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