New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-16
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES UNITED.

| EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES UNITED
| A CHANGE WROUGHT BY A SIMPLE CARD--IEsrI-
MoNY OF wORKMEN CONVERTED BY PLAIN AR
GUMENTs CALMLY PRESENTED AND CONsID-
ERED-JAMEs LYALLs WORK IN THE CAUSE.
| short time ago, James Lyall, of the firm of j.
| and w. Lyall, extensively engaged IN manufac-
| lures, had printed a number OF large placards
bearing quotations from the Republican and Demo-
cratic party platforms regarding the tariff question:
and table of the wages paid to employees IN the
manufactures of textile fabrics in Great Britain
These cards Mr.. Lyall distributed throughout the
manufactures in which he was interested. The
wOrkmen read them, contrasted the wretched
wages paid in Europe with the wages paid i'll
America at present, and began to discuss the mat
| ter among themselves. This discussion naturally
led to the perusal of the different party
platforms and documents, and consequent better
understanding Of tae parties themselves and as
result not few of the workmen who had already
made up their minds to vote for General Hancock
wheeled around and proclaimed their intention of
supporting General Garfield. Observing the success
OF his work. Mr. Lyal had large number of dupli-
Gates of his cards printed, which be sent to promi
nent manufacturers of textile fabrics here and in
other cities. The cards posted in numerous
factories and universally occasOned comment, dis
cussion and a final better understanding OF the
ditIon of affairs in the minds of those most inter-
ested Letters were sent To Mr.. Lyall from numer-
Gus firms thanking him for the cards sent, and tell
ing him of the good tnat was accomplished through
them Many of the writers desired more Of the cards,
and manufacturers in several other lines of business
after seeing them had cards printed which were
similar to those of Mr. Lyalps, except in the table
of wages another table being substituted showing
the wages paid In that particular branch of manu-
featuring to which the mills were devoted in which
the cards were to be hung.
A TRIBUNE reporter called upon Mr. Lya on
Wednesday at his loom factory, Nos. $40 TO 546
West Twenty -thiri-st. Mr.. Lyall had just been
reading the news from Ohio and Indiana, and was
in most cheerful state of mind.
81 tell you. Pye had load taken from my mind
to-day" he said &C the very beginning OF the con-
yersaton. Il felt rather anxious last night. A
great deal depends upon the elections this year
in our business. Hancock's election would either
ruin outright or materially embarrass every manu-
facturer of textile fabrics in America, even though
the tariff, as t now is. might not be interfered
WITH
q" But what difference would it make to you
long as the tariff is not disturbed ~
Every difference in the world. Knowing that
the Democrats had embodied the old Confederate
idea of tariff for revenue only" into their plat
/
ideas in the Solid Sonth, we would be in a state Of
continual unea,ness for fear the Democrats might
make changes in the tariff That would unsettle
our business, and we would hesitate abouJ manu-
featuring any stock ahead. Those who buy from
us would buy no more stock than enough to cOvor
the immediate demand and thus the whole bus-
ness would fall INTO a comparative condition OF
staci alton. We woud no longer be able to run our
mills Mt their full capacity, lest change in the
tariff being made. We would have a stock left our
hands that could only be disposed of at a
great loss In any change in the
tariff were made, a great many OF the textile manu-
facturers would have TO 20 to the wall American
manufacturers cannot compete with European
manufacturers and pay such wages we do now,
Ii is simply out nj the question ao present, and
wages would be the first thing affected"
You are largely engaged in manufacturing, l
believe ~
"Yes. We manufacture looms in this establish
ment own the Brighton Mills across the street Nos
527 to 5l1 incus,ye) and also interested ia the
Chelsea Jnte Mills ut Thirteenth-ave. and West
Twenty-ifth-st."
How many hands do you employ n
About thousand, l think, in the three fac
toriesD
81 learn that you have been taking an active in
terest in politics this year, Mr. Lyail, and have
been taking care that your employees might be IN
formed regarding certain issues 0 the campaign
which they are deeply Interested"
That Is a fact have been working both on my
own account and on account of the men. fully
appreciate the fact that every vote counts aud
want my men to appreciate it. We are ali OF Us
employers aud employees. interested in whatever
will tend to oir mutual prosperity and the men un-
derstand that, | think"
You have prepared cards, believe, which are
hung through your mills, presenting che tariff qaes-
ion TO the consideration OF your employees r.
Yes and am glad 10 say that those cards are
having the effect hoped they might have As soon
as they were put up the wOrkmen read them. and
then, OF course, discussed them among themselves
Some OF the men. who already Republicans
found these cards a strong weapon tor them i'll
arguing with their Democratic companions. Those
VINO were Democrats really had never understood just
how much their wages involved IN this question
the tariff but when it presented TO them IN such
PLAIN manner, not few OF them who had forincrly
expressed their Intention of voting for General Han
J cock came forward aud declared that they would
vote for General Garfield aud continuance OK pros
neritv And these converted Democrats mean bus-
| ness in coming over; they arc very thoroughly in
earnest when they say they are going to work
for the Republican ticket. Why
who had always bsen QUO of the strongest
Democratic in our employ came to me last Monday
to ask If no might noo organize q company OF our
men to take pant in tho Republican procession 10
b, held that evening Although the tliao Tor prep
araton was short, nearly hundred of our men
marched ia the procession. and OF that number ut