The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-26

demands 1t tells tho heater and roller that
they would get along better in an organ
ization by themselves II won't work, and
the iron or steel worker who advocates il
either In the press, in the mill or on the
street Is only advocating his own downfall,
rs well rs that OF an organization that alone
can get and maintain for him good living
wages. Nothing short OF the Amalsauatcd
Association will ever benefit the iron and
steel workers, and knowing this, every
member can bc relied upon TO DO his duty
in thwarting all secret designs laid for its
annihilation." III.
The SitNntiou mt Chicago.
CHcAGo, May a5.-A reporter, meeting
n local manufacturer, asked him II be
thought the men in this district would ask
for additional wages, and, II so, what effect
it would have. j lt "a!
"I have no idea," said he, "whether tho
men intend 10 demand MI increase, but il
they do l do not think tho manufacturers
will give it, for the simple reason that they
cannot afford It. 1twould be better to shut
down. There is no demand for iron or
nails, and stocks arc large, and in my
opinion 1t costs more to-day to produce
iron in this market than it is sold
for. II the men ask for an increase
now it is my impression that good
many of the works will stop. This is 4
good time to do it, as the manufacturers
have money enough to pay their, debts,
and It would be better to shut up than run
on and become embarrassed from week to
week by putting paper atloat. While we
don't want an excuse for closing up,
think that course would be pursued by
many at least, il the men demand IN In
crease as the trade is Mt present." 4, 5rs
Mr.. Q. ". Potter Superintendent OF the
Nortl, Chicago Rolling Mills, said that he
was free TO confess that the outlook was
not very favorable; strikes appeared TO be
going the rounds OF all the trades this year,
though there was no apparent reason why.
As TO Chicago, neitEcy the men nor the
employees were prepared for any lockout,
The Nortf, Chicago Mills had 1900 men
idle in the iron department, and the trade
was uniformly dull throughout the coun-
try. The men knew, or could know il they
wished, that the manufacturers had Jared
very badly the past three months, and un-
der all existing circumstances more in
opportunc time for strike could scarcely
be chosen.
The Trades Union and the Immigrants.
New YoRx, May 25-The trades union
people lave to confront Il delicate, il not
difficult, problem in The ;mnaense and uu-
intermittent additions to the supply OF
skilled labor which Europe is now sending
10 us through Castle Garden. Nearly
every Imaginable trade aud handicrait has
its representatives among these new
comcrs, and, what is more, they are men
who, US a rule, are thorough masters OF
their trade, whatever it may be, hnying
served loug apprenticcships to it ut home,
the periods thereof extending from five
to seven years. At Il tune when
n series OF strikes TOR higher
wages is In progresS at very nearly
all our great manufacturing and business
centres, this extraordinary accretion OF Ger
mau, Scandinavian. Italian and British
skilled workmen cannot but exercise ere
long, Il it does not already, a Communicating
influence upon the industrial situation.
The comparatively Insignificant wages for
Whlch This vast army OF mechanics and ar
tisaus have been accustomed to toll in their
own country make even the lowest wages
here, against which our work people are
striking, very. attractive, and it will he no
easy nastcf, therefore, to persuade them to
resist that attraction, in order simply to
promote strike. THUS fur the Labor Bu-
reau has managed to distribute them pref
y well all over the country SO that
tie pressure at particular points is not
felt, but it is believed that tho time is
coming when they will be concentrated
in the cities, and become, rs it
were, more compact power than 1T pres
ent This is the contingency the leading
men OF the trades societies are anticipat-
ing, and they arc preparing accordingly to
deal with it. The first step is to secure the
sympathies OF the newcomers, and with
that view Gn cndeavor will be made to
reach them through the me,lium OK cireu.
lars printed i'll the various languages, up.
pealing to them, as matter OF soli-interest,
to make common cause with the working
men OF their adopted country, and thus
secure the rights" which were denied
them under the tax.rilden, monopoly Gov
crumeuts OF Europe, from whose opprcs-
sions they have fled. This work, it is un-
derstood, will be entered upon ut once,
and, MS . necessary preliminary, commit
tees familiar with the different languages
will be placed in communication with Cas-
tic Garden, TO bring the newcomers rs
much rs possible into friendly com,nuni-
cation with their fellow-craitsmen OF the
Unions in whatever part OF the country
they may locate. ..5
The Situation at ~. La,,Iy,