The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-20
A Bad Outlook.

In LABOR Circles Ill WCotCih O""J
yania, Eastern Ohio and Western
Virginia is not f1attering. For the
first time in two years. the iron man.
ufacturers of the states are stocking
goods. Though employment is offer
ed to all who seek it, yet there IS an
uncertain feeling prevalent regarding
the future that bodies no good. Yes
terday your correspondent interview
ed one of the most prominent iron
men in the United States with the
following result:
"The labor interests of the United
States were never organized as they
are to-day, Two years ago the
knights of Labor were comparatively
unknown in this section, while to-
day they number so 600. 1t is the
same with the Amalgamated Asso-
citation of Iron and Steel Workers.
Where a year and a-half ago they
aggregated $4,000 men. they now
number between $4,000 and 6O,OO0.
A strike to-day means a lockout IN
volving thousands of men. In the
iron and steel interests one feature
looms up prominently -Pittsburg has
been made the battle ground for the
whole United States. At the last
general meeting of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron and Steel Work
ers, held at Cleveland, 1t was decided
to base the wages of all iron and steel
workers of the United States upon
the rates prevailing in Pittsburg. BY
the same rule the basis should have
been settled in this city on May l,
but the national executive officers
of the association, approaching the
gravity of the situation, would not
decide the question, and it has been
referred back to the lodges of this
district, and the time continued I'M
til May %. What the outcome will
be no man can determine. Yet if the
Pittsburg mill men institute strike,
it will involve every mill in the coun-
try controlled by the Amalgamated
Association"
Jos. D. Weeks, secretary of the
Western Iron and Nail Association,
was spoken to on the situation. He
said: 81 consider the labor situation
exceedingly critical. I have been
watching strikes for years, and max
ing a record of them, but never be-
fore in the history of labor have there
been strikes of so much importance
as at the present time. The iron
workers of this district virtually con-
troll the iron interests of the country,
and if the demands already made are
followed by like demands from skilled
employees it will increase the cost
of production fully S per cent, At
Wheeling, w. Va, the increased cost
of manufacturing nails is estimated
at fifteen cents per keg."
Interviews with half score of
leading iron and steel men reveal the
fact that great danger is threatening.
The scale for Pittsburg district
which means virtually the scale for
the whole country-will have to be
settled in a few days. If the en-
ployesinsist on their present demands
a strike will inevitably follow. for the
capitalists and mill owners, to man,
will resist the demand. This state
ment is made after a careful canvass
of the whole field.
Outside of the iron and steel in
rerests the same trouble prevails. The
coal miners of Panhandle county to
the number of 5000 are out on a
strike, and the employers are i'm
porting Virginia negroes to fill their
mines. In the window-glass trade
there is more harmony existing. but.
nevertheless, noticeable uneasiness
is manifest. A report is prevalent
tonight that the miners strike is
broken, and that the iron workers of
this district have resolved not to in.
volve their craftsmen throughout the
country in unnecessary complica-
tions.
A delegate convention, represent
ing 5000 mill men, was held to-day
in this city, but nothing outside the
above could be obtained. Should the
present demands of iron-workers be
persisted in, it will increase the cost
of production five per cent. per ton