The daily gazette., 1882-10-12
~u ~s------
REDUCTION OF WAGES.
Republican Manufacturers Failing to Fu
fill the Promises Of the Last Campaign.

Republican Manufacturers Failing to Full
fill the Promises of the Last Campaign.
tReadlng, Pa, Herald.]
The uppermost topic among the working
men of this city continues to be the sweep
ing reduction of wages by the Reading Iron
Company. While there is no talk of resist
ance, vet there is a good deal of dissatis-
faction, and among workingmen who have
not been affected by the reduction there is
a feeling of uneasiness lest this should be
followed by general reduction all along
the line. This feeling is increased by the
lately announced reduction of the force at
the P. a. X. shops. The reduction of wages
by the Reading iron works has been quite
extensive, ranging from 25 to so cents a day
upon the various classes Of labor, and
making quite msterial difference In each
mans income. A few weeks ago a private
and confidential circular was issued, giving
a table of the reduction at length. 1t was
signed by Wolf, the superintendent, and
pretended to give the reasons for the reduc-
ton of wages. As the public Is very much
interested In these reasons, they are herewith
given. They were evidently written by
some one having a meagre knowledge of the
English language, but 1t can be gathered
from them that the reduction of expense
was to enable the company TO buy a
"pusher." The following is literal copy:
This has to be done In order to secure the
company some benetit for outlay and expenses
on Pusher, hoping that you will continue on II
you decide in working on this basis please in
form us of the fact by tomorrow morning, Sep
tember IL, 1882.
Per order Reading Iron Works,
[Signedl EDWARD d. WOLF, Supt.
The men who are acquainted with this
reason think it rather curious that they
should be indirectly taxed to pay for the
expense of operating a pusher, and have
strong lopes that the company will coon
voluntarily restore wages to the old basis.
The workingmen are aversc to say any
thing for publication In relation to their
| grievances, fearing that such course would
embroil them with their employers and do
| them harm instead of good, but one of
| them, whose name carries a good deal of
influence with it, said to Herald reporter,
| yesterday, that it was very evident to him
that in spite of all the talk about the tariff
and the taffy which was given to the work
| ingman from every political platform, the
tendency was steadily towards lower wages
He said the workingmen are told every
campaign that they have only to vote fol
such and such candidate and elect him, and
everything will be lovely. Their experience
has generally been, that as soon as the can
didate is elected he joins in, hand and glove
with the worst enemies of the worlIingman' 5
and the latter finds decrease in his wages
instead of the promised increase. He sale
the iron men promised to be greatly in favo
of tariff to protect the workingman, bu
he believed there was scheme ON hand h
gradually cheaper labor, so that the manu-
facturers would no longer fear free trade, O
need protection, but could successfully com
pete with foreigners when their own labo
was as cheap as that of Europe. He sait
his theory might be far from the truth, bu
it was hard otherwise to account for tn
difference between the preaching and tn
practice of the meH who get up tariff boom
in every political campaign.