Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-12
INEVITABLE,
So seems the Impending Summer
Lockout.
Workmen Firm and Give Solid Reasons
The East and Wsst-Views of
Owners Concerning Nom
Union Workmen.

Mill men and members OF the Amalga
mated Association have held out the hope
that manufacturers would make a conces-
sion and a summer lockout be avoided, but
at the same time they have quietly prepared
for that event. 1t now seems inevitable.
Both sides are solid, both are a unit and
both seem equally firm in their respective
positions. The telegraph brought the in
formation for yesterdays REGISTER that
special meeting of the iron men had been
held at Pittsburgh, and the papers OF tn at
city furnish additional particulars. At
that meeting they unanimously approved
the work OF the conference COM
nittee, and more strongly than at
any time this year expressed their
determined to reduce wages. Should the
workmen continue to insist upon the
maintenance of the present scale a shut
down would be inevitable. Prominent
manufacturers have expressed a willing
ness to consider propositions from the
workingmen, which, while they must be
propositions for a scale lower than the
present one, will be- it is believed, favora-
bly, considered if they are not as low as
the one asked by the manufacturers. The
meeting yesterday was the second that has
been held by the manufacturers since the
recent meeting OF the conference commit
tee. Mill owners convened at the same
place on the afternoon OF Saturday last,
and then considered the same question
that Of wages.
WAGES EAST AND WEST.
One of the most prominent of manufac-
IN Irry . 10 al N atiOn lqSf
ing said it was not just that the present
scale OF wages should be maintained when
wages of workmen were lower and were
reduced east and west of here. 1--WE can't
compete in business when that is against
u.s." said he. mill owners in the West,
by paying lower wages, can undersell US.
They have rates in their favor and We have
fuel that is to our advantage. Those two
| counterbalance. 1t is the lower wages that
aids them. We are finding considerable
| competition in the West now where few
| years ago there was comparatively none"
eff the Union mills shut down will the
non-union mills continue" was asked.
! Most certainly they will. They pros
| rered last year. There are seventeen mills
! OF that character, where but a short time
| since there were not more than three or
! five. fla shut down occurs this time that
! question of union and non union will en-.
! ter the struggle. 1t has bothered US before
/ and we have succumbed. 1t now becomes
! question as to who is boss, the man who
! owns the mill or the apprentice boy Just
! entered to work. Many manufacturers have
! been wanting TO settle this question before
/ now. They have insisted upon showing
members of the union that they intended
! to dictate who shall and who shall not work
| for them. But conservative men have said
wait, we'll see if all will not turn our
! right They now are becoming aroused
| and are coming over TO the class OF manu-
/ faCturers who propose to run their bust.
| ness with whOmsoever they may choose.
THE MANUFACTURERS NEPHEW.
"Not long since a manufacturer put his
! nephew in a mill and the union men left.
! That manufacturer refer to had to with
! draw his nephew before the men would re.
! turn to work. II the union insists upon
! forcing us to close our mills on June its
members must look out for the conse-
! guences. Manufacturers will I'LL their
! mills with men who are not in the union.
! Mills in the West are refusing to take
| union men, and men are leaving their as
! ISOLATION and are going to work. II shut
/ down comes June l, about eight thousand
! union men will be thrown out OF work
| BY their action they will compel about
/ forty five thousand more men who do the
work of skilled wOrkmen, to leave also.
/ Thus the union men, because they are dis
satisfied, bring trouble upon men who are
willing to work. Manufacturers appreCi-
ate some of the benefits of union, but
! they cannot stand longer these actions
which necessitate the closing OF mills, and
which cause men to lose their business"
AwHEELING NAILER's VIEWS.
| Yesterday a prominent mailer was &C
! cOsted by REGISTER reporter who wished
to know the gentlenan's views of the re-
duction proposed by the manufacturers.
He replied: Zone thing is certain: the
manufacturers will never win if they close
down and try to compel the workmen to
aCcede TO the reduction. In the first place
there is really no cause for reduction.
DO you, or any sane person, think it right
for the manufacturers to go TO work
and cut rates and underSell each
other, and then demanded OF
the wOrkmen a reduction in wages so that
they. the manufacturers, will not be the
losers by their trying to hog The trade. but
the poor laboring man who. when they
have worked full year, have not seved
over 800 and majority of them not even
that. Now the manu- facturers will tell
you, "0h, the men make big wages but
spend it recklessly" They do not stop
and think how much money they spend
for fine suppers, carriages, etc. You take
them rs class and then view the work
men as class and you will see very
clearly which party is the ones to spend
their money rE'kECcSly You can say, and say
il safely that the snow will be over a foot
deep in this city before the workingmen
will sign the reduction preposel by the
manufacturers. Now the manufacturers
say the eastern mills are not paying IS Dig
salaries a. they are in this vicinity. can
recolleCt distinctly. AMI know the nailorS
we'll that was sent by the manufactures to
a CO: ference meeting at Pittsburgh Is years
ago, the manufacturers paying all his eS.
penseS, for the TurEose OF voting and
using his voice against proposed reduG-
ton of wages in this vicinity for this
reason that they know that any reduction
made here would not benefit the manutac-
turerS in this vicinity one iOta, as the East
ern men would bring their wages down TO
corresponding price. The nallerS in this
vicinity 10 receive larger wages than they
do in the East. But why? Simply be
cause the Eastern mailer does not have ever
one half the work to do that a mailer in this
section does That is II, and nothing else.
| could cite you TO hume rouS illustrations
of a similar nature, which goes TO show the
intentions OF the manufacturers, but have
not the time at present to do it. Ii they
reply to this article. call on me and l will
reply, citing cases tsat have taken place in
this vicinity"
THE new and elegant Brunswick" will
be open 10 the public to-day. Call and see
this handsome place of Enters, at 1877
Market street.
Every thirtieth bat given away at Geo.
J. Mathison's. 1922 Market street.
GISEIL DUE CREDIT.