Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-05
WORKNEN's NIEWs.

WORKMEN : VIEWS.
A representative workman said yeSter-
day:
NO fair proposition has been made and
manufacturers do not fairly meet the issue
with us. In spite of their claim, the out
look for the manufacturers for the future
is by no means disCouraging. On the con-
trary the indiCa tons are that business will
be brisk, that the construction and extern
sion of railroads will keep pace with the
best year OF the past, whether such extern
sive additional construction be iudiciouS
or not, and that the general consumption
Of the products OF all the industries will be
quite equal to, if not greater than that OF
any former period in the history OF the
country"
How about the tariff feature"
will any proposed tariff reduction be
as great as the 10 per cent. they want to
take from US? If steel rails be left out of
the calculation. the average reduction Of
rates of duty under the new tariff will GER
tainly fall below per cent. There is no
sort of doubt that the proposition applies
20 the metal schedule. The manufactur-
ers, through their Committee of Confer
enCe, have asked the operatives to submit
TO reduction of their wages OF from 10 to
20 per cent. 1t is manifest that so large
reduction Of wages cannot be justified as
latiOn 10 this however, | could not do bet
ter than to read this extract;
"It is well known, however, that the
manufacturers, and notably Mr.. Oliver,
who represented them more particularly
by reason of his having been q member OF
the Tariff Commission. insisted upon the
passage Of the new tariff. 1t is equally GER
tain that the operators, and notably Mr..
Jarrett, the President OF the Amalgamated
Association of Iron and Steel Workers, OPP
posed the passage of this measure. II the
manufacturers are succeeding reasonably
well, and all the surface indications point
to that conclusion, it would seem to be in
accordance with the fitness of all the cir
CumstanCes of the situation that the scale
of wages should not be materially re-
duced'"
After the adjournment of the conference
committee Mr.. Jarrett said at the present
time the workingmen were passing the crl-
sis of the situation. He thought 1t best to
remain quiet for some days till the subject
had been properly considered. Work
men," he said, do not believe that strike
will take place
MANUFEATURERS' VIEWS.
Mr.. Joseph d. Weeks after the confer
ence, said 1--WE adjourned sine die with
ont taking any action, and thus the confer
turers this time are determined to stand to-
gether for the reduction. The workmen
will not accept it, and a strike will be the
natural consequence"
DO the manufacturers want shut
down during the summer months, and
have the adopted this plan to secure it,"
was asked.
mo. sir" wa, the emphatic response,
"but the manufacturers will lose nothing
by the mills shutting down.
One of the most prominent mauufactur.
ers in the city, who was present at the con-
ference OF employers and employees, yester-
day afternoon, said, last night, looking
| upon the situation as il now is, that it
seemed almost certain that the mills would
| be shut down the first of next month.
Would manufacturers agree to q com.
promise?" was asked.
"A compromise would be OF no benefit
| while there exists such a difference be-
tween the wages here and in the East
| The reduction proposed by the manufac-
turers would affect the wages of workmen
comparatively little, Puddlers would be
reduced about fifty cents per day. The
| question resolves itself into whether em-
! ployes will work for s. or s. per week
less than they are now getting, or refuse
| to work, remaining idle through the
| summer and getting nothing. The con-
GitiOn of trade will not admit of paying the
! present price. Iron is lowered, overpro-
duction will keep it down. To-day manu-
fscturers in this city are selling and losing
money. Tney do this as any business man
does, with the hope that trade in the flu
| ture will improve, and what is lost now
| will be gotten back. If works are stopped
and men sell out their mills they cannot
get their value, and consequently will lose
more money than if they continue doing
business at no profit or slight loss"
After all this. talk, the interested public
will anxiously await developments. No
time had been set for future conferences,
and every thing is now in the dark.