The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-26
FORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS.
The Senate Discusses the TypOgraph-
zeal Union, Without Result.
The House Considers Various Subjects-The
River and Harbor Bill to Be Dis
cussed To-Day.
THE SENATE.
A Fruitless Discussion on the Typograph-
ical Association.

ecutve and judicial appropriation bill.
Upon the provision increasing tho salary of
the Public Printer to $1,000, discussion arose
as 10 the infiusnoe OF the printers union upon
the management of the government printing
office.
Mr.. Beck said he understood the Public Printer
was at the mercy OF some outside association,
both as to the wages he paid and the persons he
employed, and asked the chairman of the COM
mittee on printing what he knew about it.
Mr.. Anthony replied that there was too much
truth in the statement. The typographical
sociation assumed to fix the rates of composition
OF printers without consulting employers at all,
and il any person not belonging to the assOcia-
ton were employed the members of the associa-
ton wonld leave the office. This is tyranny
which the craft would not submit to were It or
daiued by law, yet they imposed it on them
selves for their own benefit
MIR. Beck was willing TO vote for any law and
any amount of money TO emancipate the govern
ment from the control of this or any other asso-
citation.
Mr.. Anthony said the Senate had once passed
a resolution instructng the Public Printer TO
employ his men for the best interests of the gov
eminent, and TO pay the market rates of wages,
but the resolution had not met the approval of
the other h0nse, and there existing law
requiring the Public Printer to pay abnut 20 per
cent more than was Maid in private offices in
Washington for similar work. His sympathies
were all with the interests of labor. bat he did
rates that should be paid for their labor without
consulting their employers. or to fix higher rates
for the government than for other employers
Mr.. Rollins asked whether the association did
NOT also dictate who should be employed by the
Public Printer.
Mr. Anthony said if any person not belonging
TO the union was employed all members OF the
union would leave the office.
Mr., Hale thought senators must he startled at
hearing that great governmental establish
ment upon which millions were spent annually
was helplessyin the hands of a private and, for
ha haAx aTatN D. sa1...
trolled Its management and mnn0polized its em-
ployment. II tyranny existed which com
PEELED the taking of all employees of the Govern
ment Printing Office from one organization 10
the exclusion of all other like working people in
the united States, there ought not to be another
dollar appropriated until that tyranny should
have been oVerthrOwn. The Government Print
ing Office was omen to every person IN the conn
try sklful enough to do the work, whether he
belonged to this association not. He wished
to know whether the Public Printer submitted
willingly to this dictation, or whether he pro-
tested against it.
Mr.. Anthony--What is the use of his protest
ing, when we have imposed upon him by law
rates OF wages which are higher than those fixed
by the association.
Mr.. Hae-But do we impose upon him the
necessity of being controlled by this association
as to the men he employee
Mr.. Anthony-We do not; bnt IL he does not
obey the behests of this association, then the
office stops.
Mr.. Haie-Then clearly the Government Prin-
ter, at the close OF the present session of Con-
gress, ought to begin ruthlessy TO weed out from
and summon from the great cities of this country,
where they will be found, other men who do nor
belong to II, so that in an emergency, when Con
gress i5 sitting and the work must be done, he
will not be at the mercy of this association.
Mr.. Anthony coucurred in Mr.. Hales views.
Mr.. Plumb said that the present Public Printer,
when he came In, found this Typographical
Union absolutely drumming" the office, and had
since stated that he did not believe it could be
run without the consent of the union. He NIr.
Plnmh) knew of man who obtained employ
ment in the Government Printing Office ana who,
being unable to show certificateor membership
In the union, was notified that he could not con-
time work in the office, and was soon after
discharged. The person who thus notified him
officer of the Typographical Union, and
also an officer of the Government Printing Office.
The domination of the union extended even
beyond what had been stated. 1t dictated not
merely who should OF should not be employed,
but also the distribution of work, giving
some favorites constant supply of Stat" while
the clean" went to others Having been at
time a printer, he regarded them a very meri-
torious class of people, and sympathized with
and get the best possible price for their labor
hut he could not sympathize with men whose de-
sire for work strong they would not allow
others TO work except upon their terms.
| Mr.. Voorhees, said thar, from the talk in the
Senate for the last half hour, it might be sup
posed printers were very dangerous people. That
was not his view. lie knew of no more colsci-
entous. paiDstaking, hard working class. 1t was
s 5hs Ge n Ss1 aDS 6 e0
receive too much pay. What, then, was their
FAULT The senator from Kansas (Nr. Plumb
in order that their wages should not be reduced
by somebody coming in and working for less.
Mr. Plumb said that what he complained OF was
not that these printers were associated together,
or that they tried to keep up wages, but that
they would .4ot let anybody else work at all lln-
less he wouid join their union and subscribe to
its rules.
Mr. Voorhees, said there were the Woodrow
ers' Association, the Iron and Steel Workers
ASSOCIATION and the LiquOr-Deaers' Association
Co say nothing of the grea test and strongest of
all the National Bank Association. These great
combinations excited no reproach and no out
cry, but Senators were very much alarmed by
the Typographical Union, composed of printers
who worked at their cases day and night. The
printers did not frighen him. He had more
fear of the National Bank Association, which
met annually at Saratoga in luxury and SPLEEN
DOR and agreed upon lines of financial policy
and came and dictated to Congress, as every
body knew.
MIR. Hawley said printers, like any other class
of laborers, had perfect right to form
citation for their mutual benefit, TO agree upon
tho price they would ask Tor their labor, and
say that they would not work for less, but they
had no right to say that another man, not a
member of their association, should not WORK
for less than their price, II he chose to do so.
The right of one such man against two thousand
was just as good as theirs against him, and he
ought to be protected In II,
Mr. Conger did not understand mat the print
ers belonging to the union had undertaken TO
control dictate to the Public Printer in any
other way than by saying that II he employs
persons who are wiling Ing TO work DIX below below Ger
employed with such persons. This the printers
had perfect right to do, and their association
was good for themselves and the country at
large Everybody knows that If the Public
Printn g Office should be closed for even one
day, it would stop the action OF both houses Of
Congress.
The committee amendment was agreed to.
The committee having recommended the APP
preparation of $4,000 for the employment OF
additional temporary clerks, 'for the sole pur-
pose of dsposng of accumulated work in the
General Land Office" Mr.. Edmunds moved to
amend the paragraph so as To require these
clerks to be employed under the provisions of
tho civil-servce act. Agreed to.
Mr.. sherman, from the joint COMMITTEE on the
library, offered the provisions which the Senate
adopted last session for the ROchamDeau papers,
and records and briefs belonging to the estate of
the late Senator Carpenter. Agreed to-
The bill was reported to the Senate and the
aInnndments made In cnmmittea of the whnla