Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-12-14
\ FAMINE IN TAILORS.
The scarcity of them in the Country
How They Work

How They Work
II demand for men is any indication
the most prosperous class OF workers in
flttsburg is made up of the men who
, WELD the goose and shears, known tt
. the public at large as talors. There is
an alarming scarcity OF these men in
Plttsburg, and the owners of the estab-
lishments devoted to clothing the male
blped look forward gloomily to the time
when the wOrkmen will demand a hall
interest or put down their tools. 1t was
not always thus. Time was when tai
lors We're plentiful, but now there are no
native born men in the trade and the
supply must come from across the
water. An American would rather
shovel smoke than ply the needle, so
the foreigner is left with free field, and
mems clothes in Pittsburg are made
principally by Germans and French
men.
The Tailors' Union is an example of
what banding together can do when
proper care is taken in handling the
combined force. Two years ago there
was strike of the tailors in Pittsburg,
and when it cleared away the shops
were divided into first, second and third
class, with different prices for each di-
vision. The first-class shops consist OF
the leading merchant tailoring houses,
some eight or ten in number; the sec
ond class has about twenty members,
who charge less for clothes than their
bigger rivals, and the third class en-
braces all who are outside of these, but
principally the little stores scattered in
the outlying Districts or half hidden in
the wayside hooks Of the city. The
union fixes the prices that each class
must pay; the employers have the right
to say which class tailor shall enter.
If first-class house has man they
must pay him first-class wages, but if
his work is not up to the standard they
can discharge him. One dismissal is
looked upon as an order to drop to the
class below and study good methods for
| little while longer, until the unsatis-
factory man has either improved or
pressure OF trade cOmpels the accept
ance of his work.
The wages made by first-class tailor
are far better than those of the average
clerk. The tailors are known as coat
makers, pants-makers and vest.makers.
The first named are the princes of the
craft and make the big money. In
first-class shop a coat-maker gets from
IS to $l2 for each coat. He will have a
girl at ~ week as an assistant. and
will clear from $25 to $35 a week. 1t
takes twelve hours day to do this, but
although they work in close rooms, get
no physical exercise, and never lose a
day unless they so desire, a tailor is al
ways man of many years. The man
| who makes the vest to 90 with the coat
mentioned gets 81. He, too, will have
| girl to aid him, and the two Of them
will make from $25 to $50 a week, of
which the man will take two-thirds.
The pants-maker gets 81 so a pair and
makes his money by employing girls,
one man frequently hiring three girls.
With their assistance he can bring his
wages up to level with the vest.
maker. In the second-class shop wages
fall 10 to 10 per cent below, the pay
being less and the men slower. In the
third-class shops the vests and pants
are made chiefly by women, and occa-
sionally woman coat-maker is found
in these shops. This, however, is rare,
as there are portions of the work that
few women can do, and on well-made
pants or vests a man is the better
worker when strength and skill are re-
quired. The ready-made clothing shops
with which the city bristles, get all
their stock from the East, and it is not
to be supposed that man who sells
complete suit for $S can afford to pay
very much for having it made.
There are two views held by men in
the trade on this question OF coming
famine in tailors. Said the owner of a
| first-class shop, when asked about it
"The tailors have the whip hand. If
the union says work they work, and il
it says quit they quit. Prices are higher
than ever before, but the trade 30 far
has justified the increase. Some day
the limit will be reached, and the only
thing that We can do then will be to
offer the men an interest in the business.
don't know whether that would salts
fy them or not. The trade is i'm the
hands of the foreign element entirely
| don't know one American in the 400
members Of the Pittsburg Union. Why
derstand. Surely there is money
enough in it. have two men working
for me, neither Of whom have lost
day for the past year, and they have
averaged $35 week. The sons of our
workingmen aren't taking up their
fathers trade, and some day the i'm :.
portation of tailors will cease Then
there will be famine in tailors and the
entire suit of clothes will be within the
reach of only the millionaires of the
country"
The other view was gathered from a
Liberty street merchant, who patrols the
sidewalk extolling the merits of his
wares day after day.
ga vamine in dailors? l don'd be-
liefe a wOrt-of-id. Mein erasmus, look
at dem fine, be-yu-tiful oyercoads, for
only tree tollars und fifty cends. Does
dot look like dailors dyin' oud? Gone
off NIT yourself"
First Party-"WheE does a man be-
come a seamstress? ?"
Second party-"When he hens and
haws"
First party-"No."
Second party-"When he threads his
way"
First party-"No."
Second party-"When he rips and
tears"
First party-"No."
Second party-"Give it up"
First party-"Never, if he can help
it,"
In WaShinCt tho u,orl iuumap ora