Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-28
JARRETT'S VIEWS.
ATalk With the President of the
AmaIgamatsd Association.
DOING GOOD WORK IN THE LAST DAYS
OF His Term of 0fice-The Harmo-
NOUS Relations Between the Men
and Their Employers Like
Iy to Continue

L
President OF the Amalgamated Association
OF Iron and Steel Workers, arrived IN the
CITY Yesterday morning, and took up his
quarters at Dooner's Hotel. Shortly after
midday he paid visit to his friend, An
drew Lee, the Vice President Of the Assocl-
alton, at Rowland's Iron Works, kensing-
ton, and during the afternoon visited sew
eral other works, where he was heartily
greeted by the men.
When asked last night if he was fully re-
solved not to serve as President Of the AS
sociation after the annual meeting, to be
held in this city after August I, he said:
NV Term OfOhice Expires
then, and then should my reelection be
suggested | should certainly decline the
honor. Yes, my mind is fully made up on
that point.
Has this coming meeting any special sig
nificance as regarding the present relations
existing between capital and labor IN the
iron trade?
None whatever. The meeting is our an.
nual convention, and the business trans.
acted will he the revision OF laws, the read
ing of papers and essays on subjects OF IN
terest TO the trade, free discussion OF any
matter of import to the members that may
be brought forward, and the transaction OF
the ordinary routine business that IS a
part and portion OF the work OF all organl'
cations.
Are the relations at present existing be-
tween employers and employed in the iron
trade of mutually satisfactory and anil
cable nature?
They are, l am pleased to say, perfectly
our organization is
Locked Upon With Favor
by the employers. l must make an ex-
Ceptlon, however, in the case OF the East
eru Bessemer Steel manufacturers. They
appear to be in measure opposed to the
association, though why do not know,
unless it arises from a feeling on their
part that the men through the organlza-
ton are going to infringe largely upon
their rights. This idea of theirs, If indeed
it exists, is ! assure you wholly wrong
one. The association was established and
exists rather for the purpose OF elevatlng
the men morally socially and mentally.
1t seems to me that when very large
amounts OF capital are controlled and
operated by few men they are naturally
Opposed TO Labor organizations.
Yet, in the face OF such corporations, how
necessary they are to ensure the workers
fair day's s pay for fair days labor; for no
sooner do these large capitalists find that
the return they are getting for their capital
is hardly up to their expectations or de-
sires, than, without taking into considera-
| tion the fluctuations in the prices OF raw
| material or the condition of the markets
when their output finds sale, they at once
| order a wholesale cutting down of wages.
The falling off in profits must be made up
| at the expense of the producer. On our
| part we have no wish to impose any injus'
tice on the employer, and in return we not
unreasonably consider ourselves entitled to
| fair and Just treatment.
The Amicable Arrangement.
How were these amlcable conditions
| brought about?
Well, the Pittsburgh manufacturers,
when the notice given in May of reduc
| ton in the wages, scale was met by mott
| tiCation that if such action were taken q
| general strike would be inaugurated on
| June /, were, to certain extent, sensible
| that the men were in the right. Further,
they knew that stoppage OF the mills
would be injurious both 10 employers and
employed, and they very msnfully signed
our scale of prices. In those mills in
which our organization has firm footing
and has been given fai- chance by the
employers, We invariably find such EN-
| plOyerS in favor of organized labor.
Are the present satisfactory relations be
tween the man ufactuPers and their EN-
ployes likely to con tinue unbroken3
| Why, certainly; the agreement is for ont
year and that agreement will, OF course
Faithfully Carried out by Both Parties
What is the present condition OF thu
men under this present agreement?
Well, it remains unchanged. You se'
the scale remains as it was; no better, NJ
worse. The condition OF the working mar
in this country, while it compares favor
ably with that of their breathren in othe
lands is certainly what it ought to be
That matters will mend in this particular
hope and believe, because public opinion
in this country runs strongly in favor o
any measures having for their object th
amelioration Of the condition of the labor
ing classes. But this is a very hard ques
tion and altogether too broad in its issue
for you and | to discuss at this hour OF tn
evening.
Mr.. Jarrett,
with a genial smile rose and cordially shool
hands with his visitor. II am fond enough
of my bed TO 60 to ii as early as | find con
venient," said the leader among working
men, as he stepped into the elevator.
Mr.. Jarrett has lately visited Buffalo, Syr
acuse Rome, Troy, Cohees Jersey City,
Paterson and Oxford, n. j., and Bethlehem
He has been visiting the works and tn
lodges of the organization, addressing tn
men and fostering the association to tn
full extent OF his more than average abili
ty. He will remain in this city until tn
end of the week, continuing his work Q
building up and strengthening the organi
zation, Early next week he returns to hi
home in Pittskurgh, returning here to a,
tend the convention of August ..