Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-26


tive session, the senate took up the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bill.
Upon the provision increasing the salary of
the public printer to $1,000, discussion arose
as toa,the influence 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 asso-
citation, both as to the wages he paid and the
persons he employed, and asked
the chairman of the COMMITTEES
on printing what he knew on the subject
Mr. Anthony replied that there was too much
truth in the statement. The typographical as
ISOLATION assumed to fix the rate of compensa-
ton Of printers without consulting employers at
all d if any person not belonging to the as c.
citation were employed, the members of the asso-
citation would leave the office. This was a
tyranny which the craft would not submit TO, if
it was ordained by law, yet they imposed it up
on themselves for their own benefit.
Mr.. Beck was willing to vote for any law and
any amount of money TO emancipate the govern
ment from the control OF this tyrannical associ-
alton.
Mr.. Anthony said the senate had once passed
a resolution instructing the public printer to
employ his men for the best interests of the gov
eminent, and to pay the market rates as wages,
prevail OF the other house, and there was an ex-
isting law requiring the public printer to pay
about 20 per cent. more than was paid in private
offices in Washington for similar work
His sympathies were all with the interests of
labor, but he did not recognize the right of en-
ployes to fix the rates that should be paid for
their labor without consulting the employers,
or to fix higher rates for the government than
for other employers.
Mr.. Rollins asked if the association did not
also dictate who should be employed by the
public printer.
Mr.. Anthony said that if any person who did
not belong to the union was employed all the
members OF the union would leave the Office.
Mr.. Hale thought that the senators must be
startled at hearing that the great government
establishment, upon which millions were spent
annually, was elplessly in the hands of private
enterprises. He knew secret association,
which CONTROLS its management. If tyran-
ny existed which compelled the taking of all the
employees of the government printing Office from
one organization to the exclusion of
all other like working people in
the United States, there ought not to be another
dollar appropriated until the tyranny should
have been overthrown and the government print
ing Office opened to every person in the country,
skillful enough to do the work, whether he be-
longed to this association or not. He wished to
know whether the public printer submitted
willingly to this dictation or whether he pro-
tests against it.
MIR. Anthoay-What is the use of his pro-
testing when we have imposed upon him,
by law, rates of wages, which are
higher than those tlxed by tho association
Dir. Hale-But do we impose upon him the
necessity of being controlled by this association
as to men he employs?
Mr. AnthOny-We do not. But if he does not
obey the behest OF this association then the Of
fee stops.
Mr. Hale then clearly showed that it was the
way OF the government printer, at tho close OF
the present session congress, to begin deliberate
ly and Tuthlessly to weed out from that Office
every man who belongs to the union and sum
mon from the great cities of this country, where
they Will be found, other men who do not belong
to 1t, SO that IN an emergency, when congress
is sitting and the work must be done, ne Will not
be at the mercy Of this association.
Mr.. Anthony cOncurred in Mr.. Hale'S view.
Mr.. Plumb said the present public printre,
when he came in, found this typographical union
absolutely running the Office and had since
stated that he did not believe it could be run
without the consent of the union. He plumb
knew of man who obtained employment in the
government printing Office and who, being I'M
able to show certificate OF membership i'll this
union, was notified he could not continue to
work In the Office, and was soon discharge /.
The person who thus notified him was an officer
of the typographical union, and also an officer In
the government printing Office. The domi-
nation of the union extended even beyond
what had been stated. 1t dictated not merely
who should or should not be employed, but also
the distribution of work, giving some favOrite
a constant supply of Sat, while the ''lean''
went to others. Having been at one time a
printer he regarded them very meritorious
class of people and sympathized with them as
xl,O1
best possible price for their labor, but he could
not sympathize with men whose desire for work
was so strong they would not allow others to
work except upon their terms.
Mr. Voorhees, said from the talk in the senate
for the last honr it might be supposed printers
were very dangerous people. That was not his
view. He knew of no more conscientious,
painstaking, hard working class. 1t was adj
mitted that the printers in the government print
ing Office did their work well, and did not re-
ceIve too much pay. What, then, was their
fault? The senator from Kansas Plumb COM
planned that they were associated in order that
wages should not be reduced by somebody COM
ing in and working for less.
Mr. Plumb said what he complained of was
not that printers were associated
together and that they tried to keep
up wages, but that they would not let anybody
else work at all unless he would join their
union and subscribe to their rules.
MIR. Voorhees, said that there was the Wool
Growers association, the Iron and Steel Workers
association, and Liquor Dealers association, to
say nothing of the greatest and strongest of all
| the National Bank association-these great COM
binatiOns excited Nc reproech and no outcry,
but the senators were very much alarmed by this
typographical union, composed of printers who
worked at their cases day and night The print
ers did not brighten him. He had more fear OF
the National Bank association, which met annu-
ally at Saratoga in luxury and splendor, and
agreed on lines Of financial policies and came
ard dictated to congress as everybody knew.
Mr. Hawley said that printers, like any other
class of laborers, had perfect right to form an
association for their mutual benefit, to agree
upon the price they would ask for their labor
| and say they would not work for less, but they
had no right to say another, not member of
their association, should not work for less than
their price if he chose to do SO. The rights of
one such man against 1900 were just q.
good as theirs against him, and he ought to be
protected.
Mr. Conger did not understand that the print
ers belonging to the union had undertaken to
control OF dictate to the public printer any other
way than by saying if he employs persons who
are willing to work below certain rate of wages,
| they did not desire to be employed with such
persons. This the printers had perfect right
to do and their association was good for them
and the community at Large. Everybody knew
that if the public printing Office should be
closed for even one day, it would stop the action
of both houses of congress.