National Republican., 1883-08-16
THE IRON AND STEEL MEN.

DissatisfaCtion with the Failure OF the
Bethlehem strike-The Association Said
to he Disintegrating.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15,-At the morning
session of the Amalgamated Iron and Steel
Workers convention the report of the COM
mittee on constitution and general laws was
again taken up for discussion and not fin
ished up to the hour of adjournment. res
olution was passed fixing oct of each year
a. the date the terms of the aannual OIL
GERS will expire hereafter. A resolution was
also brought up, but not definitely disposed OF
yet, that the annual conventions shall be held
hereafter in the city of Pittsburg In pur-
suance of an invitation from Senator Blair to
send representatives of tho association TO
appear before the senate subcommittee on
labor and education, the officers of the associa-
ton, John Jarrett, William Martin, and
James Penny, were appointed q committee to
80 TO Washington after the convention adj
journs. The committee has power to select
fourth member, which will probably be Trus-
tee William Wciho.
The resolution to odscont tnuo the payment of
strike benefits hereafter has not come up for
action, but it will not be indorscd literally.
The payment of benefits will be curtailed
without doubt, but not entirely discontinued.
The convention will adjourn, it is expected,
ut noon tomorrow.
ishinE up the reports of the committees The
resolution reported by tho committee on con-
stituiion and general laws, to the effect that
the payment of strike bonciits be hereafter
discontinued, was not COncurrGd in.
The committee having under consideration
President Jarrett's report did not favor the
plank advocating u federation of the trades.
and emphasized this to the following effect;
Resolved, Tint we do not frdolate with the or
ganizauon known us the Federation of Organized
Trades and Labor Unions. Holding as we do OPP
posile views the protective tariff policies of our
government, IL could not rebound to our benefit to
nave any such connection.
The resolution was promptly ratified and
also the following based upon the presidents
views on the tariff:
Resoipcd That Ull producers and manufacturers
should bear alike equal burdens OF taxation, and
foreign producers and manufacturers should not
be exempted lhcrelrom. Our tariff should at all
times be so adjusted rs to at least lax them the
manufacturers for the support of local, state,
and national government, as well us TO the
amount Of difference III the wages OF labor
and the cost Of manufacturing, and the ruling
rate Of interest in this country 50 that capital
and labor nves.ad in III rcProduci,e industries
OF THE land snail DO placed upon an equal footing
in our own home market with foreign capital aud
labor, and not discriminnted against By national
legislation. Our government has neither moral
nor political right to discriminate Ugainst home
capital and labor In its tariff LEGISLATION, and
against 9m,y such policy we are unnlterably ,Op.
posed. We therefore favor u tariff so adjusted as
10 give our people, VINO pay the taxes and supnOrt
the government, an adequate protection against
foreign competition, ana place them ut least on
All equal io1ling with foreign competitors in our
home markets.
We also favor the abolition of internal revenue
taxation, and it, after II is abolished further re-
ductton of taxes by the government be desired at
any time, 1t shall be done by placing In the free
list such articles do not enter into competition
with home productions and manufactures, but in
no should the tariff on such articles as do not
enter into competition with them, be placed at
lower duties than shall be required to maintain
aud keen them on equal footing with foreign
competition,
When the regular business of the conven-
tion was concluded, over two hours were oc-
cupied in discussing the situation at the
Bethlehem iron works. where the 5000 men
who have been out for the past six weeks,
owing to the action of the company, returned
to work to-day, first renouncing their connec-
tion with the Amalgamatod association. Their
action was very vigorously condemned, and
the general tono of the criticism and general
remarks made indicate that their action is o
severe blow to the association.
1t is said on good authority that John
Jarretts refusal to remain longer at the
helm in the capacity of president was in
fluenced mainly by the clouds that have boon
gathering about the Amalgamated brother
hood lately and which make the future an
uncertainty. 1t hus been decided hereafter
to hold all conventions in the city of Pitts.
burg where the general office is located and
where the interests Of the association are at
stake.
At the morning session tomorrow the an
nual officers will be elected TO take their
seats on Oct. !, and the convention will ad-
journ finally at noon.