Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-10
LABOR QUESTIONS.
The Late improvements In Machine
~ and Skilled W0rkmen.
PoWDERLps VIEWS ON FEDERATION
No Probability That the Proposed Grand
Union of All the Trades 0rgani-
cations viii Be Made in the
Near Future.

PITTsBURGH, July 9.-Secreiary Layton,
in speaking Of trades organizations in the
strict sense of the word, said that with but
few exceptions the introduction of ma
chinery had almost entirely wiped out the
skilled mechanic. as he was formerly
known. For instance" said he, take
the shoemaker. Formerly, to be thorough
mechanic, required from three to five years
apprenticeship. Now there are no less
than sixty-two distinct departments in
shoemaking, as carried on in the factories
of to-day. The operatives go in and learn
to run one machine and get no farther.
Figure it out and you will find that on an
average new hand in the shoe business
can learn all that is necessary for him to
know in about fifteen -hrvs- Ths- -ns-nsn-
ters trade is another illustration. What
formerly required three years to learn is
now done in planning mills, sash, door,
blind and moulding factories and 1t don't
take boy long TO learn to run a machine.
The Machinist's Trade
comes in about the SAME category. Even
the painters use machine for grainipS,
which was formerly one OF the most diff
cult parts Of the business TO acquire. The
glass blowers and merchant tailors have re-
tanned their distinctive characteristics in
this respect. A good deal has been sald
about the difficulties in the way OF learn.
ing pudding. This is more the result OF
the exclusiyeness of that class of workmen
in keeping out apprentices than N the ac-
tual amount of time and application re-
quired in learning the business. This has
s,1-s
helpers and making full-hedged puddlers
out of them in a very sh ,rt time.
The Rollers
REQUIRE high degree OF mechanical skill
and intelligence, but they have no cause 10
complain, as they are the highest paid
craftsmen that We have. So you can see
that when it comes To talk about strictly
trades organizations taking in hand the
emancipation of labor they are in hope.
less minority"
Another prominent Knight OF Labor said
that the order was giving TOO much atten-
ton to the question Of wages, and not
enough to the education OF the masses on
the vital issues upon which they could in
telligenTly cope with the capitalists and
his WHY servant, the politician. The gen.
tleman referred to the convict LABOR ques.
ton. He said that it had been abolished
in Illinois some years ago, but the
Shrewd Capitalists
pulled the wool over the workingmen's
eyes by pointing out large deficits in the
prison revenues and the amounts that had
to be made up by taxation on the working
classes. The gentleman stated that the
scheme was success and the contract sys-
tenn was again brought into effect. Had
the masses been properly educated they
would have known that they could afford
to keep convict labor out of competition,
pay the cost of keeping the prisoners and
be big money ahead at the same time by
getting a proper return for their own
labor. These and other issues were being
lost sight OF. lie regretted it, but it was a
fact nevertheless.