St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-14
MORE "CROAKERS"
Find Fault with the Manager OF the
minneapolis Cooper shop

minneapolis cooper SHOP
To the Editor of the Globe:
Referring your readers to the reply of
c. Nee. Reeve, secretary of the Hardwood
Manufacturing ald Storage company. 10 a
certain ''crOaker," it seems to me that Mr..
Reeve was dealt with very lightly by the
''croaker." / know of facts that present
Mr.. Reeves great kindness 10 his working
men in different light from that given by
him in his communication of March 9, and
it seems that justice and expediency both
demand that his conduct be fairly presented
to the public.
A cooper's child died. and laid unburied
for several days simply because the father
had not the means to bury it. The local
assembly heard of il and at once advanced
$50, which. by a vote. was to be replaced
by voluntary contributions. a COM
mittee in each shop was appointed.
The committeeman in Mr.. Reeves
establishment was forbidden TO take up any
subscription, although the circumstances of
the case were fully made known to the
clerk first, and afterwards TO Mr.. Reeve.
The manner in which the order was given
and the words by which the clerk and Mr..
Reeve expressed their meaning were. in
every respect. diSgraceful; but for the
present, they will be withheld, as l wish TO
nix attention on the facts of most general
and public Importance in this case. 1t is
necessary, and, if possible. highly eXpedient
TO teach certain men that patience may
give out and that forbearance sometimes
ceases TO be virtue.
About week after Mr.. Reeve had re-
fused in a most offensive manner to permit
his men TO takeup subscription in his own
shop, by one of his own wOrkmen. for the
benefit of an old and esteemed brother
workman. he sent the following note to us:
Secretary Knights OF Labor-Dear Sir: In
closed please find our check for $40, which
we desire you To apply TO the relief OF the
cooper who lost his child, and for whose as
sistance subscription is to be taken up in
each shop. We declined TO allow any paper
] TO be circulated among our men because we
believe the principle to be wrong, as many
men are induced TO su bscribe, not wishing 10
| be called penurious, when in reality they are
/ not able 10 spare even a pittance from their
own wages This determinationwe made
4 some two months ago. when q subscription
was raised for one of our own coopers, who
/ had been unfortunate. At that time a num-
( Der OF our men. while giving freely them
selves, protested against the custom of rails
ing money this way: Respectfully.
c. Nice. REEVE, Secretary
| Hall & Damn Barrel Company.
Minneapolis, March 3.
We returned the check without much DO
/ lite ceremony, informed Mr.. Reeve as TO
our ability and willingness to take care of
our sick brothers, and advised him to apply
/ that $40 towards an increase of wages.
What right has Mr. Reeve to constitute
! himself guardian of grown-up men who
are working by the piece. to the extent of
refusing them permission to do what they
wished TO do-give a ''pittance" TO their
suffering brother?
! Is it possible that he thinks his men have
fallen so low as TO be dependent upon him
for control in such purely personal cases?
If so he has done bad job of work for
himself in telling them so.
Does he not know that the insulting de-
mand made by certain great and many little
bosses. that they alone shall decide the
wages and the fate of their workmen, is
creating bad blood all over this country?
is he so utterly obliviOus to the signs of
the times that he can see no danger in such
a course? MANY OF Us.
Minneapolis, March Is.