The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-13
TO THE PUBLIC.

Commencing Monday. April 9Th the
rate for composition in the ARGUS office
was increased from 90 to 80 cents per
thousand ems Although this announce
ment may not be Of interest to the gen
eral public, we make it in reply to numer-
Gus inquiries, and it is also duty which
we owe ourselves. as the following facts
will show:
Last year after the ARGUS was appoint,
ed the official paper of the city, the
Twin-City Typographical union sent
in a remonstrance to the council vii
hfying the ARGUS, and asking that body
to give the municipal patronage to the
other papers instead. This petition was
promptly laid on the table, as were simi,
lar ones at subsequent meetings from the
Knights of Labor, glass blowers, and
other labor organizations. Last fall
committee appointed for the purpose,
visited us from the typographical union,
asking that we raise the scale of wages
to 25 cents per thousand, (Which is the
regular union rate and also to make the
Office n union one, employing only mem
beers of that organization.
This request was refused. Why? Be-
cause the union had publicly malinged
US without provocation, and when we
were in ignorance of such an organiza-
ton being in existence until their petition
was handed into the council Looking
into the city directory compiled
March 1. 1886, we could not
find it recorded, so that it must have
sprung into existence. about the time the
argus was appointed the official city
paper. Could it have been organized
for the special purpose of slandering the
ARGUS? Certainly We never received
fair treatment at its hands. Instead of
being candid and sincere the members
appeared rather to be the tools of the OPP
position press, and took special pride in
abusing us at every opportunity. The
Union and "I,slander," chaerined and
mortified at being deprived of their usual
patronage from a municipal government
concocted and moulded by themselves
through a trade and dicksr, could not
contain their rage at the paper which,
without solicitation, had been appointed
the only official organ. and forthwith in
duced the typographical union to do their
dirty work. What was the result2 The
marplots were completely snubbed by the
council and condemned by the people
As for the ARGUS 1t treated them with the
contempt their conduct deserved
If the typographical union really
wanted the ARGUS to increase the rate
for type-setting and we question
whether il did not rather desire to iniurc
us by public vituperation-why did it not
send a committee to us in the first place
in a respectful manner and state its
grievance. That would have been the
proper and honorable way to do .
We paid the same established rate for
composition which had been in vogue
here for years aud years, besides making
an increase in weekly wages How did
we know that the rate was unsatisfac-
toryf We heard of no complaint. Our
employees were perfectly satisfied, and
we had weekly applications for work at
the rate paid.
1t has been our intention for some time
to increase the scale, and would have
done SO before, had not the union acted
in such bad faith. Twenty cents per
thousand is the usual rate paid in many
cities the size of Rock Island, and in
some places less. AT time when the
paper was crippled financially we did not
deem it wise or prudent to increase its
burden, especially without any apparent
reason for doing so. We do so now OF
our own free will and accord, but will
make no distinction between union and
non,union hands We do not propose
to employ an inferior workman who
seeks to compete with skilled typo under
the certificate of membership to typo
graphical union.