St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-05
A LITTLE SPARK
Famed Into an Angry Blaze Before the
Exposition Directorate.
Union Brick1ayers Present a Demand
for the Short H our System,
Which the Board, After a Fierce De-
bate, Refuses.
Exposition Directors Meet.

pald and numerous communications were
read and referred to proper committees.
V. q. Hush rendered his resignation as
director and member of the building COM
mttee. stating that his business engage.
ments would not allow him to properly at
tend to the work. 1t was decided to allow
him to withdraw from the building COM
mlttee, but it was the unanimous desire
mat ne should continue director. Col.
kmg reported in reference to the engage
ment OF general superintendent that he
had induced Col Lewis B. Hubbard, who was
fllled similar position at the New Orleans
exposition, to come to Minneapolis It was
that Col. Hubbard should be introduced to
the BOARD at the next meeting. 1t was re-
! ported that Congressman GilfiIlan at Wash
/ lngton was taking the necessary steps for
the establishment of bonded warehouse.
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Mr. Blethen arose to remark that great
hullabaloo had been raised about the brick
laying on the exposition building. He
understood that the Great Mogul, or the
High Muck-a-muck of the brcklayers' I'M
ION, with committee, was waiting in an
adjoining room for an opportunity to adj
dress the board upon the situation. He
moved that the board listen to these men
Tor half an hour if necessary The motion
prevailed, and President Wright and Messrs
kosier and Timmans, of bricklayers' union
NO. z, were introduced, and presented re-
quest that none but union bricklayers be
employed on the exposition, with Is cents an
| hour Tor day of nine hours, with the
understanding that the same rate of wages
should be paid for night work, the men.
however, working over hours not to be al
lowed to commence work at o'clock the
day. Mr.. Wright appealed to the board to
|
arising among the workingmen towards the
the exposition. The contractors of the city
had generally granted this demand, and he
hoped that an exception would not be made
with the exposition. Col. King appeared
to think that it was unjust for the union
men to ask that the nOn-union men should
be discharged. They need an opportunity
to earn living as well as other people. O.
A. Pray asked why it was that Minneapo-
lis bricklayers should ask 45 cents per hour
when st. Paul bricklayers get only 40
cents?
Col. Glenn thought the bricklayers had
made a reasonable request and were enti-
tied to respectful hearing. 1t didn't mat
ter what was going on in st. Paul.
One OF the bricklayers also answered Mr..
rays question by asking if Minneapolis
mad been known ever to follow st. Paul.
A ROW IN THE BOARD.
After the committee had Withdrawn. s.
Z. Gale, as chairman of building committee,
made statement detailing how the union
brlcklaYers had withdrawn from the build
ing May l. He thought to the demands OF
the union would be an intolerabIe Injustice.
but would lead to ruinous prices
Col. Glenn moved that the bricklayers'
demands be granted as far as time and rate
OF wages is concerned. He said that the
nE
fict with the labor organizations of the
city,
A. j. Blethen expressed his APPRECIATION
OF Col. Glenn's motion, and suggested that
committee should be appointed to confer
win the brlcklayers. saying let us meet
them fairly. 1t is not question of whether
we are going to grant their demand. but
whether we will take action looking to an
adjustment of what threatens to grow into
serious opposition to the exposition.
Its all very well,'' he continued, ito act
IN accordance with our ideas of right and JUS
tlce on the labor problem, but the question
remains, Can we affort at this time to come
into conflict with these men?' Now. 1 detest
coercion and the deprivation of the right of
any man to work for whom he pleases and
for what pay he pleases. At the same time
l have had my little experience with these
| labor organizations, and have been subdued
| so to speak. | want to tell you that if 7
| should allow non-union printer to go to
work on the Tribune that every compositor
| would walk out, and there would be no Trib-
une nor Journal printed until that man was
| discharged"
II don't know as that would be serious
public calamity" put in Col. King slyIy
| May be not, but Minneapolis would then
be at the mercy of the st. Paul papers," re-
turned Mr.. Blethen, his face blanching at the
thought of such a catastrophe
Wei, Ia let EN- walk out and be DID,
said Col. King.
Its one thing to take action where a pub
lie institution is affected, and another when
your private interests are at stake" retorted
MIR. Bethen
W. d. Washburn here cleared his throat
as preliminary to the oratorical effort that
was to follow. He said he had noticed this
issue coming for some time and vehementlv
asserted his willingness to meet it
promptly.
Are we going to have a labor organization
step in here and dictate to u.s. What will
hinder all other labor organizations from
making similar demands? Are we to be
forced to discharge eighteen good, honest
worlingmen because four union men don't
want to work with them?'
Mr.. Washburn spoke with considerable
warmth of feeling, saying it would be dis
grace to Minneapolis to go on record as
bowling down to threats of coercion.
Rather than do this let the building stop
for year.
LET it stop for ten years." put in Col.
King.
And, gentlemen" continued Mr. Wash
burn, II don't know that this would be an
unmixed evil. 1 have had misgiylugs right
along that we were making mistake in try-
ing to open the exposition this fall. don't
believe we can possibly get ready in time.
Half our exhibits won't be in place. and we
will get bad start; people will get wrong
impression. It's just like hotel opening be-
fnrn ic Gr,ic l,aI hal
aud will never put up at it again.
II made that motion to grant the brick
layers Demands said Col. Glenn, "because
wanted to warn this board not to make what
consider a very serious mistake You ought
to realize that this is an important crisis We
may have riots in Minneapolis within a week
L remember when Il two-line notice in an
evening paper called 5000 men to Bridge
square, and when the mill owners and manu-
facturers of this city hid, and came to men
like me and asked us to speak to the mob and
quiet Them
''Oh, you threaten us with mob violence. do
you," yelled Col. King, jumping I'D and shak-
ing his finger i'll Col. Glenn's face. .Wen
sir, let 'em mob. 1 don't remember any such
time as you refer to, but let the issue come
Il refer to the time when the MAYOR of
Minneapolis sent to st. Paul for $50 stacks of
arms, replied Col. Glenn, land don't care
to discuss the labor question with you at this
time, but want to say that I'm friend of
the workingmen, and when they put in a rea-
sonable demand for 8 cents more an HOW
think it should be granted, especially at time
like this, when little thing may create tenn
pest
You are no friend to workingmen if Won
urge them on to mob violence cried Col
King. W.
Il never have and never will do that" an
swered Col. Glenn, and sat down.
Capt. Gilmore next took the floor and
made an earnest speech in opposition to the
motion TO grant the bricklayers' demand:
:, rms Is time when dollar goes farther
than it has ever been known to- and wortinS-
men are receiving the highest wages, Att
same time there is hardly a notwithstanding
concern in the country that has made an1
money Tor three years. They all keep rum