The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
Mr.. Mccormick and His workmen.

CHICAGO Feb. 27-Mr. Mccormick said this
morning that the trouble at the harvester works
was practically settled. He had prepared the
company had taken and would stand by:
''Our works will resume operations on Mon.
day morning next In announcing this we wish
to say that we are prepared to stand by
our proposition of the 18th inst. on the question
OF wages to such of our men as we
can put to work on Monday morning We shall
not be able to furnish employment to all men
who were engaged at the time the works were
closed, but will provide for as many as we can
We hold firmly to our position taken, that we
have, at all times. the right to employ or dis
charge whom and as many as we please"
II don't see how we can have any trouble
when the works OPEN" he said ''the men who
have been here assure that at least nine
tenths of our men are anxious to get to work
again, and we are just as anxious to have them
We shall set as. many of these to work on Mon
day as we can. Those who don't want TO work.
will, OF course, not expect to be employed and
will have nothing to do but keep away. We
shall not try to compel anybody to work who
doesn't want to-"
About one hundred men stood around the vi
cinity OF the Mccormick works this morning.
Some of them claimed that not over two hun
dred, and probably not over fifty will be on hand
to go to work when the works reopen on Monday
morning and that there will not be enough men
to start the works The more stubborn ones say
they will not 60 to work under the eyes and
clubs Of the police, while those who are anx-
ious to return to their former situa-
tions want police protection. The Socialists
and outsiders are not disposed to give up the
fight, but all say they will return the forgive
and-forget plan, provided all former employees
are reinstated.
A number of cars are standing on tracks
These will have to be moved on Monday The
switchmen will have a meeting tomorrow
when they will probably decide what action
they will take. A committee of
twelve representing molders and iron
workers unions and the Knights of Labor, met
to-day. debated the situation for some time and
unanimously agreed that they would not go to
work on Monday. They claim to represent nine
tenths of the employees. They say all the mold
ers. except five ''scabs." will stay out and don't
see how Mccormick Is going to run the works
without also running the foundry, and
that five ''scab" men cannot begin to do
all the work. The committee also agreed 10
have force of men to spot" all employees who
report for work before the difficulty is satisfac-
torily settled.
Superintendent Averill says the company are
assured that sufficient number Of men are will
ing to go to work to enable them to open
the shops. They would begin with a
few men, as is the custom when
opening up after dull season or shutdown.
The men. he said further, who were willing to
60 to work demanded police protection, and il
would be given them if necessary, but he was
not in favor Of having very large number of
officers present. Such course he thought.
would tend to create rather than prevent trouble.
Men, however, who were willing to go to work
need have no fears