Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-02-08
SECRETARY CHEW.
His Views as to the Strike Stated at
Length.

EtttO' Inv ~
Alter writing the letter giving you my
reasons for not making a statement OF our
side of the existing difficulty between us
and the manufacturers, your correspond
ent persuaded me ID reconsider my de.
cision. In submitting my statement OF
the strike, the causes that led to it, the
complications that have arisen since it De-
gan. and q way out Of it, l will try and be
inst to the manufacturers, believing they
are prompted by an honest conviction that
il ia necessary to make this cut in our
wages to successfully conduct their busl-
ness in the future.
The strike was inaugursted on the first
of June, 1885, against a reduction OF the
wages of the n~ailers, nail feeders, rollers,
roll hands, heaters, and heaters helpers,
numbering possibly 5000 men, and We
have conducted it successfully for eight
moIths with the loss of but n man, who
was a large stockholder in the Jefferson
Nail Works, at Steubenville, 0, and bis
interest was naturally on the other side.
AS to the causes hat lead to it opinions
differ, but l think the root OF all the evil
was money; too much money has been
made in the nail business. The result has
been new factories have been built and new
machines placed in those already in opera
ton, without any consideration for the Law
of supply and demand until the first of June
1885, found the producing capacity of the
Western factories equaltothe demand OF the
Western market, with q natural growth ter
years hence. To preventtheir plants from
lying idle the greater part OF the year they
thought By making this cut in our wages
with their reputation for superior work and
advantages in cheap fuel and natural gas,
they could extend their market East and
South and consume their surplus product
A number of Eastern manufacturers agree
with me in this, and are prepared to meet
them in their market cuttor cut as one Of
| them remarked to one OF our officers he
had built his mill TO run and intended tc
continue TO make nails. 1t was necessary
that tbs present difference in the price fol
labor in The two sections should eXlst to
enable them to control their market, and
if the Western workmen came down his
workmen would have to come down II
proportion" 30 that by accepting the re,
duc,ion We would be that much poorer and
the manufacturer no better OF.
When the strike began the nailers were
in a pewly-fotmed organization by them
selves, having Withdrawn from the Anal
gamated Association for reasons not nee
essary to mention here, but at their con
v~ention in July, admitted the nail plate
hesters and rollers, and forming their
preseut association at this convention
d Communication WAS presented from the
Nail Feeders Association demanding that
2 per cent OF their number be taught the
mailing trade, which demand was refused
partly from the fact that q mailer would be
compelled to teach them against his will,
partly because, as some thought the feed
ers were taking advantage Of their sltna'
ton. and others with an utter disregard tor
the consequences. :,
In tins demand they were temporarily
backed By the Ohio Valley Trades Assem-
bly,, Of which they were q part, and the
nailers by this refusal arrsyed the senti,
ment and influence OF this powerful organ,
iza,ion against them, and encouraged the
manufacturers to open the factories to the
feeders, which they did on July 9Th and a
number went in and took machines, bring
lug about the only complication that stands
in the way of settlement.
| do not think the manufacturers feel
bound by the contracts some have made
with tde feeders, for noneo Of them come up
to their requirements, but they think BY
putting these men out and repudiating the
policy they have been pursuing for the last
seven months they would arouse the rad
zeal class in our order and they would De
unable to enforce discipline III their mills
Blu; it would be better to judge US by past
experience than 10 retain an element that
will prove a thousand times more trouble
some, as the experience OF the Cleveland
Rolling Mil Company and the trouble IN
the coke regions goes to prove.
The way out ofthis difficulty cannot be ar
rived at until thetwO bodies come together;
either an individual or collective confer
ence must be held. But the difficulty lies
in getting them together, as all movements
heretofore made by either side looking to-
wards o meeting have been taken as an in
dicslion Of weakness and had the opposite
effect from hat de:ired. To settle this
difficulty one side or the other must come
down from the high and lofty position they
have taken. And as we ara en- the deten-
sive and have made no demand on the
manufacturers | do not think the first ad'
vance scould be made By our side. We
are resisting q reduction in a scale Of
prices that was in force for nine years prior
TO the first OF June, during which
Tine more money was made and invested
in toe nail business than Of any time
in its history, and We cannot see what
change hos CONS abou. to make il neces
zary 20 reduce our wages 10 such an extent.
II the manufacturers expect to wipe out
The difference between the Est and West,
il shows q lack of knowledge Of the men
in the Fast, for in their present dis
organized condition they cannot resist the
Eastern manufacturers, There must be b
diff renee between ,he tFo sections and we
are willing to combine snd bring the East
up to = uniform price sufficient TO keep
them cut OF our marke. and enable them
TO control their owD, for il the purpose OF
the manufacturers WAC carried out and
the prices made equal, with the adVaAta-
ges they possess, 1t would close the East
ern mills and force all that labor over
here, which would overs .ock our market and
force our price down still lower. 10 giving
nv statement | have tried to help it clear
Of anything calculated to embitter the
ether eide aud to show proper respect and
consideration for their opinions and think
hey should do the same for us. | have
heard doubts both as to the honesty and
ability Of our officers, but | think the
head OF our association hs9 stood q test
hat proves him worthy Of the respect Of
man, and the manner in which he has
conducted this complicated strike with q
lewly formed organization, and empty
reRsury, and the sentiment that was
.Frsyed against US shows be is possessed OF
o ordinary ability. N. A CEEw,
Seey United Asilers, Heaters aud
Association.
OUR oEu make shoes ia sll styles g. so
lccke's, l043 Main street.
PERSONAL FONTS.
I i~EenIcEE4 nf WheeIinRitss. spN the Cow.