Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-15
MANUFACTURERS CARD.
The Conference Committees Side
Of the Controversy,
WHICH READS REASONABLE AND FAIR
And Which Deserves the Cordial Consid.
Grafton Of the United NaiIers,
Rollers and Heaters.

, To The Public:
. There are txo aides TO the controversy
now existing between the United Nailers,
, Heaters and Rollers Of America and the
. Western Nail Association. The Execu.
tive Board Of the former have eivsn m.
sids OF ths controversy, We present the
other.
When it was ascertained, more than q
year ago, that the Amalgama,ed Associs-
ton Of Iron and Steel Workers, Of which
the nailers were then members, would &C
cept ten per cent reduction 10 their scale
Of wages. at their meeting on the first Of
June last the nailers withdrew and formed
an association uuder the name Of the
United Ns,lers OF America, to which asso-
citation has since been added the heaters
and rollers. 1t was obvious to the nail
manufacturer, that the object Of tha, With
drawal was to avoid making the reduction
that the Anal ama,el Association was
disposed to accept and subsequently did
accept, and 10 compel the manufacturers
10 pay the price that had heretofore OBJ.
tanned for come years. that oil twen,y-ons
cents per keg for cutting l0d nails.
At this time II cents was paid at HAI.
risburg, Pa. for the same work, and ths
price paid q, Harrisburg Was higher than
the average paid east OF the Mountairs
and throughout New England. The msn.
ufacturers realizing that they could no,
pay the prices demanded by the nailers
and run their factories without absolute
loss, formulated scale known a. the II
cent scale; an advance Of more than II
per cent. above the Eastern scale Of prices.
This scale Of PRICES Was submitted by the
Secretary Of the Western Nail Association,
on the 18th OF May ts the United Nailers,
with the Eddi,ional information that . Coz.
ference Committee had been appointed to
confer with them on the subject. On
the 9th day Of June the rail
era replied over the signature
OF their President: "Our Association las
presented scale 10 the manufacturers %;
their signatures, and our Association has
made no arrangement for q Confrerce
Committee" Nothing could be more
clearly and positively expressed. From
the first OF June 10 the las, Of July no pahs
were made in any Of the mills connected
with the Western Nsil Asso, iation, and
more than ten thousand men aud boys sers
kept in enforced idleness unless they found
some other employment, because tho nail
ers would neither work nor negotiate, un.
less they received more than ~ per cent.
more than WAS paid for similar work east
OF iithe mountains.
On the 9Th day of July the mAnuiactur-
ers gave notice that II the nailers did not
accept the II cent scale, before noon oil the
| llth, their Jobs would be vacated and the ma.
chimes offered 10 any other persons, who
would accept that price. The railers 70.
moved their tools and on tho I'D day Of
July the manufacturers resolved TO ODER
the machines 10 the nail feeders and
others. One mill Aftsr ssothsr soon fegau
10 operate their machines with new men,
until what lie nAilers believed 10 be an
imp ssbiliiy, that new men could DO
taught TO become oonpetent nailsrs In .
lev months, began TO take such shape and
form thA, the nAilsrs began to fear that
their calling vas In danger.
On the 9Th Of November, more than Gye
months after the Nail Association had pre-
sented their scale and notified them Of tho
appointment osiheir conference com nitee,
the nsilers hdvised the manufacturers that
they had appointed an Executive Commit.
tee and were willing 10 meet the mabufsc-
turers. Tais Executive Committee had
been appointed by the uailers st their July
meeting, but they were not willing TO meet
the manufacturers until November.
By tL;s time the mAnuisciur .rs had
committed themselves to the pJIicy Of EN-.
ployiDg new men and had entered into
such arrangements and yreenep,s With
them that they did soi aeem il advisable
to entertain any pr. position that would In.
terferc With b.sn obligations. and they 90
informs1 the nai!ers
The situation remained unchanged until
the meeting oi the Nail Association in
January Of the present year. except that
the manufacturers had been daily adding
10 the machines in operation. Then . con.
ference committee was appointed aud the
nailers advised of such appointment
The nailers declined to meet 10 confer.
ence until change bad been made in tho
powers Of the committee. which Vas done
and conference held on the 24th day Of
February. 1886, bu, without any result, tho
manufactures Insisting on o guarantees
that the worknen 10 their employ should
remain undisturb.d. and the nsilers rsius.
ing TO recognize them. OF work in the lac
tories with them.
A subsequent conference sss ksld ai
the request oi the nailers, when the qsss
ticn Of the ne~ uofhmen Vas waived, 20
far a. to permit them 70 ,snsin 10 the
mills. provided other questions could te
satisfactorily isiiied. Al ihi, conference
the manu.seture,s stated tia: the hsatirg
furnaces bad been changed IN mssy OF tho
mills and that 10 uniform prize could be
fixed for heating. that would be equit:ble
and inst, and that this question must NC.
esesrly be referred 10 the several mills srd
their vorkmsn for settlement, according 10
the kind Of furnaces in nee. To this tho
Esilsrs' Committee tt,enuoSsIy objected,
and, when the Manufacturers Committee
refused 10 rsceds from their position, broke
up the conference.
This 10 o brisi statement OF the matter
in controversy which Ne think Will not b
called 10 question.
We do not deem II necessary 10 reply 10
the hard Names aId denuncisiious IN shieh
the Executive Board Of the Ssilers. Rollers
and Heaters have % freely indalsed, knos-
ling tina, abuse ssd d.fsmstion are MOI -
. gumepis, and THAI While soch things nay
, excite, they do not connrcs. A caia std
J int.Ilissn public will readily discern Who
} have been cripotiDg the busisess OF fSs
. community, dsprecs,ins properly ssd
ruinirg prosperity" They sii ss9sf-
E staud Who should be "boycottsd, visa
; iss men ask that much larger number
. more truly labosers than thsy-os every
Il - x-,lr,ss and hye1 on