Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-09-16
PRINTERS STRIKE.
THE DAILY NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY
IN A BAD SHIFT.
But the Poprietrs Determined TO Stand BY their
Guns and Resist What They Consider an
Unjust Demand.

Some days ago the members OF Typo
graphical Union No. ~, of this city, pre-
scented n new scale of prices to the news
paper publishers of the city, TO take effect
on the 18th inst. The most important
change contemplated by the new scale
was the price for type setting ON neWspap-
ers. which was raised from - to To cents
per 1000 ems.
Last Saturday week the following pro-
test to the scale of prices was made to
the Typographical Union through 1t Exc
cutive Committee, signed by all the daily
newspaper publishers of the city. Inc
protest is respectful but firm, and voices
only the most conservative views from the
publishers standpoint
To the Executive Committee Wheeling Typo
graphical Union No. ~:
II is respectfully submitted in answer to
the circular of prices fixed by Wheeling
Typographical Union No. - that the de
for an increase of wages comes ut 4
most inOppOrtune time to the newspapers,
for the reason, aS is well known, that the past
protracted period ofgeneral depression IN
business in our midst has been very seriously
felt by them, and this depression still eN-
lists, particularly rs respects %Ild papers.
They have made very considerable losses
from the inability of many patrons to pay.
A large class of these patrons were IN ar
rearS when the depression set III, ana these
arrearages were carried, and many OF them
are still carried, and III addition they nave
been decidedly increased, so that the Il I
den of d~elinguentS is nov excessive and
heavy. To cut of all this delinquency Is
to ieopardiSe circulation, for the reason
that it not only Oflends and assures 4 large
loss, but in many cases makes active oppO-
nents ont of the persons no longer lndul%-
ed. 1t has therefore been the policy
of the papers to nurse their delmquentS
and accept whenever they could get 1t,
small installmentS on account in the hope
that ultimately their lists would moi only
he preserved, hut a large measure OF good
will assured.
In order 10 do this the proprietOrS have
put themselves to the risk, inconvenience
and expense of the necessary OUTLAWS called
for to carry this large amount OF dclln-
e 1t is yet a problem how far their
hopes will be realized. Up to this time
there is adecided disprOportiOn between re-
ceipts and continued delinquencies.
In addition to this burden, thus car
ried, patronage in all other departments
has suffered. Advertising has fallen OIL,
and Job work has been cut under and cut
down until the margin for profit has been
reduced [ the most slender character. This
has resulted not only from the general lie
preston prevailing, but likewise from the
establishment of numerous small printing
offices in the city, whose II make 1t 4
business to canvass and solicit work ut any
price that will cover cost of material used,
and none of which give work to union print
ers. The newspaper job offices have had
the alternative presented in many instances
of either losing customers or meeting these
dead low prices, ndasadelenSive policy fol-
the future have felt obliged to meet them.
The is avery poor showing indeed on
their books. In addition, the representa-
tives of job printing and photographic es-
Establishments in other cities are continually
in our midst offering such prices as are dis
heartening TO the regular business of job
printing in Wheeling.
Without enlarging on these features OF the
business which have made it unremunera-
tive for some years past, we may refer to
the fact that the wages which we have
paid, and never omitted to pay at any in
convenience to ourselves, have had 4 con-
stantly increasing purchasing power in the
necessities of life. Prices of all kind have
been on the gradual decline. While this
decline has invaded u own business, Is
every other, yet to those in receipt of
regular weekly wages employed by us it
has brought only advantage. Their wages
go further by a very decided per cent than
they did the day they were fixed. If the
wages were fair during all these years they
are much more so now. All wage-earnerS
have had their advantage over those who
have paid them the same wages while their
own prices were teadilydeclining. So far
as the proprietorS are concerned, counting
these declines and losses, they would have
done better had their investment been loan
ed out at simple interest. They have
not realized simple interest on their capt.
tai. Neither can they tell, as things stand
to-day, when they will realize that much
from their business. Under such cirCum-
stances we respectfully protest that the
demand on Us at q time like this is most
unfair. We feel rs if advantage was being
taken Of us in II depleted situation, and
therefore we appeal TO that sense of fair
play that should actuate employers and
employees one toward another, and that
we trust We have preserved in all these
years towards our help, to consider the
hardship which such ademand, if success
full, would entail. upon us.
The newspaper ~situation!of Wheeling, as
is well known, is peculiar. We are literal
ly hemmed in with more powerful compe-
titiOn and more attractive newspapers.
There is Pittsburgh, whose papers reach us
in large and increasing numbers early in
the day There is Cincinnati that reaches
MS in the afternoon. There is Baltimore
that reaches us in the evening. All these
papers, along with those of Columbus, O.,
meet our circulation before it paSses scarce