The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-09-11
About the Strike at North East.

NORTH EAST, Sept. : 1856
Editor Whig:-Please give this space
i'll the peoples column.
The strike which has been on by the
employees of the Mccullough Iron Com
pany tor the last four weeks was brought
to a close last Monday by the men resum-
ing work. What was accomplished by it
we are not able To say, only the men re-
ceived an advance. We are under the
Impression, however, that both were the
losers by it. From the experience of the
past, there has been more lost in strikes
OH both sides than mas been gained by
them. Where so many men are employed
grievances are bound 10 occur. When
they do occur they should be laid before
the company III proper manner, and
the company should give them proper
consideration, which would cause the
men to work with better spirit and bet
ter heart and more to the interest of
their employer There is a grievance
here i'll this case which not only the men
suffered by, but which causes inconveni-
ence and loss to others, especially the
merchants OF our town. Tnere is rue
or custom with the company to pay their
hands every two weeks. This in some
cases gives satisfaction, but at the same
time the men would sooner have weekly
payments. Other companies pay weekly
and the question is natural one, why
can't this company do the same? Bust
ness Is conducted with SO much comueti-
ton and on SO small a margin that mer-
chants can't Oxford to wait SO long for
their money and take risks besides. Now
for the Justice of it: When man goes
to work for this company under their
present rules, he has to work four weeks
before he reaches pay day. Then he
only gets paid for two weeks of that time.
The earnings of the other two weeks are
held back from him, and he is not sup
posed under these rules to get his pay
for these two weeks until one or two pay
days after he quits work or is discharged
This system OF paying puts man on a
drag from the start. 1t throws him be-
hind or in debt, and the man that gets
but oae dollar a day and don't put
guard over every penny of it, never will
catch up. The merchant aud others in
our town are often the losers by it. There
have beel cases IN times gone by, do
not think lately, where men have been
compelled to go to the office for money
between pay days. They have got it,
but the modest sum Of | may call it
such) OF 30 cents or 81 has been charged
for the use of SIC bill until the next
pay day. II 1t don't suit the company to
pay OFF every week, let them pay off
every two weeks. They Can do it, bv
holding back one or two days at the start
The company may look upon this as
piece of lmpudeuce or that We are inter
tering with their business. Not at all,
we are not unfriendly OF hostile to it and
don't wish to criticse it harshly, but as
| the citizens OF our town have frequently
| to advance provisions Nc. to its hands,
Its 40 more Tn IN right they should have
something to SAY. JUSTICE.
Our correspondent, we believe, is wrong
in atipg that the Mccullough Iron Co.
pays oft it's hands only once in two weeks
while othe.' companies pay off weekly
| If he Will inquire he will find that all
] iron manufacturing companies retain a
4 portion of the earnings of their men
! longer than one week, the usual time be-
ing two weeks. The reason of this is
that where iron is worked at certain
price per ton, it requires, at least, that
! time to get up the accounts of the men