Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-04-01

ing In relation to tie wages paid 10
morocco workers:
On last Friday night, at the meeting
| OF the morocco manufacturers and the
Executive Board of the knights Of
Labor, Mr.. johnson of the latter BODY
made the following statement, which i
have taken from the verbatim report OF
the proceedings;
"We claim, the men claim, they are
working under living wages. 1t is moi
living wages. A man may subsist on
bread and water, but 1t is not living. y
1 want to say that L promptly denied
the assertion, but as 1t has gone forth to
the public 1 propose to show just what
l would have shown this committee n
they could have had patience TO wait
until Thursday night. 1 submit 1t to Q
candid public with confidence in theii
verdict made copies of my payroll
| for the last week in January, all OF
February and one week in March, six
weeks In all, and below / give the
Fifteen beamsmen, N hours per
DAY, ~ 30 per week; seven tanners
about ~ hours per day, $10.03; foul
sewers, three weeks, and five for three
weeks. females, about 9 hours per day
IvAe'Oc Pot WoOh, o0Cb one
ishers, about 10 hours per day, average
$l6 ~ per week; two apprentices, who
have been at the trade over three
years, who return 81 worth of work foI
q task, and get "a q week for their
services, averaged with their overwork
and only worked 10 hours, $l1 81 Der
week each; five or six men on Doneols
averaged $l7.28; five shavers, about
I9H hours per day, averaged $40. 40 Der
week; four men, putting out second
way and blacking, about 5H days Der
week, $14.01; putting out, seven meu
averaged S14 64.
This is a copy Of my payroll of 81
men and 8 women. / have to say
further that have three or four ripper
boys that l pay ~ per week. / also
have one apprentice in Dongola room
at "a per week, and FIVE apprentices at
finishing at $3 per week for the first two
years and "a for the last two, with the
privilege Of overwork. / also have
eight men and boys, blackers on DON
COLA leather. None Of them ever did
any Of this line of work until 1 in.
structed them, and at my cost, for ]
paid the men full wages to learn, and
that is 80 per week, and the boys, three
of them, 81 per week, to serve one year.
Besides, 1 might cay right here that th
is . new line of business for Whining.
ton. also have three boys who run
glazing machines, to whom pay So 5C
Ind 81 each.
| Now that covers my pay roll in full
ask what do you think about an in :
crease to keep from starving IL those
wages only secure bread and water? /
want to say further, in explanation
beamsmen are classed as laboreIs. They
want 33X per cent. advance, and M
tools to furnish. Tanners want the
same advance, with no tools, and II
become, like beamsmen, full hands IL
six months from green hands Sewer
are paid by the dozen, as learners So. 90
as they acquire skill they are advanced
weekly. Shavers are skilled hands ant
furnish all tools except beam and ru
stones, costing all told for kit not owe
$500. They want about 228 to % pc
cent. advance. Finishers, skilled laoo
tools cost about $40 PSF set, and 81 pei
year will keep tbem in good repair
They want from so to 62X per cent
advance. Second wayers and blacker
are skilled labor, but usually finishel
No provision is made for them in th
new bill of prices submitted. PutterI
out. semi skilled labor, serves 81
months at about &c per week Will
{ learning.
regret that 1 am forced to thl
method, but L cannot stand the asse
tion of any man that we, in Whining
, ton, the morocco manufacturers, weI
not paying living wages. I say "
have improved methods and facilitie
for manufacturing, and by virtue {
them our hands can make and sav
more money than Philadelphia me
can, and Tam glad they can. Just az
certain how many men from 20 years
age and upwards In our place own thei
homes, and then say they are not liy
log. 1t may do for Philadelphians t
say that, but know better.
Truly yours,
JOHN G. BAKER.
Wilmington, March 81, 1886.