Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-12
THE NAILERS' CAUSE.
Their Executive Board Makes an
Address to the Public,
Setting Forth Clearly Their Position, and
Contrasting It With That Of
the Manufacturers.
A Ringing Address.
THE SITUATION SHARPLY OUTLINED.

A Ringing Address.
H SITUATION SHARPLY OUTLINED.
To-day the Executive Board Of tn
United Nailers, Heaters and Rollers A
~socistion will issue q statementto the pul
lie, q copy Of which is printed below. II
document speaks for itself, outlining tt
past and present status of the great strik
with clesrness and distincsness, and sketcl
ing sharply the course the manufacturer
have pursued in their dealings with th
Union. We present the statement in full
~
To the Public:
Last June the nail manufacturers me
at Cincinnati to adopt a scale Of prices 70
mailing, heating and rolling, which amount
ed to a reduction of from 20 TO 45 pc
cent. The scale Of wages paid heretofor,
had been in vogue for nine years.
We declined to accept it. Such q sweep
ing demand could net be digni6ed by tn,
word reduction. 1t should be branded b,
the stigma of legslized robbery. A letteI
published by Mr.. Samuel LaughIin, Pres
ident of the Mingo Junction Mai
mill, shows that the demand was not war
ranted, and they knew it was not just. Mr.
Laughlin left the ranks Of the Western
Nail Association and made q compromise
we accepting q reduction Of ten per cent,
The Western Nail Association expelled
him. and he v~indicated his actions in q
public letter.
He stated that any objection to asking
such an uncslled for reduction was met
with the reply, Make the demand high,
ard fall in the settlement. If you
have q striker down, keep him down.
1t was told me l was too sympathetic with
the poor man, and that, as q manufacturer,
| would soon get over such maukish senti'
ments; that l was too honest"
when in this charmed circle, | depre.
tie bsrbsrous treatment of
from their humble homes
the striking coke workers, exposing
their wives and children to winter storms,
it was told me l should fight the devil with
The action of Mr.. Samuel Laughlin in,
duced the Bayview, Middleport and Niles
nail mills to accept the compromise scale.
Seeing this the Western Nail Association
proposed q conference. The first question
they preached was, that We give a guaran-
tee that their present workmen be not in
with. We offered to waive that
question until the scale had been settled.
This they refused, and the conference ad-
subject to call by either side,
After an interval Of six weeks we deter
mined to make On attempt for an honor
1ble settlement on the compromise scale,
and called for o conference.
The proposals they submitted were that
we desert our fellow workmen-the heaters
and rollers. Their claims were not to be
even considered. For mailing, they re-at-
their former offer Of II cents a keg,
to the extent that it
vas not to run below Is cents, whereas
they had originally demanded that it slide
to II cents. Ga self.teeder5, where
had originally asked a reduction Of
% per cent, they modified it to l24 per
cent, but insisted that all breakages be
paid by the mailer. This had never been
The custom, and would amount to a big
reduction.
We offered a settlement honorable TO
both eides, they offered US nothing but the
most abiect humiliation. We met them in
the spirit of reconciliation and fair COM
promise; they met us in the spirit Of the
conquerer placing the yoke he has forged
upon the neck of his supposed captives. We
asked for manly recognition of. our claim;
they offered slsvish submission.
We came to represent all our brothers
who remained faithful to as in this desper-
ate struggle with the most gigantic syndi'
sate Of capital in Wet Virginia; they de-
betrayal of their cause. They
not content TO have III sbdicste our
manhood, but with the %brazenness of wealth
run mad with pride, demanded that we be
to those whose cause we repre-
This small band Of millionaire conspira-
tors against the welfare of this community,
all sslt.respect crushed out OF rs
BY our ten months resistance 10 their
terms. Our offer to waive the feeder'nail-
question wss construed as waving all
Unionism; as a desperate scramble tor work
their terms.
We hurled their terms back in their teeth.
We dedicate them to the contempt OF the
community whose business they have Grip
pled, whose property they have deprecated,
prosperity they have ruined BY their
purse-proud course >.
Their action is a blow at every man in
bus;ness other than Matchmaking. II is a
blow at the Eastern nail manufacturers, a
blow at Eastern .workmen as well. 1t
a lower social level as q basis OF
competition. 1t means Q wider contrast
between capitalist end labsrer between
wealth and poverty, between luxury and
psupsriam.
1t means q greater arrogance on the
part of O few immensely wealthy corpora.
lions, who have smsssed their wealth out
OF the sweat Of labor.
It means that blacksheeping II success
ful ia 10 be digni6ed and respected. 1t
means a blow at every Union in every
trade, If they are successful it means that
labor is powerless, and wealth all con
uuering. Fellow workiDgmen shall this
be2
cottine scab nails. Those nails are rivets
to e~ncofin our standard Of living, to en-
sLroud our eomnon manhood, to entomo
ali fraternity, to bury in Q pauper's grave
all mutual co operation end reciprocal ser
viceS.
To the brothers who have stoed firm We
need only say: Have we bravely fought
for ten months to suffer the humiliation o.
working with the men who have burrowec
The foundation beneath US, who have jser
ed at our struggle, bossted Of their infsmy
and would glory IN COR deteati Have ",
passed through 81 the rigors ofs hare
winter. and now with the building season
about to open, yield at the eleventh hou
and betrsy our fellow worknen, the roller
and heaters
The hot blood OF shame rises st the yer.
suggestion, and the determination tina
such disgrace shall not stain g pniol
whose ranks maintained ar uneroken iron
for ten months aninates our hearts az