Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-15

| boycotted and the publisher, too. He
enor. the financial authority, and Atkinson
| the stafistician. to show the present condition
vaiIing. Mr.. Atkinson he said. had GROUPED ped
together 200 articles or commodities, going
| into the cost of living, upon which there had
| asked by the printers because of an advance OF
ten per cent in house rent. This advance OF
reduction Of all prices. He deprecated any APP
peal that might be made to the political aspir,.
tons of the arbitrators; he deprecated such
statements as that the printers of the land
would rise in acclaim If the arbitrators put the
| screws upon the publishers here. He asserted
that the printers were not sustained in this
demand by other labor orga nizations He hoped
the Time would come when publishers here
could afford to pay fifty cents a thousand. He
| asked the arbitrators to consider the question
| thOught1ully, and assured them that the pub.
| fishers would not cla1Dor against their judg
ment, but submit to it quietly, whatever it was
| MR.. KILBoURNS REMARKS.
| Mr.. kiibourn spoke briefly when Mr.. Fox
concluded. The picture drawn by Mr. Rodier
as to the condition OF life of compositor, he
| said, applied only to morning newspaper offices
| and there were but two such offices in the city.
In reference to statement that there had been
| an Increase since 1880 in rates OF advertising,
| Mr.. kflbOurn brought forward data to show
that there had been no advance in the prices OF
| advertising in the Washington papers, as
| claimed. He insisted that the printer and
every one else can live more cheaply now than
| In 1850, and went over again the prices Of
| living submitted in the publishers statement
OF facts obtained from responsible authorities.
MI. Oberly asked If he thought the rate OF so
| cents paid at the government printing office
| was too high.
! Mr.. kilbourn said this government backed
by the United States treasury ought not to be
held up as an example TO private employers.
The printers ut the government office, nc said,
aimed to take the position OF government clerks
ana 10 be paid accordingly. and it was Unfair to
private employers to have to pay what the gov
eminent chooses TO pay its employees out OF the
United States treasury. He would like the
printers at the government office to get 81. so
a thousand ii they could.
MIR. WRIGHT CLOSES.
Mr.. Wright, who closed for the printer side,
urged that this was not a question of sentiment
but OF equity. He again went over the state
ment of facts presented by the printers. com
mentlng upon the facts as he proceeded. Tie
suspension Oh the scale III 1880. he alleged, was
made TO meet eXigencies then presented and
lii violation OF the law Of the International
Union. at any time anyone who chose might
have brought charge before the International
Union against Columbia Union on this account,
ana Columbia Union might have mad its char
ter forfeited. Mr.. Wright asserted that it was
II matter of fact that certain publishers here
controlled the Associated Press privileges, and
no other paper could get the benefit OF these
privileges. There was organization Oh the side
OF the publishers as we'll as OF the printers. In
former days in this city, he said, composition
was paid for by the week. In order to
meet the desire OF employers, the Union had
made all work on newspapers piece work,
Ing TO the amount OF work he did.
To show, as he said, how an increase of IA of i,
| statement showing that an increase of h of u
cent made by moulders on certain castings had
| resulted in increases all along the line by the
manufacturers, the wholesale dealer and the
retail dealeruntil it was finally magnified 600
per cent. He asserted that publishers could
easily provide for this proposed increase of the
cost OF printing. The increase cost of setting q
square OF four lines was only one cent. Where
publisher now asked so cents fora one square
advertisement, in oruer To cover this increase
all he would have to DO would be to add l cent
to the price OF the advertisement
In reference to the discrimination against
newspapers as compared with job offices,
Mr.. Wright said that the basis OF profits
in newspaper offices and the job offices
wi, was dins,sn the job Office depended
composition. He INSISTED that in four items
which entered largely in the expense of a family
| reduction in cost since 1880. These items
were: House rent, which 1T was admitted
had advanced; medical attendance. which is
equally as costly; fuel, which, he claimed, had
shoes, which had advanced:
AS to the matter OF rents, Mr.. Wright claimed
That the printer had to pay 80 per cent more
OF his labor for the same mouse now than he
did before the reduction of the printers scale in
1850. OF all the typographical unions, he said,
Washington alone had reduced its rate since
1850; most of the Others had advanced their
rates.
Mr. F. b. Moves called attention to the tact
that though other Unions had advanced they
had not Yet got their rates up to that paid in
Mr.. Wright said that Washington printers
had always claimed more.
Mr. Rodier added TO this that that was be-
cause the cost OF living Was higher here than in
other cities.
MIR. Fox disputed the truth of this as to the
city OF ST. Louis from which he came, and
washington. In st. Louis printers We're paid
less, yet rents were higher there than here
MI wright, rsuming, said the printers did
not propose, because tue publishers could not
compete with James Gordon bennett or pub
fishers In other cities, that the printers should
bear the brunt of 1t.
Mr.. Wright went Q little into the history of
price Oil composition 80 cents, and the
printer to-day received only one cent more
Inan ne ,o dld forty years ago In ls52 the
1873 90 cents, arfd ill 1850 40 cents.
MIR. Fox suggested that in the former days re-
ferred to by DIR. Wright the government work
was done in offices o. the city.
Mr.. OUerIy asked whether the arbitrators
could increase the rate as to morning papers
without increasing 1t as to evening papers.
Mr.. Wright said that he would leave 1t to the
arbitratOrs To determine whether they had
power to make such u difference
AIR. foX Collected because there was no guar
antee that the Union would abide by the ;rbi-
tratiOn.
Mr.. Rodier replied that the seal of the Union
was given rs u pledge tina: the Union would
abide by the decision of the arbitrators.
Alter 1urthtr discussion the hearing closed,
and the arbtrators agreed TO meet today to
consider what their award should be-
THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF
ARBITRATION.
Made.
The board of arbitration on the controversy
between the printers and the publishers met