Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-03-08
DISCUSSING THE QUESTION
JOB II. JACKSON MAKES AN Au
DRESS TO HIS MEN.
He Tells Them that When Trade BE
comes Brisker He VIII Voluntarily
Increase Their Wages.

tut etVofdl Woshs past IL mas Deen
known that there has been some dis
satisfaction existing among the en-
ployes of the Jackson & Sharp works
respecting the amount OF wages paid,
and last Saturday afternoon, when they
were notified that Mr.. jackson would
address them on the subject the great.
est interest prevailed, aud immed lately
after quitting time they assem- bled 10
one OF the large paint shops. Mr.. Jack
son WAS present to meet them and made
an earnest address, of which the fol-
lowing synopsis is given by request:
| He opened his remarks by saying
that il was a rare thing for an em ployer
to talk publicly to his employees, and
that he did not believe that in all the
broad land there was another such
spectacle. He said that If such events
were more general there would be less
or no labor troubles or dissatisfaction.
He said that the subject upon which he
wished to talk had been pressing upon
him for weeks. bat about the time he
had decided to do 30 certain circum-
stances arose that forced him TO defer
for fear of being misunderstood. He
now, however, felt that the duty should
not be delayed any longer and he came
before them with no other desire than
that OF mutual good.
He believed that il they were to
listen to more wholesome talks than
they were apt to obtain through present
channels the better it would be for all
concerned. He said he did not blame
the men for wanting more wages he
wished from his inmost heart that they
could have sucn wages as would give
them good homes with all comforts,
and for every child good educat tion
He deprecated the fact that girls and
boys under sixteen years of age were
permitted to work, as by force of cir
cumstsnces they are too often COM
PEELED to do. The time had come, he
said, when he must speak plainly, in
language not to be misunderstood, and
: to give some facts they possibly did not
know, and which he hoped would
Icausa them to reflect and consider very
seriously before the tide of excitement,
, sweeping over the land on the question
of wages, would lead them to any
hasty action, and thus increase the
distress.
He briefly revie wed the condition OF
affairs in this country during the years
Of 1S84-S6, and spoke of the difficulty
the manuts cturers had in even pro-
Touring orders at cost. In the car
D building business the difficulty was
: vastly increased by an element which
the combined interests could not avert.
To be plain, he said the Pullman Com.
lpany had inaugurated an unjust, uu-
, fair and disastrous competition. That
company, having built up large town
: and works, owning every foot OF
ground, and every house, store, hotel,
lopera house, and even the church, at
well as gas and water-works, in ordel
to maintain all this must keep theil
= shops filled, regardless of price, and
contracts have been and are still beinl
: taken from cost to % per cent. below
cost and, he had good reason for say
b ling, even at greater sacrifice. Tel
me," he said, how can keep thes
works going with such an establish
Be of all this, / am asked to advanc
70 wages"
He said that in th5 department " her
Il they were quite busy the wages ha
Il been advanced and the men had ar
Ipointed committee to say that the
~ had no grievances whatever. In an
. other department the wages had nc
been reduced as low as they had bee
in other mills, aud the men in that de
partment were not complaining Whe
there were orders in the car department
u that would warrant an advance tn
T. men would get it, and not until then
and tue question might as we'll be IN
II deIstood now as at any other time. II
g. said that three committees had alread
|, waited upon him, and that he had give
: each careful hearing and spent from
8 one to two hours each time telling then
Il the condition of affairs; he told them G
Ievery order on the books; that they ha
Von ,Nfn in ha he. hnf hn r
. was nothing to warrant an advance
y that even then he had been in consults
tion with his superintendent regarding
the laying off of some of the tore
= or other wise starting some cars TO
sale, while they already had
b large number on hand for stock ant
o were loath to tie up more money
= that yet in the face OF all this b
n was told that another committe
h would have to wait upon him
v that ne understood it would be com
4 posed In par6 of some of the executiv,
!. officers of the knights of Labor from
Philadelphia; aud that they would pre-
sent themselves within few days ami
make final demand for an increase o
- wages. He wished to say now, plainly
frankly and positively that ne did no
% want to see any such committee, ani
ICDbTb WINS nO ubo W hppOAhO OuO' AI'
T. felt himself competent to attend to hi
'r own business without dictation from
70 outside parties representing any asso
10 citation whatever. If he found he wa
80 incompetent for the task he woulC
lclose up the works. But when tn
time did come for the advance, 1t woul,
come to them through the organized
,t channels and in no other way. I'll
: could not and would not be driven &
lit. Neither did he ask them to aban
Is don their course, or for any favors. II
g. after what he had told them, the
ss choose to pursue the matter further tn
n consequence should be upon them.
l They knew his position, and ther
3, lcould be no misunderstanding. He
@ owever, advised them to accept tn
n lsituation as the only way out of tn
II difficulty, exemplifying the motto tina
d "a half loaf is better than uone." FL
would continue to make efforts to secur
orders, if possible, at price that woul
warrant an advance in wages, an
lpromised his best efforts in that direc
!, Ition. But, before he made any NOR
a contracts, the pending question mus
be settled. He told the men that W lth
: In few days a large manufacturer ha'
told him that his firm had large con
tract offered them, but that, in view
this labor excitement, they had declined
:, lit. Within an hour he said he had {
8 talk with Enoch Moere regarding al
e. Iotfer to build q vessel. Being AFRAID o
10 Ian advance of wages Mr.. Moore haC
Vt called his men together, and the!
n agreed to work without any change II
= wages. BY this time the party VIII
was ready to build said he would no
risk his money in vessel only to bav