The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-16
"NELABURY
That's What Newark
Workingmen Say of
Halsey.
THEY ARE ALL INDIGNANT
The Mention of His Name
for the GoVernorship an
Insult to Labor.
THEY ARE ALL INDIGNANT
Story of Ha1sey's Connection
With the Great Leather
Workers Lockout.

The announcement in the SUNDAY
MORNING NEWS of yesterday that the
Republican managers intend to force
George A. Halsey, of Newark, upon the
party at tomorrow's convention, has
brought chorus of protests from work.
ingmen all over the State. There is
absolute rebellion against the nomina-
tion by the laboring classes of Newark,
and they say that Halsey will be the
worst beaten man that ever ran for Office
They have not forgotten how, two years
ago, this proposed candidate of the Re-
publicans, acting as president of the
Leather Manufacturers' Association,
forced 1000 Newark workmen to the point
of starvation.
HERE'S THE STORY.
The story of that memorable struggle
was told to me today by Henry A. Beck
meyer, secretary of the Workingmen's
Union during the great leather workers
lockout by the manu- facturers. to learn
the sentiments of the people.
st was In the fall of 1885," said Mr..
Beckmeyer when we were comfortably
seated in his parlor, shat the workmen
in the leather manufactures began a
movement to equalize wages. The men
were embraced in these societies:-The
German Assembly X. of L., Eureka AS
sembly, and the United Tanners forming
membership of about two thousand
"A schedule of prices for labor was made
and sent the manufacturers in Decem-
ber, and after giving them sufficient
time to consider the schedule. District
Assembly K. of L. and the other organ
izations sent a committee to confer with
the manufacturers. wasone of the COM
mittee, being a Master Workman.
AN ANTI-LABoR UNION.
'tAfter four days effort and the threat of
strike the owners gave in. and every
thing was working harmoniously until
April, 1857, when George A. Halsey- J. p.
Howell & Co., James Duffy and other
owners formed the Leather Manufactur-
ers' Association, and elected Mr.. Halsey
president of it.
'They held number of conferences
with committees representing the work
ingmen, and, falling to agree, Mr. Hal
sey, for the association, gave orders to
shut down the works and lock out all en-
ployees.
"He gave as an excuse for this action
that the factories were short of hides and
were for that reason compelled to close
their factories for while. Thus it was
that 1000 men or 10000 persons, allowing
five persons to family, were left with
out means of support"
AN UNSIGNED AGREEMENT.
"Well, was this the true reason for the
lockoutP''
Listen and Judge for yourself Soon
after the lockout George A. Halsey and
other manufacturers got up paper, and
said that any employee who would sign it
could go to work at once.
"It was an agreement between the en-
ployee and employer that the employee
would not belong to or affiliate with any
labor organization or union. This does
away with the small quantity Of hides
I said I thought it did. and he con-
tinued:-
"Mr. Halsey and the other manufacture
ers formed an association to protect
themselves from the workingmen, but
tried to prevent the workingmen from
making an effort to protect themselves
from the owners encrOachmentS on their
rights.
"Owners may combine to decrease wages
but workingmen must not combine to
have them increased. This is practically
what Mr.. Halsey and his fellow manufac-
turers claimed.
s'Did the men sign this agreement that
Mr.. Halsey had drawn ups"
''The men held off manfully, but at
last the pinched and starved appearance
of their wives and children conquered
many, and they were driven by hunger to
return to work after signing the agree
ment
"The lockout lasted nearly four months
and a majority of the men refused to
sign the agreement. Some of the men
are not back yet. Toward the last Hal
sey, j. P. Howell & Co., James Duffy and
other owners were not so particular
about compelling the workingmen TO
sign away their rights.
"The organization still exists and the
Leather Manufacturers Association failed
to accomplish it's object--to crush out the
laboring mans union"
''By this time, suppose, the men have
think as much of George A. Halsey and
the other owners as they eveN did," /
said.
THINGS NEVER FORGOTTEN
"Those things are never forgotten" re-
piled Mr. Beckmeyer with very signifi-
cant smile; ssthe men will try their
strength again soon. Men never forget
the persons who make their wives and
children starve. The boycott has never
been lifted on Newark leather, and
know it has injured the business very
much"
HOW WE'D BURY HIM,
When ] walked toward the depot I
passed leather manufactory and asked
three men who were at work near the
door how they would like George A. Hal
sey for GOVERNOR
An oath came from one and derisive
laughter from the two others, who said;
ssGosh, how we'd bury him."
She Had the t'Bats.''
Mrs Vickentschen accused Caroline