The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-03-14
AMERICANS ARg RoYcoTTEp.
Marked Increase of the Foreign Element
in the Trades.

In 1880, according to the census re-
turns of that year. only 80 per cent of
the artisans engaged In trade in Phila-
delpflia were of foreign birth. That
was fine showing as compared with
the other big cities of the country, for
in Boston the percentage of foreign
born workers was 40. in New York Sc,
in Chicago 60, and in Brooklyn SO.
1t is to be feared, however, that the
census of 1890 will hardly be SO favor
able to Philadelphia as distinctively the
American city. immigration and the
trades unions have been reducing the
proportion of the native element in
the trades until now it is doubtful if
half of those engaged are of American
birth.
This is plainly shown in some of the
building trades. "Why, l don't believe
that half of the plasterers are Ameri-
cans" said boss plasterer when ask
ed about his trade; ''the men make
good wages, $3.50 day, and good
many of them $50 week, and there
are not enough of them to do all the
work. If it had not been that work
was slack in New York last season we
would not have been able to get along
at all here in Philadelphia, where there
was so much building going on. We
would have been in fix if there had
been big demand for plasterers in
both places.
1.-The Plasterers' Union, which con-
trolls the journeymen, is strong and
well-organized body. 1t allows each
master only two apprentices, and there
is so much trouble about the matter
that / don't care to be bothered by ap-
prentices. The result Is, as l said,
there are now really not enough men
in the trade, and that most of those in
it are of foreign birth"
Il don't know of a single boy in
Philadelphia learning to be stone
mason," said Contractor Michael Nc
Cahey, who has had long experience
in his line of business. From the
way the masOns around me talk /
should judge that most of those now in
the trade are foreigners. 1t is hard
trade, and the work is rough, but the
pay is good. The men receive So. 25 a
day for nine hours labor. The trade
is not an attractive one to boy, will
admit, as there is good deal of lifting
of heavy stone, but there is good
living in it"
Among the stonecutters fully one
half are of foreign birth. These are
mostly Englishmen and Scotchmen,
with some Germans. The pay is good
So. 80 day for nine hours work,
with only part time Saturday. The
Progressive Stonecutters' Association,
to which most of the journeymen be-
long, allows four apprentices to a
yard.
There are a good many more than
that who apply to be admitted as ap-
prentices," said cutter in Twenty
second street yard. 81 have often
seen mothers bring their boys to the
office and ask to have them taken in,
but they have to be refused
''The rough thing about it is that
lot of foreign masons come over here
in the summer season for work and at
tempt to boss us Americans. 1t is
good deal like tenant trying to boss
his landlord. They belong to the as
sociation and undertake to tell us when
we shall work and what we shall re-
ceive. It's pretty cheeky, and we
luluh l1dU IL 10 dDOut llUIS we hlueEl.
cans were protecting ourselves. We
throw open everything for them and
don't get anything in return. They
don't treat us SO we'll in Canada. When
/ went to st. Johns few years ago
they made me pay a working tax for
the sake of following my trade in the
town.
The bricklayers have a protective
association that is one of the strongest
labor organizations in the country.
They regulate the number of appren-
tices that a master may have, allowing
him as many as they think he can
properly instruct. The bricklayers
have effectually prevented the influx
of foreign workmen duriIg the busy
season, and aim to have all their men,
bers citizens of the country.
The carpenters are split up into
variety of organizations, and have no
system of apprenticeship. Large num-
bers of carpenters come over every
year from Europe, and the native ele-
ment in the trade has been gradually
decreasing. The printers are also
without any system of teaching boys
their trade, and thus make openings
for we'll equipped foreigners of their
craft who come to this country.
In other trades the condition of
things is probably not greatly differ
ent. From these few instances it will
be apparent that the census of 1890
may not be so tlattering to Philadel-
phia as was that of 1880, and that the
American boys have not been having
Onuch of n cbanpa 6urinp the last few
years. Philadelphia Record.