Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-24
ON SECOND THOUGHT.
What Labor Leaders Have to Say
About the Exposition Middle.
STILL AFTER PRESIDENT MARVIN.
They Never Meant to Boycott the EKpOsi-
tiOn, but Want a Change.
DIRECTOR HERBST DEFENDS THE SHOW

S. S. Marvin be requested to resign the
Presidency of the Exposition Society, have
caused considerable surprise. The Labor
troubles in Mr.. Marvin's big bakery have
frequently brought his name up in meet
ings Of labor unions, and there have beer
some quiet threats that boycott on the Ex
position might be instituted because a non
union brass band was employed by Presi
dent Marvin and his Board Of Directors fol
the show. But it was not generally believed
that the matter would be carried as far a:
the Trades Council took it on Saturday
night On account of the condition which
the musical dispute has assumed the Coun-
Gil says it leaves it to the judgment of all
union men to patronize the Exposition or
not, as they may individually see fit.
DIRECTORS SIDE WITH MARVIN.
A DISPATCH reporter yesterday tried to
get at the bottom OF the trouble, besides
measuring the effect of the Trades Councils
action. President Marvin himself will not
be home for another week. He is in New
York, awaiting the arrival Of his son from
Europe One of the Exposition directors,
ID. c. Herbst, was found at the Exposition
during the afternoon. When asked If he
thought Mr. Marvin would resign his po-
sition, Mr.. Berbst said:
II do not know what Mr.. Marvin may
do, but cannot think be will resign. If
he thinks the public does not want him In
the place he will step down and out, and we
will follow him. When the people OF Pitts
burg begin TO think somebody else can
manage their show better than the present
officers and directors, We will
QUIT WITHOUT ANY PARLEYING
about il. I do not think the town could
raise enough money to hire the 13 men now
running the institution to again go through
what they have in the past three years. Mr..
Marvin neglected his private business for
six months to attend to the erection of the
Exposition building. 1t is not a pleasant
feeling to any man to be asked to resign the
leadership of an institution of this kind
after be spent both time and money to build
1t up, out there is not a man on the board
who would not gladly retire if he had q
chance"
"Have you heard that there was talk of
boycott against the institution" asked the
reporter.
Eyes, have heard rumors of such talk"
said Director Herbert, "but let those people
do it. We don't care. If they want to drag
the Exposition down into the mud let them
do so. 1t will not hurt us in the least
The directors have not, nor can they, realize
one cent profit out of the institution, and
even if it closed up, we will not lose any,
thing. The Exposition was built to give
the sons of poor people a technical educa-
tion on the industries of Pittsburg. If the
people want to pull down what we are
building up, 1 do not think we will Inter-
fere. II any of the labor organizations
have grievance against Mr.. Marvin, they
should not try to take it out on the Exposi-
ton. He is only one officer, and not the
whole show"
After the Trades Council originally de-
nounced the employment of the Great West
ern Band at the Exposition because it had
left the Musical Union. John Flannerv, of the
knights OF Labor, organized a new assembly
OF the Z. of L., into which the Great West
ern Band was at once taken. On Saturday
the Council handled Flannery without
gloves for this move. To The DISPATCH
reporter yesterday Mr. Flannery said:
MR.. FLANNERY's STATEMENT.
"The Trades Council could not have those
resolutions passed, if they submitted them
to vote of the local labor unions compos-
ing the organization. l think the action
was little irregular, as / had not been
given chance to explain nv position. 1
have been in labor circles for years and
never heard Of a precedent for it. The men
who adopted the resolutions do not know
what they are doing. 1 do not want to hurt
the Exposition, but there is probably
doodle element who are back of the matter
The Exposition people may worry over the
matter and may think it will hurt them.
but l do not think it will The rank and
file of organized labor in Allegheny county
will take the matter up and the other side
will be heard from. The respecta BILE mem-
bers OF the Council opposed the measure,
but the others rushed it through.
81 can say that the local assembly of
musicians l organized is as straight as any
in the city. There is not one organization
in Pittsburg that some time or other has not
taken in what are known as 'scabs.' The
men l organized are the talent of the musical
profession in Allegheny county. They
make their living exclusively by the talent
and this is the highest standard of their
skill. The others are not professional mu-
sicians, and for this reason the former men
did not wish to associate with them. 1
think that personal animosity is at the
bottom OF the whole business"
Joseph L. Evans, President of the Trades
Council, said to the writer:
ALL AGAINST MARVIN.
"There were one or two men in the couu-
ell who talked of boycott, but / do not
think that such action will ever be taken.
The Exposition is intended to benefit the
working classes, and we should not cut our
own noses of to spite our faces. In the reso-
l.. - = 1.C2A
whether he will or will not patronize the
institution. While we will not do auy
thing against the Exposition, we will GER
tainly not let up on the President until he
steps down and out. He has antagonized
union labor in every way, and we will fight
1t out with him."
Calvin Wyatt, one of the most prominent
delegates to the council, said: 81 don't |
think the talk of a boycott will amount to |
much. The fight is not directed against the |
Exposition, but against Mr.. Marvin. The |
latter is well-known antagonist of |
union labor, and never lets chance 90 by |
without giving it crack. The resolution |
asking him to sign was mostly on this ac- |
count We do not think the Exposition |
can be thorough success with such man
at the head of it. Looking at it from a
union standpoint we caLnot consistently
boost such an institution. If Mr., Marvin
is removed we would give it our hearty sup
port and cooperation. We would like to
see the Exposition a success, and 1 think
express the sentiments of the orpaniza-
ton. The present man should certainly 90
and not retard the, growth of the institution
in any way. Ii he was out of the way
think the present musical trouble could be
settled in a few hours. The resolutions
a bout Mr.. Marvin were almost unanimously
adopted"