St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-18

wages and the bosses make more money than
they do here? We claim that it is done
through organization. There the employers
have their union, and the employees theirs.
sequence is you are cutting one another's
Threats to get the work, and we
nave to take whatever you can afford to
give u.s. You have to use the poor
est material and cheat in number Of
Gratis and slight the work wherever it is pos
s1ble, and we have to help you to rob your
victim. This is unmanly; no honest man
wants to continue in such business know
Ing the above statements to be facts. and see
Ing our trade sink lower and lower, and
wages gradually go down until to-day we are
no better off than common laborer. We
have organized a local union in this city i'll
the brotherhood Of Painters and Decorators
Of America. AS general thing employers
are not favorable toward unions, SO one OBJ
Ject of this letter is 60 assure you that we
have organized for an honest and honorable
purpose Certainly, we expect to better our
condition financially, but when the question
and ample notice Of whatever action we may
take, or if you should organize a union,
which we hope you will, we are willing to
confer with you on the wage question at any
time, and if we cannot agree, to leave the
whole matter to arbitration Why can we
not work together i'll harmony for
the good of our trade? What is your
interest is ours, and certainly it is
who can do you good work and a suf-
fclent amount of it. And for want of q
strlct apprentice system. and through lack of
union among the painters, the trade literally
swarms with unskilled men. Unfair and I'M
scrupulous employers have introduced yari-
Gus lllegitimate practices that are at once a
discredit and reproach, while everywhere
III the blind, SenseleSS competition for work,
cheapness has almost become the prevalent
rule, to the detriment alike of employers and
Journeymen. TO the injury of the public, and
to the ruin and degradation Of the trade. No
one can be member of the brotherhood I'M
less he is painter or decorator; we do not
want to take in any man unless he is a COM
petent workman ana capable of command
ing the wages. Yours respectfully,
MINNEAPOLIS BROTHERHOOD PAINTERS AND
DECORATORS.
The employers were generally dis
posed to favor the union and grant any
reasonable requests.
The single tax league last Tuesday
evening listened to an able address by
G. A. CreSsy on the Situation and So
luton" He argued the question from
the nationalist point of view. and found
enough difference of opinion in the
single tax league to cause lively dis
cuSSion.
The joint committee from the single
tax, trade and labor assembly and ma
tionalist club met Wednesday evening
to discuss methods of street lighting.
Aid. Potter was present by invitation.
He explained the result of his re-
searches and gave some instructive
statistics. The joint committee, after
fully discussing various methods, passed
resolution advocating electric lighting
for all streets and municipal control of
the plant.
The state eight hour league met at
the Labor Temple last Sunday with
good representative attendance.
Among other matters, the following
resolution was passed in regard to the
discharge of employees by manufacture
ing firm of st. Paul.
Whereas, A well known manufacturing
firm of ST. Paul recently discharged several
employees with no apparent reason tor such
action except that they were aiding their as
sociates to obtain a reduction of hours: and
Whereas, The circumstances attending
their, discharge are such as to warranrthe
conclusion that this firm intends to retain no
members of labor organizations among its
employees; therefore be it
Resolved, That the State Eight-Hour league
commends the ST. Paul Trade and Labor as
sembly in making this a matter for special
investigation by its grievance committee If,
on visiting the firm, the committee finds no
evidence to disprove the conclusion recited
above, then this league recommends that
every farmer and workingman residing in
Minnesota and Dakota be officially notified
OF the position assumed by this firm. The
result will be that the goods sent out by it
will be let severely alone until the firm shows
a disposition to recognize the rights of its
employees to organize ard adopt any reason
able means for lettering their condition.
The prospect of having the eight-hour
day on city work in st. Paul called out
considerable discussion. Action in re-
gard to state federation of labor is de-
ferred for another month, as not enough
answers had been received to warrant
the issuance of a call at that date.