The Portland daily press., 1890-11-20
Repairing Damages.
THE WEBB & CUSHING TRousLE.
A State ment from the Lasters' Pro-
tectIve Union.

The following statement was prepared for
publication by the Lasters' Union In regard
to tire difficulty with Webb & Cushing:
In order that the public may not be misled
in regard to the lockout In the factory oil
Webb t& Cushing by the ingenious state
ment published in the morning papers Of
Wednesday, we desire to lay the facts before
them Just as they are, without the least de-
sire on our part TO open a discussion on the
merits Of the case through the columns OF
the newspapers.
ing have for some time been paying the reg
ular Union schedule price for the lasting OF
their shoes, that all the other factories in the
city OF Portland are paying for similar work
on similar grades of goods; the list Itself Is
far enough behind the prices paid for the
same grade Of work in Massachusetts, to al
low the Portland manufacturer competl-
tive chance In the market. The prices
themselves were made, and are now being
paid by all the manufacturers In the place,
and Mr.. Cushing's Is the first concern TO at
tempt cut down. or make any complaint In
regard to them, and this at time when the
selling price of goods has advanced, TO say
nothing in regard to the advance In the prices
of the necessities OF the men themselves.
1t has been stated that the lasters struck.
Such Is not the fact, they were locked out on
Saturday last, when the superintendent sub
mitted price list to them which was a re-
ductlon Of from one half to one and a half
cents per pair FROM former prices and which
would cut the weekly wages Of each one con
cerned from So to. s5 per week. The
presentation OF this list was accompanied by
the order that they need not return to work
until the prices had been accepted. This, of
course, they could not do in justice to the
other manufacturers, for we see no reason
why Mr.. Cushing should not pay as much
for his work as anybody else
bn afat n nriopQ
ent leather tips Is misleading. Six cents a
pair is not more than the factories In Lynn
and other Massachusetts, cities are paying"
The per cent extra allowed for tip itself may
be fraction of cent In advance, while the
price on the shue itself Is no more, and In
many of the grades far behind those paid In
Massachusetts and other New England
States. IL the firm wanted TO settle prices on
the basis OF those paid in Massachusetts
with an intelligent allowance for the differ
ence in facilities. ete, they failed TO show
any such desire to the committee who waited
on them, and we assure them that such a
settlement would be highly gratifying to the
organization.
We cannot see why the firm shonld claim
that they are paying more for their work
than their competitors. As far as we are
concerned as an organization, we can claim
that any thing In the nature OF Industrial dis
turbance, Is thing which we have studious-
ly avoided. We realize that the interest OF
own, and we deeply deplore the fact that we
are compelled TO make a contest while we do
not fear the outcome.
TIE list whicn was presented was from
one-half to one and one-half cents per pair
on patent tips reduction, and on the low cnt
or Oxford work a price far below any paid
here, one grade being listed at two and one
half cents per pair, while the lowest price
paid in any other factory here Is three and
three -f0urths.
1t is necessary to secure the greatest de-
gree OF harmony in the trade that the prices
in q locality where the products are so tden-
tical should be as near uniform as possible,
as the possibilities Of friction are greatly
lessened. and greater degree Of confidence
can be felt, both by employer and employed.
A reduction could not be taken at this
time, as we believe that the necessities Of
erage weekly wage Of so % Of the Portland
laster Is already too smell to admit OF any
inr0ads.
A reduction of one cent per pair on the
lasting of boots or shoes means reduction
of from 60 cents to Sl.00 per week In the pay
Of the laster doing the work, ard the loss OF
this means loss OF income which has never
been more than adequate to an existence In
conformity with the requirements Of Chris
tian civilization, when We take into consider
alton the fact Of the great loss Of time the
shoe factory operative must experience.
One year ago this same firm wished a re-
ductiOn on certain grade Of goods, which
was granted, they representing that by so
doing they would be able to procure great
amounts Of orders, which would be OF bene-
fit to the employees, and so it might go on un-
til the wage Of the American mechanic
dwindled to a mere ins'gniicance, and we
feel that In the present case we must cry
halt
PORTLAND, MAINE. BRANCH.
LAsTERs' PROTECTIVE UNION.