Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-05
Amalgamated officials Will Soon
Appeal Direct to Secretary
Foster Against
IMPORTING TIN PLATE WORKERS.
Mr.. NiedringhauS Is Alone in His Claims
That America Has No Practical
Tin Makers.
A MANUFACTURERS VIEW OF THE CASE.
Politics Dragged Into the Difficulty at MOOrhead
Bro. Co.'S Mill.

President weihe, of the Amalgamated As.
| sociation who Is making tour of Eastern
| lodges, is expected home on Thursday. He
| was in Lancaster yesterday, where there is
| trouble among the men. As soon as he gets
home, steps will be taken to formally oppose
the intended importation Of foreign tin plate
workers by ex-Congressman Niedringhaus.
Vice President Sheehan said.yesterday, he
thought some influential members of the
association would be sent as a committee
representing the organization, and convey
ing the information that has been gathered
during the past few days to Washington,
where an effert will be made to checkmate
any effort made by those who desire to i'm
port workmen.
The officials of the association claim to
have discovered one very important point,
and that is that ex-Congressman Nfedring-
haus is the only tin plate manufacturer Ssus
fnr that argues against the American tin
plate workers. The other manufacturers
who have talked at ali say that the Welsh
workers are an inferior class of workmen as
compared with those who have developed a
skilled knowledge of the business in this
country. The members of the association
are still gathering data on the question, and
it is said that II the public were put in pos
session of all the information they have,
even Mr. Niedringhaus himself would admit
that the country is full of competent tin
plate workers.
COLLECTING THE LOCAL WORKERS.
One man went to work on Allegheny City
yesterday for the purpose of compiling
list of names and addresses of mon who were
taught the trade in Welsh factories This
same work has already been done in other
districts where it is known that tin plate
workers reside.
Awell known and practical tin plate man.
ufacturer, in speaking yesterday of the con-
troversy that has arisen over this matter,
said:
The discussion on the immigration of tin
plate workmen and other matters relating
to our Forthcoming tin plate making indus
try is getting interesting. If a total lack of
information on tin plate matters were de-
sired to be exhibited, then those who assert
that we have now no skilled tin plate work
men in this country most completely do so,
as everyone who has given the subject of
tin plate making in America any thought
must be aware that we nave many old Welsh
hands engaged in our mills and elsewhere,
who had left the land of Cambria for this of
Columbia with the expectancy of employ
ment in the industry so soon as inaugurated
here. What is meant by tin plate work
men?
THE category of these skilled people
proper includes: Millmen, for preparing the
cold rollers, tinners and assorters. We can
accept it as n fact that we have with us at
present a sufficient supply of labor to cover
the manufacture and preparation of the
black plate for the tin house, and it is there
fore to this tin house department especially
we have 10 conflne our attention in the con-
troversy as to whether or not we are under
the necessity of importing the skilled labor
to operate it. Now we have a number of old
timers among the lot, but the question is,
how far the past experiences of these men
extend in the method of manufacturing tin
plate.
"It must be remembered that present oper-
alton and devices employed in the produc-
ton of tin plate differ greatly from those in
vogue but very recently; the old 'Morewood
set being elbowed on one side by patent
pot processes, whereby the opera
ton of fiuNing, coating and finishing
through the grease are performed in a sim
gle pot. These single pot processes will be
the methods adopted by the American,
the van of progress, and who will not in
this step to the rear by making a start in
his new venture with either antiQuated ap-
pliances or machinery whose uses are mori-
bund.
1--WE want workmen proficient by expert
ence to operate these single potts. and Imay
venture to remark that they are not to be
found to-day in America-ergo. We have to
familiarize those old-fashioned hands
which we have here with the new devices or
to import those who are proficient.
"The services of those tinhouse men who
have already become American citizens
should be utilized first, if possible, and pro-
viding the number of those prove to be in
sufficient, others must be brought over to
complete the tale, and which can be legally
done, as the following letter from Mr..
Spaulding, the Assistant Secretary of tho
Treasury, testifles:
Treasury DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 1890.
"'SIR-This Department has received by
reference from the Secretary of State, your
letter of the 25th ult inquiring about the
exception made in the alien contract law in
favor of skilled labor. In reply, you are in
formed that the law, a copy of which is here
with inclosed, does not prohibit the engag-
ing under contract or agreement, skilled
workmen in foreign countries to perform
la Dor in the United States in or upon any
the United States; provided, that skilled
labor for that purpose cannot be otherwise
tSee section B.
POINTS ON THE LEGALITY.
"'Thus you will see that the question
whether you can engage and import work
men, skilled in the manufacture of tin plate
from Wales under contract without violating
said law, depends upon whether they are to
be engaged to labor upon a new industry
not at present established in the United and |
also whether skilled labor for that industry
can be obtained in this country
Next as regards the earnings of the tinmen, |
and these should be so arranged as to bear |
relation to the millmens, similarly to the |
system at Welsh works, and where, let |
it be remembered, reduction of |
incensed at the conduct of the employers |
toward them in the imposition of fines and |
other arbitrary dealings, so that many will |
find their way out here without any assist |