Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-07


hours OF work. or promptness Of payment.
Indeed. under the contract system, intro
duced into the shop within the past year.
many of the men have largely increased.
and sometimes doubled, but in no case re-
ceiyed less than their ordinary wages for
full time,
Whatever the company has suffered, the
men have had a period Of unusual pros
perity.
The suggestion which has been thrown
out that the action Of the company has
been dictated by purpose. of capital to
Cypress labor is uniustifable. No objec-
ton has been made by the company In
any way 10 the labor organizations of its
employees, and an important inducement to
the investment of much capital which has
been put in these works was the desire TO
give employment to our home mechanics,
who were believed to be the equals Of any
in skill and the superiors of most IN the eX-
cellence and conservatism OF their char
acter.
For nine years no return has been re-
ceived by thestockholders of the company,
and il has become plain that unless the
company adopts the system of manufac-
turing and practices the economies which
are usual with its competitors the failure
of the company is foredoOmed and 1t will
only be n question Of time when the works
must close, the investment lost, and the
workmen of all kinds disbanded.
The establishment of the principle con-
tended for by the strikers--ylz., that
skilled mechanics must be employed 70 do
work which could as well be done by I'M
skilled workmen. and that the Mechanics
must be the judges IN the case-would de-
stroy any hope of successful competitive
manufacturing in the works where 1t pre-
vailed.
SHOULD LIVE AND LET LIVE.
While we have confidence in the high
character of many of our men who have
gone out, and respect their conscientious
convictions, yet we deeply regret the
course they have pursued, which we be-
lieve to be wrong in principle and practice,
and TO be based on extreme selhshuess-
violating the good old rule Of Live and
Let Liven-and IN disregard of the natural
rights of their fellOw-workmen.
Though we had hoped, and confidently
expected to have had these men share with
us in the development of q great manu-
featuring establishment, which would give
profitable employment to labor and a
proper return TO capital, yet as they have
voluntarily withdrawn from the service or
the company, and received their pay IN
full. we consider our relations with them
ended.
We have in no way obstructed these
men in getting employment elsewhere, but
we have had the spectacle constantly be-
fore our eyes ever since the strike began
OF our works being guarded and besleged
by these men whose avowed purpose it -
10 prevent our employing the workmen
we need. and we know thatbOth underhand
methods and open intimidation are being
practiced by them TO keep men away. All
of this is in defiance of our legal rights and
unworthy of law-abiding people.
The company has treated its employc 8
considerably in sickness and in health,
and we see no justification tor the spirit
which causes our late employees 10 make q
business of injuring us and their fellow
wOrkmen.
For years past the stockholders of this
company have gone on in the face Of losses
aud most discOuraging predictions to put
in large sums 70 support and develop the
works.
NO PAY TO STOCKHOLDERS.
BY dint Of untiring energy and enduring
anxieties. of which the wOrkmen have no
conception, business has been obtained
beyond our expectations, but the result
has been only 20 increase the number Of
people supported by the shops. and not
10 nav ANYTHING to the stockholders. In
this way the company has gradually in
creased its force from $50 men IN 1865
until now nearly 700 names are on its pay
rolls, and il is estimated that at least $500
persons are supported directly from the
wages paid out. while the indirect benefit
10 the community IS such that the works
have been regarded, not merely as an evil
dence of the energy and prosperity of the
South, but as an honor TO the city Of
Richmond.
II such a spirit as is now exhibited by the
strikers had been believed possible By the
men who have sustained these works for
years past they would never have put their
money III the enterprise, and It is useless
to talk of increasing population by attract
ing new settlers or asking the investment
of fresh capital in this community "a long
as good wOrkmen, honestly seeking job,
are driven away and the plainest rights of
the owners of property are disregarded
! and deted.
These are solemn truths and we COM
| mend them TO the serious reflection of our
| fellow-citiZens.
While we are DESTROYS 10 secure men TO
take the places now vacant in our shops,
we want no man who thinks this company
is imposing on the lust rights of skilled
labor and who would not give a sincere
support to the management.
WILLIAM Il. TRIGG,
joseph BRYAN,
J. j. MONTAGUE,
W. II. PALMER,
Il. A. LANCASTER,
LEWIS GINTER,
Thomas ATKINSON,
A. 5. BUFORD.