New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-31
WELSH WoRKERS AND AMERICAN VAC


Thirty thousand workers engaged in the pro-
duction of tin plates in Wales, who had been
out of work for a month, were invited to resume
.perations Monday with the proviso that the
steel-pate workers should accept reduction
of 10 10 30 per cent in their wages. This the
whole body refused, and the timers stand with
them, dispatches say, informing employers that
they desire not TO start the works until the
question of wages for the steel-plate workers is
adjusted Charles Williams, member of the
Executive Committee of workers, said to a
correspondent of "The New-Yorl1 Herald" who
has Just returned from Wales:
We have all agreed TO stand by the masters against
American competition, II they Will sacrifice portion OF
their profits and let our wages alone. There is no
Weshman who would not prefer to have the Industry
kept I'm Wales But not cheap-prced men,
Rather than let the masters lower wages while they
keep profits up 10 the usual mark, we will all 60 to
America and will be one of the very first to go.
The correspondent has been led to believe
that the manufacture in this country is impOS-
sible unless the Welsh workers come hither
Some inventions will cast light upon that claim
before long. If public descriptions Of them in
scientific journals are not erroneous, they will
enable Americans to produce tin plates by
new process with far less skilled labor than is
REQUIRED in Wales. 1t may be added that
several thousand skilled workers from Wales
have already been engaged to come, according
to other recent dispatches, and the necessary
authority for their admission to this country has
been obtained by manufacturers here. But the
statement Of Mr.. Williams contains points that
are of especial interest. The workers repre-
sented by him have agreed to stay, provided
the masters will sacrifice a portion of their
profits and let wages alone"
a portion" and not the whole, be it noted
The Executive Committee of the workers holds
that the makers would not need to sacrifice the
whole Of their past profits in order to counter
balance the added duty of IL cents per pound
in this country, or about 81 "a 1-2 per box.
At this rate, on 100000 boxes sent to this
country the sum OF SS,0O0.000 a year would
represent only "a portion of the revenue that
the Welsh makers have derived from their
American subjects. No wonder they can find
Jealous defenders Of their interests in American
newspapers and in Democratic conventions. The
price of &. Coke, b. " grade, at Liverpool
is now - shillings 3 pence TO 10 ShiingS
pence, equivalent 10 about 80 IS, and the low
est price at which it has sold during the last
ten years is about So o. IF the workers are
right, the makers could put the price consider
ably lower without sacrificing the whole of their
profits, but they would have to do so in order
to sell as cheaply with the new duty as they
did before.
The lIerald's' correspondent declares that
if the tin-pate industry should be transferred
to America it "would he due to the greed Of
the masters and not of the menn But he
aflirms, as the result Of his Investigations in
Wales, that the masters seem determined to
reduce wages the men are determined 10 re-
sist" He uses the phrase, "Whie this vast
body of workers is likely to be launched in the
future upon America" and then he describes
methods used to deter them, thus:
The masters are spreading stories 10 frQIten the
about the terrible climate In America the exuense
of living, aud he lack Of all comforts dear 20 the Welsh
heart representative OF the masters who recently
returned from America told the men that the Welsh
there surrounded him with tears I'm their ewes
and said they wished they were back In dear old Wales
they had suffered terribly and We're sorry thew had ever
left their homes On hearing this story the Tin plate
workers nj swansea stuck their tongues I'm their checks
and winhed At each Other They ara not fools, They