The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-02
WAGES OF ANDERSON eLAss-woRKERs.
The New York Times of recent date

WAGES OF ANDERSON aLAsS-W0RKERS.
The New York Times of recent date
contained the following:
1t is reported in the Crockery and Glass
Journal that the managers of the Pennsyl-
yanIa g~lass-works. at Anderson. Ind, re-
Gently ordered q reduction of IS per cent.
In wages. and that thiso order has been fol-
lowed by q strike. 1t is also said that the
concern paid a dividend of "a per cent. last
year. The Indianapolis Journal should at
once apply to Mr.. j. w. Jones. of Hutchin-
son. Kan.. for proof that there is no founda-
ton III fact for this report. Upon the
authority of this resident of Hutchinson
the Journal has not only asserted that
there was no reduction of wages in the
potteries at Trenton last spring. but also
that the published record of that reduction
and of the ensuing strike was a free-trade
lie manufactured by some alien hireling.
Upon the same authority II has sought to
blot out the record of many other reduc-
tions. Nr. j. w. Jones, of Hutchinson. is
q very useful person, and now is the time
for the Journal To use him.
The Journal has not quoted Mr.. j. w.
Jones, of Kansas. nor made any state
ments on his authority in regard to the
potteries at Trenton or any other sub
ject. This part of the Times article is
one of the reckless statements for which
IL is somewhat notorious.
In regard to the Pennsylvania glass
works at Anderson the facts, as learned
from the president of the company, are
as follows: The company began work
at Anderson on the 25th of July, 1889, as
a non-union establishment with a fixed
schedule of wages. 1t is in part a CO.
operative factory, seven of the owners
and stockholders being workers in the
mill and large waRe-earners. On the 1st
of January, 1890, the directors voluntar-
lily gay the men an advance of % per
cent. for work in all departments. The
earnings of the factory at that time
were large, and it was felt that the
advance was justified. Under the new
schedule of wages the men averaged
from So to $40 per day. This high rate
of wages continued for more than a year
and a half. During the past three
months there has been a big cut in
prices in the product of this factory
fruit j%ars-and, in order to keep in the
market and hold their trade. they had
to reduce the price of their product.
This necessitated a reduction of wages,
and the company announced a reduc-
ton of % per cent. This was a return
to the original schedule in operation be-
fore the voluntary advance of % per
cent. Jan. 1, 1890. The reduction af-
fected the stockholders and part owners
of the mill who were working for wages,
as we'll as the other workmen. Upon
this some of the men went out. There
was no general strike; the men who
went out were in favor OF making the
factory q union establishment, and
hoped to accomplish it in this way.
Their places were filled at once and
work in the factory continues, the pres
ent employees being perfectly satisfied
with the wages paid, feeling assured
that when business justities it they will
get an increase.
The facts show that so far from the
company's having shown any disposition
to Cypress the men, it acted literally
with them in voluntarily giving an in
crease of 20 per cent. in wages when
business justified it, and only made a re-
ducti0n when the state of the market
compelled them to-. The reduction ap-
piled to the seven stockholders who are
wage-workers in the mill, and presum-
ably to the other stockholders, who
doubtless had to submit to q correspond
ing reduction of profits. If there is any
element of injustice in this, or anything
for a free-trade organ to crow over, we
fail TO see it.
The statement that the concern paid
n dividend of 81 per cent. last year is all
bosh. A dividend was declared of 80
per cent, but this included a number of
city lots which had been donated to the
company as n bonus to secure the loca-
ton of the factory.
1t appears to US that the only consola-
ton the Times can get ont of this case
is that the glass business is not quite as
prosperous as it was last year, though
there is no prospect whatever that it
will have the pleasure of witnessing the
destruction of the business and the
capture of the American market by for
eignerS.