The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-17
AMONG THE TOILERS.
Sailors Union Defended Against
Its Assailants.
WHAT MAKES MEMBERS ANGRY.
Agent Thiel Hits .ack-New Ship Car.
penters' Unions-President MUIR
ply Heard From.

Agent E. C. Thiel of the Sailors Union,
speaking Saturday wf the complaints of
some of the N asters of vessels and others
interested in the shipping business about
the union men injuring the shipping in-
tere.ts OF the city Ey their interference
with vessels employing non-union men,
etc. said:
There is not a union man in this city, As far
as ] know, who has any intention to iniure any
OF the interests OF the CITY. Every man has
right TO his opinions anzi every man has right
to demand what he considers fair. Union men
know that their time sn@i effort in maintaining
a union keep wages up Sor every man following
tina. trade, and it is gerry aggravating TO have
these fellows stand ouSside the union. accept
the benefits aud contrih.1te nothing toward the
very mower that has Pat bread and butter in
their mouths Not only do they stand outside
and accept the benefits, but they stand ready to
step in and take Our PLACES in case we have oc-
casion TO resort to a tFrike Workiucmen are
only human, and teg you these things will
stir most any man when he 10 brought face to
face with them.
Sailors have more thar this 70 contend with.
The public IL down on t+aern, for they are looked
upon as q lot of low dogs who are incapable OF
knowing what Is right &nd would not do right
even If they did know. Every time the master
OF vessel makes . statement the public te-
lieves every word he say, but . sailors word is
considered good for notlsing. As an instance, a
few days ago the caleain OF the barkentlne
Katie Flickinger com plaJ ned TO the Chamber OF
Commerce that his crew had been driven on
the vessel by the lons4horemen. The long
shorenen proved to him:that none OF them had
been near his vessel. so be concluded 1t was the
sailors The fact is tEat nobody interfered
with his crew. They happened to be nom
union men and, when they all left him, he
thought that If the unios men had not driven
them off, they should haze done so, and in Or
der to square himself With the owners OF the
vessel, he lodged his complaint He showed
that he did not have any facts to back up his
charges when he blamed the longshoremen.
who had no interest III the matter at all. Ii
either union had interferad with him it would
have been the sailors, bug know they did not,
so he was either DRAWN on his Imagination or
lying. But without a me5nent's inquiry to as
certain the foundation fog the charge, the poor.
riisused captains story is swallowed and a
committee appointed to: SEQ the mayor about
giving him police protection.
Shipping men and offers interested in the
welfare of the city had better consider little
before charging the Sailors Union with being
an impeachment to the Commercial interests OF
the city. This is the heasquarters for most OF
the sailors on the Sound, because the principal
shipping office and unson headquarters are
located here. This Is not because We ship more
men here than at other ports on the Sound, but
because 1t Is q central poiyt. At present We are
shipping more men 1t Tacoma than We are
here. and we have . sts.tding inducement to
move our office over there The Tacoma people
do not consider that bringing into one city two
thirds to three-fourths OF all the union sailors
coming TO the Sound AID having them spend
their money there is an injury. Just because
they have a little rumpHs with Q pugnacious
shipma AFTER every now auca then,