The morning call., 1892-06-15
LABOR TROUBLES DISCUSSED.
Commissioner Walls Continues
the Investigation.
Further Testimony Taken in Reference to
Past Disputes Bstween the shoemakers
and Their Employers.

Further testimony in the labor inVestga-
ti0n was heard yesterday afternoon before
Labor Commissioner Waits IN the rooms of
the Labor Bureau at 900 SITTER street. 1t
was the continuation Of an inquiry opened
last Friday relating to the Manufacturers
Association and the formation of the FEEDER
ated Trades, and The discussion yesterday
was in reference to the conduct of the Shoe
makers Union in recent strikes and boy
colts against the manufacturers.
The shoemakers were represented by Mr..
McGlynn Of the Federated Trades and Sec
rotary GuIlfoyle of the Shoemakers' Union.
while S. Nickelsburg of the Manufacturers
Association conducted the case for the other
side. OF the witnesses in attendance the
latter had the majority, which fact leo to an
argument between Guilf0yle and Nickels-
burg. The former said that the witnesses
summoned came from Z. f. NOlan's factory.
and that he conld not induce men TO come
from the combination shops for fear they
would be blackliSted. He wanted con-
tnuauce, but the motion was oyerruled.
But two witnesses were examined during
the entire afternoon.
Walter Il. Rosie, sec et9ry OF the Coop
eratiye 70 tand Shoe Fact0r and pres dent
of the Manufacturers Association, was first
called. lie stated that he had been in bust
ness long before the formation If the White
Labor League He was an employer then
and most of the fact ries employed Chinese.
In his opinion the league was organized TO
drive the Chinese out Of the business and
prevent them from monOpollZiDg the indus
try.
In regard to boyeotting the witness did
not think Ii legitimate mode OF warfare,
but favored the settlement Of all labor
troubles by arbitration. He would EXPRESS
no opinion as to the feeling Of the assoca-
ton toward trade unions, but admitted that
the boycott was the main objection. There
had been but little change in wages since
the formation of the union, but business had
steadily decreased for the last nine years.
owing TO the importation OF EasteTn-made
goods, but which had aided in running the
Chinese product out OF the market
Mr.. Rosie stated that the white labor
stamp furnished by the union had been used
in his factory until it was demanded by the
union. The stamp was taken away and an
agreement submitted, offered In its place, by
the provisions Of which the manufacturer
was deprived of the right of fixing wages or
hiring help. This led TO trouble between
the employer and the union The witness
said he believed that firm should hire its
own men, fix the scale Of wages and con-
duet the business OF the concern without
outside interference.
George X. Porter Of the firm of Porter
SleSSuger a. Co. testified that he had been
in the boot and shoe business since 1868 At
one time he did have few Chinese in his
employ, but never taught any Of them the
trade because of an agreement TO that ef-
feet existing among the manufacturers. Mr..
Porter said he was in business when the
league was formed, but did not know the
object IF it nor did he think that any one
else did.
Previous to the formation OF the league"
said the witness, There was in existence
an organ iZatiOD known as the Order of ST
Crispin. II submitted a set of rules and
prices that was simply intOlerable, so ! sold
out and shut up shop as soon as possible"
Mr.. Porter then turned into a general
line of thought, dwelling a moment on the
Chinese question, then drifted back TO the
time be was In the tanneTy business, spoke
of the condition of trade and working peO-
pie in the East, referred to the farmer as
his ideal or a nottingham, because he be-
loDged TO no labor union, talked awhile OF
the tariff and concluded by stating that
rather than submit to the conditions of the
union lie would go out Of business again.
The investigation will be resumed again
to-day at l 80 O'clock.