Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-11
GOV. PATTlSON ACTS.
lCont1nned from First nAce

cannot be said that this was the fault of
the workingmen.
The Matter of the Minimum
"The scale under which the men at the
Homestead were working was arranged in
July of 1879. The rate of wages was
fixed according to the selling price of AKA
Bessemer steel billets, the wages advanc-
Ing and declining with the selling price of
that article. 1t was provided that the
minimum should be SIS. Complaint is
made that no minimum should have been
insisted upon. 1t is the experience of the
iron and ST, ell workers that some preyeu-
ton is necessary to protect themselves
from being reduced to an extremely low
rate of pay by the acceptance by manu-
facturers of sales below current rates. As
the workingmen do not sell the product,
there must be APPOINT where reduction in
wages by reason of low figured sales shall
cease.
How Non-Union Mill are Run
1T is alleged that labor organizations
are injurious alike to the toilers and those
by whom they are employed, in substanti-
alton Of which il is cited BY the firm
that there is no organization amongst
their employer at the Braddock nor the
Duquesne Steel works; that the men there
are satisfied; that they get good wages,
and that no strike has occurred at those
works since the institution of that man
agement 1t may be said that the salts
faction of which Mr.. Frick speaks as ex-
listing at the above works Is forced rather
than voluntary, as may be proven by the
many efforts of the men in these mills to
organize themselves in secrecy. Know
ledge of such intentions coming to the ears
OF the company would be and was followed
by discharge.
Claims for the Union Scale.
the wages enjoyed by the men at Brad
dock and Duquesne are the direct result of
the rate of compensation sustained by the
organized iron and steel workers While
they are not organized in these mills, the
rate OF pay for the class of work done by
them, fixed by their organized fellow
tracesmen, determines the pay that can
command their services. 1t is the custom
OF the employers of non-union men in the
iron and steel trade TO pay the rates pro-
viGed by the Amalgamatcd scale in order
to secure the services of men Of that trade;
1t Is found, however. to be invariably the
sase that while these employers pay the
rates provided by the Amalgamated asso-
citation the men are required to accept con-
dltlons which are tantamouut to a reduced
rate, although not appearing on the face.
Improved Machinery Considered.
we have reason to believe that the nom
union plants OF Braddock and Duquesne
can be proved to be no exception to this
rule. The introduction of improved ma.
chlnery, 10 which reference Is made by the
company, has displaced men hat were
necessary before the introduction of such
machinery, and in this manner repays the
cost OF he Investment The output of a
mill is always considered when arranging
los i,,r-a,g.,
increase OF labor to the wcrkmen is brought
about by Improvements there is every cp-
portCnity offered by the workmeu to arrive
through conference at an equitable rae;
but when the employer refuses TO engage
In discussion with the cmplOye on the
matter all hope of a just settlement is lost.
Those Three Propositions Again.
IAN attempt i made to lead the public
into the BELIEF that the number of men
as- cted by the reduction are few. Here
again it becomes necessary to impress
upon the public mind the fact that there
are three distinct propositions contained
in the dispute, namely: A reduction in
the minimum, another reduction on the
proportionate rate of pay thus making a
double reduCtion), and that the scale
terminate Dec. 81, 1898, instead of June
30, 1894. 1t must be understood that
while all these proposition do not affect
the whole Of the Homestead workmen, few
of the $500 employees of that place escape
without heing affected by one or more of
it provisions.
Efficiency of the Homestead Plant.
"What does not affect the one does affect
the other, and it might be said that IN
stead of the company's proposal altering
the condition of b the change is general,
and the whole are involved. 1t is stated
by the company with much force that it is
not their desire to reduce their workm en-
below other. The cost of production to
the Carnegie company at Homestead is
decidedly in favor OF the company as COM
pared with other mills of that character
1t can be shown that they cannot es-
tablish a complaint in that direction.
An Intricate Piece of Business.
"In arranging scales of wages to govern
iron and steel workers there are innumer-
able things which must receive attention
if ju stice is to prevail The intricacies
referred to are such as to render liable er-
roneous views to be drawn by those not
familiar with that trade from their discus
sion in the public press. There can be no
legitimate reason why the Carnegie com
pany should deny to their Homestead
workmeu II conference, where the things
of which they complain could be analysed,
and if found unjust made right. The men
make no fairer proposition than this for
the simple reason that none fairer is pos
sible.
An Instance of Inconsistency.
ar argument and honest reasoning were
substituted for the reserve and GOODNESS of
manner, as seen in the eompany's present
attitude, there can be reason to expect an
end would come to this deplorable state of
affairs Does it not seem strange that the
Carnegie company looks with distrust upon
the organization of its homestead employees,
while at several of its large mills it has for
several years encouraged the organization
of the men, and at this moment are getting
along satisfactorily togethers
The Battle of Wednesday.
"Surely it will not be charged that the
men of Homestead are less intelligent or
less entitled to those rights which are the