The Press., 1892-07-14
THE HOMESTEAD TROUBLE.

been interviewed by the correspondent of the Philadelphia Press as follows:
 "What was the basis of the differences existing at present between the Carnegie company and their men, MT. Prick ?" '"There were three points upon which we differed. The skilled workmen in the amalgamated association work under what is known as sliding scale. As the price of steel advances the earnings of the men advance; as the prices fall their earnings decrease in proportion. While there is no limit to an advance of earn ings on the scale, there is point at which the decline stops. It is known as the minimum, and the figure heretofore has been 1925 per ton for by 4 Bessemer bill lets. We believe that if earniHys based on she selling price of steel caii advance without limit the workmen should be will ling to follow the selling price down to a reasonable minimum, and so this figure was finally fixed by the Carnegie compa- reason for asking this upon our part was that the Carnegie company had spent large sums of money in the introduction of new machinery in its Homestead plant, by means of which the gorkmen were en- abled to increase the daily output, there by increasing the amount of their own
 earnings. We had originally asked re-
 duction to $22, but subsequently, agreed
 to compromise the rate at $23. The
 amalgamated association was unwilling
 to consider a reduction below $24 on steel
 billets, notwithstanding the fact that the improved machinery would enable their
 members, even at $23, to earn more than | is paid in other amalgamated mills This
 was the first point at issue.
 "Under the present amalgamated sys- | tenn the date of the expiration of the slid ing scale is June 30, annually. We asked ! that this date be changed to December 31 (same as at Edgar Thomsonl for the rea-
 son that the change would permit us to
 take our estimates upon the wages that
 we must pay during the year, beginning
 January i, so that we would be enabled
 to make contracts for the year according
 ly. This point the amalgamated associa-
 tion refused to concede, and demanded the
 old date. The third proposition was the re-
 duction in tonnage rates in those depart
 ments have spoken of have been made,
 and which enabled the work ingmen to in-
 crease the output and consequently their
 earnings. Where no such Improvements
 had been made, there was no request up-
 on our part for reduction in tonnage
 rates. In other words, we asked no re-
 duction in any department at which the loutput had not been greatly increased by
 reason of our expensive Improvements
 since the scale of 1889 went into effect. We are prepared to show that in nearly
 every department under our proposed re- duction in the tonnage rates, the skilled
 workmen would make more money than
 they did when the scale of 1889 went into
 effect. As @ rule the men who are mak- ing the largest wages in the Homestead
 mill were the ones who most bitterly de-
 nounced the proposed revision of the scale, for out of the $500 men employed in every
 department only 325 were directly affected by this reduction. Finding that it was
 impossible to arrive at any agreement
 with the amalgamated officials, we de-
 cided to close our works at Homestead" T "Why did the Carnegie company call upon the Pinkertons for watchmen to pro- tect their property? ?'' "We did not see
 how else we would have protection. We only wanted them for watchmen to pro-
 tect our property, and see that workmen we would take to Homestead-and we have had applications from many men to ], go there to work-were not interfered
 with" ''Did you doubt the ability of
 the sheriff to enforce order at Homestead and protect it's property?" "Yes, sir with local deputies" "Why?" "For the reason that three years ago our concern
 had an experience similar to this. We , felt the necessity of a change at the works so that scale should be adopted based on the sliding price of billets, and we ask. , ed the county authorities for protection The workmen began tactics similar tc , those employed in the present troubles ) The sheriff assured the members of the firm that there would be no difficulty that he would give them ample protection and see that men who were willing tC work were not interfered with. What was the result? The posse taken up by } the sheriff something over 100 men
 were not permitted to land on our proper ty-were driven off with threats of bodily and it looked as if there was going to be ) great destruction of life and property That frightened our people, and an agree 7 ment was made and work resumed. w
 did not propose this time to be placed il , that position"
 "The Pinkerton men, as generally un derstood, had been summoned, and al
 arrangements made with them to be or
 hand in case of failure by the sheriff tt , afford protection. Is that fact or not ? ? "The facts concerning the engagement O 7 the Pinkerton men are these: From pas
 experience, not only with the presen , sheriff, but with all others, we have found f that he has been unable to furnish us witt
 a sufficient number of deputies to guard I our property and protect the men wht
 were anxious to work on our terms. A! ' the amalgamated men from the 1st of Jul. l had surrounded our works, placed guard. g at all the entrances, and at all avenues o
 roads leading to our establishment ant
 for miles distant therefrom, we felt that for the Safety of our property and in orde ! to protect our workmen, it was necessar. , for us to secure our own watchmen to as 8 sist the sheriff, and we know of no othe source from which to obtain them thai 2 from Pinkerton agencies, and to them VI