Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-28
AS FAR OFF AS EVER.
The Manufacturers Will Not Ac.
cept the New Iron Scale.
THEY ARGUE ON ARBITRATION.
The Committee Debate Until Darkness
Oyertakes Them.
A SEARCH FOR LIGHT AND THE RESULT

the Wage Committee of the Amalgamated
Association yesterday in trying to induce
the Pittsburg manufacturers to accept the
new iron scale, which has undergone some
changes since it was first presented. FiE
teen sessions have now been held since the
trouble began and the joint committee is
practically just as far from a compromise as
ever. The meeting convened at 2:30 yester-
day afternoon, and it was just Is minutes
after when an adjournment was called.
Arguments and debates at intervals was
the chief feature of the conference. The
manufacturers have about concluded that
they cannot secure substantial reduction
in the pudding rate which they so streuu-
ously demanded at previous meetings.
Later they changed their tactics, and it has
been acknowledged that the Wage Com
mittee have been for a week past consid-
ering proposition from the iron masters
to reduce certain items in the cost of finish
ing.
Accordingly about the first matter upon
the programme yesterday to be settled
was the action of the Wage Committee on
the manufacturer proposition. No time
was lost in preliminaries, but at the
very beginning of the meeting the joint
committee got right down to business. For
every point advanced by the manufac-
turers the Amalgamated Association had
counter points, and the entire session was
one series of arguments, debates and separ-
ate conferences.
Discussing the Scale for Finishing.
Al ;v th E1;, IL
partments was broached the subject was
hotly discussed from different standpoints.
d. B. Oliver and A. E. w. Painter repre-
sented the manufacturers, while President
William Weihe, President-elect NJ. M.
Garland and District Vice-President John
Sheehan took the stand for the Amalga-
mated Association.
While the latter gentleman was speaking,
two or three manufacturers interrupted him
and commented upon the view he took Of
the situation. During the debate the manu-
facturers intimated that the Wage Com
mittee had just been fooling away their
time during the last Is meetings. To
further impress them the iron masters
reviewed the Homestead trouble as an
illustration, stating that when the locked
out workmen at that place had a chance to
come to an agreement with the Carnegie
Steel Company they refused and now they
want arbitration.
One of the speakers for the manufacturers
said that the local men occupy about the
same position. They have chance to reach
a settlement, and after the opportunity has
passed they would cry for arbitration. An
other long debate followed, alter which the
manufacturers made another proposition.
President Weihe then called the members
of the Wage Committee together and they
walked TO distant part of the room where
they held private conference for about
five minutes and returned with their report,
which was not received very tavorably, il
the words subsequently used by d. B. Oliver
was any indication.
Then the Light Went Out
Following this was another discussion,
during which the manufacturers made an
other proposition and submitted paper to
the Wage Committee for consideration. For
some reason or another the committee could
not reach decision in their seats and again
they were called to distant part of the
room where another private conference was
held This occurred at 7:45 o'clock, and it
was Is minutes before the Amalgamated
men returned to their proper places. Again
the report was unfayorable to the manufact-
urers.
About this time it became 30 dark that
the committeeman could hardly see their
hands held in front OF their faces, and to
make matters still worse the electric light
fixtures in the room were without globes.
A search for these little necessities was
then made and several of the committee
men in going through the hallway finally
found one globe and returned in triumph to
the room This was attached TO the fixture
over Chairman Painters desk and furnished
the light for the entire room, which was
probably 35x90 feet in dimensions.
During all this time the meeting had not
even adjourned temporarily, and some of
the members who passed out into the hall
way for glass OF water remarked that they
were decidedly hungry One manufacturer
who came after water was confident that the
Joint Committee would reach decision
before they adjourned. He said: There
is hardly any doubt that settlement will
be made tonight either one way or an
other"
One Point in Contention.
This remark shows that the statement
heretofore made that there is practically
only one point in contention between the
aud Wa a,e Committee contains
a great deal OF truth. This one point plays
an important part in the finishing DEPART
ments, and when This is settled amicably
the scale will b. signed. Af!er the last
private conference nothing out of the
ordinary occurred, and at 9:1S o'clock the
conference adjourned to meet to-day at 1:3O
o'clock.
Chairman Painter when asked if any
thing had been accomplished at the meeting,
said ''Excuse he" Then turning upon
his heel he walked away.