Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-13
TIN PLATE WORKERS WAGES.
They Must Be Reduced - Astonishing
Greed of the Manufacturers

They Must Be Reduced Astonishing
Greed of the Manufacturers.
The great American manufacturers of
TIN plate are showing their hands sooner
than was expected, even by the greatest
skeptlcs of protection. 1t was an
nounced from Pittsburg, June II, that
AT the conference between the tin
plate manufacturers and the scale COM
mittee of the Amalgamated association
this afternoon, the latter were astounded
at call for reduction of wages of the
most highly skilled classes of worknlen
In the tin plate and sheet iron industries.
This call for a reduction is in the
face of the assertion of the manufac-
turers that the tariff put on tin plate by
the FIftieth congress was necessary in
order that good wages might be paid
American wOrlimen.H
Think of it, Wages to be reduced so
soon in this great Infant" industry.
; The foreigners. imported by Niedring-
kaus and Others to work in an Amer
lean" industry at American WAGES.
are asked to accept lower wages. This
ought TO be the straw that will break
projections back, but perhaps the
matter can be PATCHED up by the man
ufacturers who are never backward in
coming forward with excuses for lower
wages. This same dispatch SAYS that
David B. Oliver, c. lug, J. H. Laugh
lin and other leading manufacturers
urged the acceptance of the manufac-
turers scale on account, they said. of
the depressed condition of the iron
trade, just as if iron was not also heav-
lily protected" and therefore entitled
to be in booming" condition.
1t was only on June ? that the ''Asso-
citation Of Iron and Steel Manufacture
ers,' the Timed Plate Manufacturers
association" and the National Associa-
zion of Galvanized Sheet Iron Manufac-
turers' held meetings on the same day,
in the same room, and elected the same
secretary. Those who know anything
about the matter know that the duty on
tin plate has been kept up and raised to
benefit not the tin plate makers. who
have never before existed. but the sheet
iron and steel men, both OF whom have
been making enormous profits out of the
duty on tin plate, which has kept up the
price Of steel sheets and Of galvanized
iron for roofing purposes. 1t was not
strange, then, that they met together
and formed this three headed trust. or
monster. The iron and steel manufac-
turers agreed tc reduce wages in their
lines an average of 10 or 90 per cent. 1t
was generally believed that the tin plate
men would not dare TO exercise their
united power to reduce wages. at least
until after election. or certainly until
the tin plate bill had been discussed ir
congress; but their greed and their
"gaul' has exceeded the expectations of !
the most sanguine.
These ''AIckinleyized" and trusted"
industries consider it their especial privi-
lege TO worry wage earners and con-
sumers. What do they care for the feel !
lngs OF. sentiments Of the people: They
announced on June ?, 1892. that prices
Will not be touched on in any way" !
And Yet The Iron Age of June IS saws
that the prices OF sheet iron have been
advanced and II At the prices Of galvan-
lied iron are frmer, and in a few in !
stances higher,