The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-23
THE EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATIONS.
Employing 10000 People, and Paying
Daily 100000 Wages, on Boycott.

Daily 100000 Wages, on Boycott.
The board of manufacturers and employers
OF California believe that the time has come
when a universal and systematic effort should be
made to put an end to boycotts and the per-
nicious interference of trades unions with the
internal affairs OF trade. Unless this he done
the already suffering industries OF the city viii
room become so badly handicapped a. to be
practically OF the race in the competition OF
the world. Every line OF production has sui
fered from this cause. Tons of iron work OF oil
sorts, formerly made here. IL now shipped in
from the East. Large quantities of printing is
row shipped in from the East. California pro-
nuces some OF the finest leather in The world,
and yet the amount OF leather products i'm
ported from the East is steadily increasing.
The manufacturers of furniture are facing n
ruinons competition. much OF the hardwood fin
ishipgs for our buildings is prepared in the East
and shipped here ready to be put in place. The
lumber output is curtsiled Coasting vessels
IRE laid M. Although the second wool growing
state in the Union our output OF woolen goods
is ridiculously small ana growing less. Eight
hundred white cigarmekers once found en-
ployment ia San Francisco. now less than 200
work al their trade Eastern barrels threaten
to close our cooper shops. En- tern bottled beer
completes with superior San Francisco product
eeveral factories have gone East and more are
expected TO follow. Possessing Unriyaled
harbor, a splendid location, Il rich and vast sub
sidiary country aud plenty Of capital. the city
ought 10 grow faster than the cities of the East.
Instead, al the present rate, the next census Will
show a population of 100000 in place OF the 5c0,
6oc il ought TO show. The loss OF the city Is the
loss of the state. Stagnaton means the con-
sumption of less lumber less grain, less fruit,
less af everything the country produces II
means that the farmer must pay freight to dis
tant markets The firms In the Manufacturers
Association employ 5000 people and pay $780,
GOO PER day in wages; what ii these plants go
East?
Wages are higher here than anywhere else in
the world. According to the official report of
the bureau of labor statistics they more than
10 per cent. higher than In Illinois: more ;han
20 per cent. higher than in New York; more
than twice the amount OF WAGES in England.
and more than three times the wages paid in
Germany. France and Italy. While wages are
higher the hours of laoor are shorter than in
any other country except Australia. the cost of
living is less and the climate permits work all
the year round. This is not due 10 the unions.
1t Is natural to California. II would prevail If
no unions existed.
The manufacturers do not complain of the
wages. There is no desire To reduce them be-
low the normal rate, which must always remain
the highest. Il permitted to do business in
peace the manufacturers could pay these wages
and prosper. Il Is the element OF uncertainty
that kills. The labor leader seeks TO control the
men, aud the manufacturer cannot manage his
business to the best advantage. IL il because
the life OF a business has heretofore been at the
mercy OF a boycott that manufacturers have been
afraid to launch into undertakings. i'm
prove their plants or push for new avenues OF
trsde.
The levying and agitation OF boycott is al
ways harmful, not perhaps to the particular
Industry sought to be injured, Tut To the COM
mnnity at Large. IL foments uneasiness Ii
alarms capitsl intended for investment. 1t Gre
afes that uncertainty which is the death of
trade IL rf n hst I'm ~ Er,p
cisco to intending settlers. Boycott circulars
always lie. 1t is not too much to say that not a
single truthful boycott circular has been issued
since boycotting began. Their MEASUREMENTS
Islander the city and SANDER the men doing
business hero. They are pernicious, destructive
and wholly bad. The boycott is a crying evil of
our times IL Is the persuasion OF brute force.
1t does not belong to modern civilization. 1t
Is never honest. Walking delegates have
been brihed to boycott competitors,
and walking delegates have cxected
brides for immunity from boycot.s II is never
just. When Calm, Nickelsburg q Co into
duced new machinery In their factory a com
mittee OF expert manufacturers reported that
the new rate on the new machines actually ill.,
creased the wages of the operator. yet boycott
was levied. The Abcnd Post is boycotted after
the Typographical Union declared the boycott
untenable and asked 10 have it raised Well
fngton coal !s boycotted long after the Yelling
ton strike is declared off Breweries are boy
cotted Notwithstanding that the beer drivers in
body protested against the wrong and de-
clared that they would GO longer permit the
Federated Trades to dictate whnt they should
eat, drink, wear or read Dry goods houses are
boycottcd. although all their clerks declare
against IT. 4 boycott Is in al respects high.
wayman. He is an industrial wrecker His single
and simple proposition is ''s:aud and deliver"
These evils do not spring from the better iude-
ment of the workmen themselves They are
the result of the system of mi .,rla
gates. 1t is a matter OF Common experience
mat union supporting walking delegate can
J never be at peace. The moment agitation
ceases the men grow careless, do not attend
meetings and neglect 10 pay dues The paid
walking delegate finds his source of revenue
growing prccagjous, and his reputation as =
leader growing pale lie fomea;s discomfort
creates "a labor war. fills m his treasure and il
at once the observed OF union men and the hero
OF the hour. The paid walking delegate has
everything 10 gain from labor war: tha work.
fngman has everything 10 lose. liza strike sue
ceeds the workingman Is still Il loser bat the
paid walking delegate reigus supreme Agita.
ton is the Lille OF uuionism. None know this
better than labor leaders. They have a slogan:
"Agitate, educate, organized" But "agitate"
comes first and is the most important This
activity is good Tor tue paid walking
delegate, but Il is Iujuous 10 business
and calamitous 10 the industrious working
man. When workingman stops 10 consider
the amount he hiss paid IN dues 10 his own
union. the sm0unt in assessments to assis,
other unions in tIouole, the amount re has lost
III wages by going oUt on strikes ne sees n uacc
that the union has cost him much and
gained him nothing. The average workincnan
does net desire 70 belong - union H. docs
not attend tire meetings lie only belongs
because compelled. \ few men run the
meetings. run Ia unions. aud bring on all the
labor wars The few gain by 1.-THE many
suffer
This condition of things should no Longer b,
tolerated. The boycott should - stopped Vhs
citizens ~ the state hold iais evi IL the hollow
OF their hands Let them declare agains, tne
AMI discharge boyco,ter~. Patron - bovcotted
nrns When eoycotuac becomes dangerous
Anu boycottS help more than they harm. boy
cotiing Wi! cease.
Abe Spring was asked 10 answer the
statements contained N this circular ana
prepared the following communication.
Lsb,r unions are nnder obligations - the Fa>r.
lNrELLIGENCER FOR PisciaE before he pablo.
The case OF tue Employers Association We
d congratulate tue manu- tSetu-ers upou their I'm Al
i conclusion - taAe the pUh,ic iuto their coma
deuce. Csusdy the employers o. labor say.
"rhe public be ID. We WILL run our bust.
ness 20 suit ourselves
] IL is gratifying - know taSt AZ last thew have
learned - follow oar example and place their
case before tina: tribunal that IS always just
seldom cvelnz ami never onc-s.3ei. namely
puhic opinion.
TrSdes unions have long since ics-ned AZ
great cost and proht, taat no strike can VIII. un-
less hssed upon = .ust foundation. and thereby