Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-07-21
ANSWERING FRlck.

Statement From the Advisory Board Of
the Homestead Workmen-Statement Of
the Carnegie Company Denied
HOMESTEAD, Pa. July lathe fol-
lowing statement ISSUED by the advis-
DRY committee of the workmen explains
the position of the men:
Homes tead Employees Answer to the Carnegie
Company:
The differences existing between the Carne-
gle company and their employees at Homestea
have drawn from h c. Prick statement Of
the points in dispute which makes necessary
reply in order that wrong impressions Of the
conditions may not be received by the public
It Is asserted that the employees combined
with others OF their trade forming the Anal
gamated association. with absolute control over
the Homestead works This charge can only be
supported to the satisfaction of those who deny
the right OF the employees to enter objection to
any conditions offered by the employers The
workingmen at Homestead or any other OF the
hundreds OF mills organized into the Amalga-
mated association have no desire to dicta te the
wages they shall receive, but they see no reason
why they should not exercise the privilege Of
engaging with their employer in the contro-
versy through which the rate Of compensation
for their labor is fixed.
The workmen are now, as they always have
been, prepared to meet the repreSea tatives Of
the company and discuss the provi.ions con-
tanned in the scale submitted by them If the
conferences already held have failed 20 bring
about settlement. it cannot be st,id that this
The scale under which the men at Homestead
were working was arranged in July Of 1854
The raj OF wages was fixed according to the
selling price Of AKA Bessemer steel billets. the
wages advancing and declining with the selling
price of the articles, but it was provided the
minimum should be SIS. ComplaibN is made
that no minimum should have been insisted
upon. 1t is the experience Of the Lon and
steel workers that some prevention is ueces-
sary to protect themselves from being reduced
to an extremely low rate of pay by the accept
ance by manufacturers of scales below current
rates; as the workingmen do not sell the prod
uct, there must be point where reduction in
wages by reason of low figure scales shall cease.
It is alleged that labor organizations are iniuri
ious alike to the tollers and those by whom they
are employed, in substantiation of which it is
cited by the firm that there is no organization
among their employees at Braddock nor DuqueSne
steel works. that the men there are satisfied,
that they get good wages and that no strike
has occurred since the institution Of that ar
rangement.
It may be said that the satisfaction Of which
Mr.. Frick speaks existing at the above
works is forced rather than voluntary, may
be proved by the many efforts of the men in
these mills to organize themselves in SecreSy.
knowledge of such intentions coming to the
ears of the company would be and was followed
by discharge. The wages enjoyed by the men
at Braddock and DuQuesne are the direct result
of the rate Of compensation SuS tanned 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 tradesmen determines
the pay that commands their services.
It is the Gus tom of the employers of non-union
men in the iron and steel trade to pay the rates
provided by the Amalgamated scale in order to
secure the services Of men Of that trade It is
found, however. to be invariably the case that
with these employers, while they pay the rates
provided by the AmaIgamated associat ton, the
men are required to accept conditions which
are tantamount to reduced rate although no.
ON acyiny f1kl 10 haxy TO hsa-
Eeve that the non-union plants of Braddoci and
DeQuesne can be proved to be no exception to
this rule. The Introduction Of machinery to
which reference is made by the company has dis
placed men that were necessary before the in
PRODUCTION of such machinery, and in this man
ner repays the cost of the investment The
output OF a mill is always considered when
ranging scales and if increase Of output with
increase of labor is brought about by i'm
provement there is every opportunity offered
by the workmen to arrive through conference
at an equitable rate; but when the employer
refuses to engage in discussion with the
plOye on the ma tier all hope OF just settle
ment is lost
An attempt is made to lead the public into
the belief that the number of men affected by
the reduction is few. Here again it becomes
necessary to impress the public mind the
fact there are three distinct propositions con-
tanned in the dispute, namely: A reduction in
the minimum, another reduction In the proper
tionate rate of pay (thus making double re-
81, 1898, instead of June 30, 1894 1t
must be understood that while all OF
these propositions do not affect the
whole of the Homestead workmen, few O.
without being affected by one or more of its
provisions What does not affect the one does
affect the other, and it might be said that in
stead of the compaEy's proposal altering the
condition of employment of 325, the change is
general and the whole are involved It is
stated by the company with much force that it
Is not their desire to reduce their workmen be-
low others The cost Of production to the
Carnegie company at Homestead is decidedly
in favor of the company as compared with mills
of that character. 1t can now be shown that
they cannot establish complaint in that direc-
ton
In arranging scales of wages to govern iron
and steel workers, there are innumerable things
which must receive attention if justice must
prevail. The intricacies referred to are such
as TO render nable erroneous views TO be drawn
by those not familiar with the trade from their
discussion in the public press There can be no
legitimate reason why the Carnegie company
should deny to their Homestead worxmen a
conference where the things of which they COM
plain could be analysed and, if found unjust,
made right The men make Eo further PROPOSE
ton than this for the simple reason that none
fairer Is possible. If argument and honest
reasoning were substituted for the reserve and
GOODNESS OF manner as seen in the company's
attitude there can be reason to expect an end
of this state of affairs. Does it not strange
tnat uHe carnegie company looks Win O1StruSt
upon the organization of its Homestead
ployes, while at several of its large mills they
have for several years encouraged the organiza-
ton of the men, and at this moment are getting
along satisfactorily together?
Surely it will not be charged that the men OF
Homestead are less Intelligent, or less entitled
to those rights which are the principles of
ganiZed labor and which are inseparable from
their citizenship There are none who regret
the 1amentable occurrences OF the past few
days more Than those whom the Carnegie com
pany charges with having been instrumental in
bringing them about We are willing to allow
the public to judge after the evidence is all in
whether these charges are true We feel that
the erroneous statements given out relative to
our conduct will be removed by impartial in
vestigation in due time. Until then we prefer
to forget our recent sad experience
Sioux City-Street Car Men.
SIOUX City, Ia, July 12.-At meet
ing of the street-car employees it was
70 oc1y Cd X,