Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-04
THE TRADEs-UNIoN METHODS.
How Americans Are Excluded from the
BUILDING Trades.

An editorial in the Century contains these
remarkable statements concerning the
trades-unIon method Of controlling certain
trades An extreme example of tho way
in which this - done was furnished by the
agreements which the JOurneymen PIas-
terers' Union OF New York city induced
the employers to sign IN 1890 and
1892. BIZ the first agreement. signed
in 1890. il was stipulated that no one
was 10 be taught tho plasteriDG trade IN
the city for two years. This agreement
was kent. and OF the end Of two years
another was signed by which il was stlpu-
lated that no one should be admitted TO
the plasterlng trade who had not serVed
an apprenticeship OF five years. Nhen
these agreements were signed. plas-
teriDp. ike most of the build
ing trades. vas largely in the
hands Of torecn-bOrn wOrkmen. Tho
effect Of the two agreements. which are
still IN force. has been 10 exclude native
born Americans from good trade Tor
seven years. AZ the same time foreign
workmen who maY not have worked at the
trade over six months before coming here
are admitted az lOurneymen. The effect
OF these agreements Is to keep the trade
entirely in the hands of foreigners.
AS we have said. this IS an exceptional
case. but it differs only in degree from
many Others. In oil The trades Americans
are disseminated against as much az pos
sible. and similar results to those accom-
plished IN tho plastaring trade are reached
bv more mildly-wOrded but no less effec-
tive rules. Thus, when an employer IL
allowed two apprentices and tho appren-
tlce IS required 10 serve four years, the
employer can graduate only one Journey
man every other year. Tho number OF en-
movers in anv one trade Is not large, and
such restrictions amount virtually 70 m
exclusion OF American young men from
the trades. A. tho sixth annual COnveu-
ton OF the PENNSYLVANIA Association OF
Master House-Palntcrs and Decorators.
held at Scranton IN January last one OF
the delegates read paper on the ap-
prentice system a. observed N ms
trade. in which ia said that after
personal investigation among at
least SIX hundred master painters
and decorators OF Philadelphia and
ylclnjty.' he had discovered that not m
average of one IN fifteen had single ap-
prentice IN his business, and that tho
larger the workshop or establishment tho
greater seemed two aohorrence with refer
cnce 10 tho employment Of boys to learn
the trade. many of tho masters going so
fara, 20 say, and with On evident spirit
Of prldct that IN all their experience a.
masters. exfonliug from fifteen 10 thirty
fye years. and employing nom hiieen 10
Iity and a. nigh a. eiShlY VOTED ~ tu'F
had never bothered their brains teaching
q boy toe business.
Evidence on this branch Of the sub
icct could 10 multiplied indefinitely did
space permit. We have quoted sufficient
10 show that the old apprenticeship sys-
ten has passed awag, and that no syst IN
of trade instruction has been permitted 10
take its place inside tho trades themselves.
We nave also shown that one Of the rea-
sons for this, though not the chief one, IS
the hostility Of tho fOrelgu-born work
men. VINO control the trades, to workmcn
Of American birth"