The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-29

rom sAe necessity 20 redres tho cost at raanu-
faesare, - vel - iron the competition with
fellow vcsknen tnscwa out Of empsoymen: b
failuse Of the weakest mile.
Realizing that Q uuaasEa5Gsir Asm Wainse-
nsnee o. prices alone can p-osscs the industry.
tie iaseress OF tie voFS man, thsu. II IA snis
specs identical eita that OF tie Manufacturer
aad OF the dealer.
why no. use this third factor In insu-irg
EnA0iuity OF p9.cesy
These s.sAinxle weavofs are ssrccgly organ
sred and have shown Themselves we'll able TO
enforce suca demands ~ they have made ia
wages aad details Of their employment. taey
have shown themselves able and Wiling 20
make Temporary sacrifices with ultimate self
interest In v.sw-A spirit In which alone the
col usion OF tie problem lies-
TIE shsns Q weavers. through their ssYone Or
garixasson are able. /. they dsxire 70 restrain
tie minority from price cutting, or, at least,
are more nearly able to do % ,haa aay oShe,
factor IA tue As.uatica heretofore suggested; Ii
the ssiaese wcavers' Union we're TO cal out its
member from such Q uii - pe.Sissed in cut
ting prices o. IN ceiling to dealers, East or West
WAC cut prices that mill would pes.osce Do
placed in q position to Co no harm pending
reform alton. siace IL has been demonstrated tn
the satisfaction COR perhaps dsssatisfact:oni OF
tie maun ac.urers thai the sktlled la5or reces-
sorry 10 no, 10 any appreciaals extent ootaiDaole
outside of the urlon- tXs are informed that in
about IS ne. cent. OF the mills the moss impof
tant positions are held By members OF the
unioa.,
The plan suggested in the above remarks
would for its best working require tho cooper
alton Of the se rara,e associations OF dealers ana
of manufacturers: the situation then would
take this turn, granting that the wsavers prop
cry played the part assigned them: the mills
subject to pressure from the weavefs would
have the alternative OF maintaining prices or
closing for lack of labor: the dealers would be
compelled to sell at standard prices o: fail OF
their supply OF shingles and. theoretically. At
iess: the END desired Is attained. Nothing
abort OF trial, OF course, can demonstrate its
prae,cability.
The entire and only point to the proposition
lies in the fact that while any action of an a.
soriasion OF manufacturers, OF OF dealers or OF
both fails OF its object for the reason that such
action 10 that Of ,nsiosity and not the whole OF
its members. the action OF the weavers union.
being that of the whole and not per cent OF it,
members, would b correspondingly more eflec-
tive: aud the whole OF the union, working with
. majority OF the dealers and majority Of the
manufacturers, either or both. could bring pres
sure TO bear not otherwise obta;uablc
This suggestion is offered 10 possible so!u-
ton only on condition of admitting the cor
recsness OF the views OK the majority In the
trade that the supply Is not In excess OF tho de-
mand: II contrariwise b. the case, IL would not
Be expected that Divine edict" itself could
keep up the price of shingles.
The frat objection. naturally. to such . plan
az tho above is that the principle OF giving work
men in . concern voice Is to the disposition OF
It's product 10 wrong. and that its effect may be
one of ultimate abuse: but the principle of war
and taking OF nauscous drugs 10 wrong, but
sometimes justified with certain beneficial ends
in viaw. To the objection that an abuse Of this
power may follow. once given the workmens
union. il may be pointed out that this IL not
conceding any power the workmen do not
already possess, but simply utilizing It for the
ameiioration OF the trade, since they are 1t
liberty to make tho attempt independently at
any time they chooee. and would no doubt be
able TO carry their point: and since that pont il
the same end desir red By the trade at large. why
should she trade not invite their cooperation?
1, may be urged that disaffected dealer can
., any time ipiure the trade BY circulars at
low prices regardless Of bis capacity to handle
the trade ensuing thsfefrom: but II . test case
demonstrated that such dealer would not be
sold at any price. this would soon cease. from
motives Of policy II not Of decency. and regard
for pubic opinion.
Ths. details Of any such plan a. above
suggested would have 70 be carefully perfected
aad need not be presented here. Information
~ 70 price cutting must Be thorough, accurate
and without prejudice: mile should make fire.
qucns reports of stock on hand to dealers. aud
dealers should place their orders where most
needed and prevent - much - might be loss
on the part OF those mills Whose present low
priced orders would be lost, until time had
given the new order Of things . chance to
assert itself
II will be remembered that 1t IL not suggested
that the weavers shalt dictate the price OF the
product. but that the trade shall decide upon
this and request the weavers to assist In main-
tanning this price; to act a. q sort of Kesley
institute to help the patient do that which he
realizes Is for his good but 10 unable to do for
himself: ana IL IL IL suggested that the treat
mcnt 10 too severe. 1t may be answered. that.
judx ing by present complaints the case 10 hard
Is one for homeopathic treatment and severe
operation ID jGstifabie to save life. Very
respectfully, H. G. CARsTRNa