New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-11
STRIKING TAILORS MEET
PROTESTING AGAINST THE EMPLOYERS
ACTIONS
EXoRBIrANT PRICES CHARGED FOR CLOTHING.
COSTLY GARMENTS MADE ~ EAST -
SIDE sWEAT-sHOPS.

ALTHOUGH WAGES HAVE BEEN REDUCED
COSTLY GARMENTS MADE IN EAST
SIDE swEAT-sHoPs.
The Network Journeymen Tai.ors' Cnon NO.
/, which maintains tina; it has LOO members. who
are affiliated with the tourneymen Ta.ors Union
OF America Claiming membership of 1900 he'd
mass meeting Cooper Union last evening to
demonstrate customers Of fashionable Fifth-ave.
tai.ors that, while the merchant taors continue to
charge exorbl;ant Ffth-ave prices For custom-made
clothing which IS Gu, In their handsome shops in
Ffth-ave. the work OF making the clothes (he
sewing is done IN the cneapes; East Side sweat
shops. where It costs the fashionable tailor about
one-tenth Of what Il would cost MIN ware the work
done by rsgula: journeymen tslors. who
on strike aga.ns, reduction OF from % 20 30 per
cent in their mesgre wages.
President F. Jensen presided. Edward Ingraham
secretary. ard Emil Grah treasurer. Speeches.
which were received with much enthusiasm by
audience which completely crowded The spacious
Lennon. general secretary OF the Journeymen Tai
lors Union OF America; Charles W. Jones. Charles
Klingbrldge:, Of Talors Union No. /. ard Robert
Grove, Of Blazers Union No. :. The gist OF the
fashionable tai.ors charge from SO to SIS for .
common business suit. ordinarily worth from $50 to
$40 and from s75 to $40 for evening suit. worth
from $40 TO $50. and yet. by putting fills" TO
aeIde cs tner patrons into the eea tna aeor was
goods that on.y the employing tsiors themselves
moaest OF sweatshops. 4 fine band Of music was
present and great enthusiasm prevailed
ExORBITANT FIFTH-AvE. PRICES.
The merchant tailors Of this city. whose Journey.
out a strike. have prepared for publ
cation statement Of their position and their rea-
for doing they have done But many New
Workers inclined to think that Fifth-ave. tall
ors rule. charge excessive and exorbtant
prices for clothes that they not entitled to
any very strong public sympathy support In
any controversy which they may have with their
journeymen Tailors who charge from 500 to SIPS
FOR mans suit OF evening clothes $40 70 800 for
suit OF the kind worn by men at weddings in the
and $50 to $50 for a commonplace business suit
hardly expect that the community at large will ap-
prove any reductions OF wages made by employ.
ers who In these hard times continue to exact
such ndefensble prices. prices nearly approach
ing them
The merchant talors say that they pay their
cutters high and high wages to their work.
and such as 10 justify such prices those
cloths. Innings. buttons and trimmings in the gar
ments which they make. Even II they do, the
sbly high The merchant tailors say that they
pay high rents. But II Is not necessary for them
pensive parts Of expensive Fifth-ave They could
easily reduce their expenditures for rent without
be better satisfied with less sumptuous less gorgeous
and less costly rooms for their taors II they could
TONER who is compelled pay the prodiglous rental
and the cost of the superb furniture and of the ne
the insufferably high prices which most Fifth
sailors charge for clothes He would Ike to see
gold and glitter and plate,glass and Ffth-ave dis
play about them If he could get his clothes at morn
reasonable rates.
WHY SHOULD HONEST MEN PAY OTHERS
DEBTS?
The merchant taIlors say that they lose a grezt
deal OF money in bad debts. That IL their
fault. They ought 10 be more careful in extending
credits The system OF which honest men. who pay
their taiors bills are forced to make up for the
losses which the taors suffer through their habit
Of careessy and recklessly extending credit to dis
honest men, is a radically false and vicious one.
Tailors ought not to saddle upon honest men the
unpaid debts OF dishonest by their method Of
charging excessive prices for the clothes which they
make for honest
tailors who charge the highest prices London are
satisfied with smaller percentage OF profit on each
ave taiors insist upon That IS certain. The best
taiiors In London make the best clothes very much
tailors here II is true that cloths. Innings. trim
mings buttons. etc. the. London tallors less
quality. i, is true. also. that the London aIlOrs
pay 20 aT A than are paid IN Ffthave in this
city. But these differences do not by any means ex-
best. clothes made to order in London as compared
Fifth-ave The London tailor is contented with a
reasonable percentage OF profit. The Fifth-ave.
tailor IS not. The London tailor gives even longer
year. two years and three years are common
enough in London The losses OF London taors
those OF NewYork alors. and it is certain that
II the Flfth-ave. taiors here were satisfied with
sell the best clothes at much lower figures than
those which they now exact
THE EMPLOYERS SPECIAL PLEADING.
But here is the special pleading put out by the
merchant ta!ors in defence OF their position. This
Is their statement:
The unreasonable position so often taken by
f,t 1aI sha asrik n
the journeymnn ailors now in progress. can be tx.
planned bv the fact that the unions are under the
control OF few men. whose chief aim Is to pront
literally for themselves AT the expense OF 'hosS
who through ignorance coercion. have been com
PEELED to become union men ,,,. r,..,-
Early In March majority or the leadlng rNths
merchant ailors held conference for the pur.
pose Of DISCUSSING the depression exiStlng IN rne
trade. and advising what should be done 70 meet
the demands for lower prices II was unanimously
agreed that the workmen should be asked to make
a slight temporary reduction. which. II was ie.,;
would enable the tailors TO lower their prices ana
thus retain the patronage OF their customers
4 committee was appointed empowered TO CON-
suit with the committee OF the workmen, ana make
4 conference held and the state o. affairs fuly
explained. The workmen DELAYED as long as poss',;
be we'll advanced. knowing that with large mum:
Der OF orders on hand the tailors GOULD not anora
mems committee however were disnosed 10 grant
the request and accept the PROF 'ltion ma, ine
matter be left TO arbitrators as to what reductlon
should be made The commands ~ the leaders,
however Chat reduction and no aro.tration %
granted. resulted IN an Absolute flHsti "
thing. in fact Il was minated that an increase
in some cases would be made. The merchant tailors
unw,inglv accepted the Stuaton. hut determined
they would make their demands after the busy
sea over ,c, 49,. ~
on June Is the workmen were notified ina, III
work taken out on ami after June . would 90
subject to a reduction of 10 per cent Inc result
was that a general strike was ordered oy tne
Journeymen Talors' Union, and the work men ~
progress Of making was returned lnuhlsheumI
beng rho hone of the work,ner that hv thus caus-
ing Inconvenience the reduction would not De ~.
sisted upon The tailors. however fee tnat the,s
nosltion IS right and have fuily determined 10 %
no longer under the control Of the union ana WIZ
the hundreds Of men SEEKING employment '"s'e -
No question as their success -. .,
The number OF men belonging 10 the union ~
,o,', twsive hundred while there are fully twelvs
anow. GOOD ourneynen taors in the city al
New-York.