The Washington times., 1894-12-16
Majority of the Committee Not AZ
fetted by the Reduction.
ORDER WILL NOT BE MODIFIED
Mr.. JOhnson's Position Ridiculed By
Some Bank Note Workers.
no Blow Aimed at any Branch of Labor But
Threatens Every Workingman- Skilled
Artisans Ought to Make as Much Money
as Men Who Have Had no Preparation for
Their Wcrk Except Ward Meetings.

"Yes," said Claude NJ. johnson, chief of the
Bureau OF Printing and Engraving, ''the com
mittee OF plate printers waited on me this
morning to protest against the reduction in
the schedule of wages paid in the internal
revenue division. objected to receive their
protest, for the reason that the committee of
seven had on it only two plate printers from
the internal revenue stamp printers, while five
of the committee were bank-note printers, who
were in no wise affected by the reduction
Mr.. johnson had evidently never heard the
trade motto, Whatever Injuries one Injuries
all" Continuing. he said:
Isaac Gerrodette. a bank-note printer, aud
good one, too, was the principal spokesman
of the committee. After listening 10 their
grievances, set forth the reasons for the re-
ductIon as given in The TDrEs this morning
then asked each member of the committee
individually whether he did not think that
bank-note work should be better paid than
revenue stamp work, 10 which all Of the bank
note printers. including Mr.. Gerrodette an
swered that they did think so. +
The two revenue stamp printers both re-
fused to answer the question. They said
nothing that in any manner controverLed nv
be withdrawn or modified. L have not con
suited the Secretary about the protest. He
was consulted before the order was made
and
NOTHING WAS DONE HASTILY.
Mr.. Gerrodette very eourteousIy refused
to, discuss the committees conference with
Chief Johnson, or its result, but many of
the plate printers were not so retieent. All,
however declined the use of their names
while the matteri is in the hands of the CON-
mittee. Several banE-note printers ridiculed
thu chiefs position that they had no right to
/ be represented on the committee, and said that
that theory mad been exploded many years ago.
that no blow could be aimed at labor in any of
its branches without threatening every la
borer: and that if Mr. johnson can decide to-
day that the revenue stamp printers care max
ing too much money" he can decide the same
tomorrow as to bank-note plate printers.
A revenue stamp printer said: MIR. Johnson
knows nothing about the skill required to
print the revenue stamps; each one OF US had
served four years apprenticeship before We
| became iourneymen plate-printers, and most
OF Us have given
OUR LIVES TO THE WORK.
1.-The special preparation required to be a
chief of a government department is course
of study in political conventions and ward
meetings, and yet they never report that they
are making too much money. Many men on
the stamp work are just as skilled workmen
as the note printers and they should make
Just as much monev"
Said another: 1--WE are all teachers as well
as workers, for the apprentice system makes
the skilled workman of to-day. the educator
of Tomorrow
The general sentiment of the men was that
there would be no strike. They said that
there was no disposition TO let the ill-advised
action of its officers seriously embarass the
government.
When the question was understood public
sentiment would sustain them; they would get
what they are asking for, and all proper
means would be used to attain this.