Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-12
MEE1IxG OF MAonISIsrs.
A Lengthy Address by Grand Organizer
ii. Il, Eaton.


Wilmington Lodge, International AS
soclation of Machinists, had meet
ing Tuesday evening in Rod Mems Hall.
Master Machinist Charles w. Sehl pre-
sided and about 100 persons were pres
ent. The object of the meeting was to
induce machinists who are not members
of Wilmington Lodge to join it or or
ganize another lodge. An address
which required two hours and half
for its delivery was given by II. Il,
Eaton of Omaha, Neb., the grand organ
izer of the order, who has come East
for the purpose Of unlonizing Philadel-
phia and other cities.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Eaton
compared the machinist's trade with
other trades. He spoke at considerable
length on the advancement of the machi-
nist's trade, alluded to Edison's wonder
full discoveries and predicted that at an
early day we will journey from place to
place by means Of aerial ships. He re-
ferred to the invention of labor-saving
machinery and contonded that the men
who make such machinery ought to
have better wages, better hours and
better rules for their government. He
advised inventors of valuable machinery
to keep quiet about their Inventions II
they cannot make the inventions bene-
fit to themselves. Usually, he said, in
ventors are too poor to patent their in
ventions themselves; they get somebody
who has money to patent them and they
are cheated out of the patent and beaten
out of means of earning living.
The International Association of
Machinists, he continued, is based on
the autonomy of trade and the regula-
ton of apprentices. The machinist's
trade has degcnerated because the ma
chinists have allowed themselves to be-
come mixed with other trades, because
they have permitted themselves to be
imposed upon. 1t has gone down
through their own men. Because they
were too proud to perform certain work
assigned them some machinists have
nearly ruined the trade.
pronounced picce-work an abomin-
able system. 1t has almost ruined the
trade and some companies admit it has
almost ruined them. II is the result of
the gluttony of both employer and en-
ploye. 1t has ruined machinery. Some
men who formerly made SO, 81, SO and
so per day, now make 10 and 20 cents
per hour. Another nefarloussystem, he
said, is two. machine work. Any man
who runs more than one machine per
day is doing an injustice to himself and
to his fellow mechanic. The man who
runs more than one machine 10 putting
premium on crime, because lie Is beat
ing somebody out OF @ job. He advised
his hearers not to 60 to work to play,
but to put in full days work.
Unnecessary overtime, he added, is
another nefarious system. Improved
machinery and overtime have gluttei
our markets. He recommended n gradual
reduction of working hours. More work
is done now in So hours, he asserted,
than what used to be done in so hours.
Higher wages exist where working
hours have been reduced, Nine years
ago carpenters worked 10 hours per day
and received SO and $3.50 per day; now
they work eight and. nine hours per day
and receive So and 1926 per day.
Printers are getting as much for nine
hours work as they received for 10
hours work, and under the new
schedule they are giving work to SUBJ
Bricklayers are working eight hours per
day and receiving 81 per day. Hold
carriers are working two hours less per
day than Eastern machinists and draw
ing more pay. Cigarmakers formerly
received 81 and SIS per week; now they
are receiving SIS per week. He con-
tended that this improved state Of affairs
had been broughta6out by trades unions.
Persons can obtain blotters by applying
90 EuuNr~n MI