The Indianapolis journal., 1894-01-05
WORKMEN ARE WROTH
Indignant at the InsinuatiOns Con-
tanned in Bynum's Letter.
Employees of the Merritt WOolen Mill
Hold Meeting at Which the Grass
Burner and Wilson Bill Suffer.

The employees of the Merritt woolen mill
took hasty dinner yesterday in order 10
get back to a meeting called by the heads
OF the carding, weaving and other depart
ments at 1890. At that hour about every
person on the pay roll was present, but no
employer or no one representing them was
about the building. The meeting called
to order by James Pickup, head Of the
weaving room. 1--WE have received a letter
from Mr. Bynum," raid he, (which 1 want
you to hear read. and which for one I feel
that we have cause to be angry about"
Mr.. Harry S. Willard was called upon TO
read a letter, which appeared in the Senti-
mel before it was received by Mr.. Willard
The reading of the letter was listened to
with close attention even if some had read
1t before. The employees Of the mill had
sigred a petition protesting against the
passage Of the Wilson bill. In the course
of his letter to Mr.. Willard. Representa-
tive Bynum used the following language,
and that is the part of the letter which
made the employees indignant:
''The printed form of the petition, with
blanks TO be filled with names of State and
postoihce as well as CT the firm in whose
employ the petitioners are engaged, con-
vlnces me that the same was not the vol
uhtary act of those whose names are at
tached, but the inspiration OF those who
system OF taxation and who rather than
surrender their power TO extort contribu-
are now engaged in the cruel work of
threatening their employees with a reduction
OF wages or a loss of employment should
tne proposed measure become law. The
organized effort now being made to intimi,
date Representatives and drive them from
the support of a great principle only dem
onstrates to what base ends selfish greed
VIII resort to accomplish it's Objects
You know" said Mr.. Willard when the
reading was completed. "that none of the
Merrftts made any suggestion to any one of
you about signing the petition we sent to
Mr.. Bynum, much less threat You know
that each of you were told what the petition
was and that you were perfectly free to sign
or not as you chose. Mr.. Merritt did not
even ask me to circulate the petition.
thought it the thing to do, and did it, and
you signed it. Mr. Merritt did not even see
the petition to examine 1t after it was
signed. 1 thought it best, after seeing two
or three of you. to see If we could afford to
cringing beneath the dictation and threat Of
our employers"
'I have. worked in this mill twelve years."
said an elderly man. 'I have had many ac-
commodations from George Merritt. 1 con-
slider him my friend, but he never threat
ened me, and am not his slave
."Bynum puts up to be a great friend of
the worlNingman. but when it comes to the
time he insults him." said another. 81
has known it, but he, used me the same-as
one man should another"
Charles Bullard, carder. said: "Mr. By
that reply should be made He had cali
to do that" Mr.. Dixon said: "Bynum
ST signed the petition because / believed
what 1t represented. 1 work for Mr.. Mer-
ritt. but he Is a man who respects the
for him" James Done said: Let Mr.. By
mum come down here and we Will tell him
rows: "Our remarks would not look well
on paper If we should speak as we feel"
Charles Kastner; IF we are slaves, as By
years and never known it? We know some
thing about this tariff question ourselves:
We know that when Mr.. Merritt has a full
trade we have full work and good wages.
We know that this Is the first year in
years that We have been on half time. "
committee that the Wilson bill would cut
American wages and raise British? Nice
friend of American labor"
There were about twenty similar express
sions, showing that there was unanimity'
of sentiment. A committee consisting of Fl.
s. Willard, James Pickup and James Nc
Kenna was asked to report a. series of reso-
lutions, and subsequently Mr.. Willard read
the following:
Resolved, That we, the employees of
George Merritt & Co., do hereby most
emphatically denounce the letter Of Mr..
w. d. Bynum in reply to our petition TO
use his influence and vote against the
| passage of the Wilson bill.
I'VE sent in that petition according to
| our own convictions and denounce his
| statement as a base insult that it was in
| any sense compulsory.
1--WE are workingmen and women, free
| born American citizens, and not slaves as
you would brand us, and are working for
| the interest and good of ourselves and en-
| ployerS, who are not slave-drivers. and for
| the United States, and not for foreign
| countries.
| eve denounce the Wilson bill as a whole
| and shall use every possible means to have
| IL defeated, as in case 1t becomes q law il
| will ruin many industries and result in
! less work and generally lower scale OF
! wages"
| ct wish that they could be more severe ~
said one of the listeners; "but we can't write
resolutions as we talk in the weaveroom
but move their adoption" There were q
| half dozen seconds. Those in favor will
say aye" and there was a chorus of ayes
Has anyone obiection?" asked the chair
man; "if there. is. let him or her speak
you are not slaves There was no re-
sponse The 1 o'clock bell had rung ter
| minutes before. and the men and womer
| filed out, and in five minutes the rumble o
! the machinery was heard.
In sending the resolutions to Mr.. Bynum
| Mr.. Willard closed his letter as follows:
| 'In conclusion 1 want to say that thi:
| meeting was not called for by the base
| ends or selfish greed of George Merritt s
Co. but by the employees themselves.
1--WE earnestly think that few years o.
| practical experience would change your the
| oretical views considerably, but fear We
cannot expect much relief from Congress
| man working for a bill which increase:
wages in foreign countries and decrease:
| them in America
Most sincerely hoping the Wilson bill
| may never become q law"
~