The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-22
LoNGSHoREMEN MAKE A MOVE.
THE Unions OFFER TO LOAD COT
TON AT - CENTS A BALE.

r n
A Circular 10 That Eject Issued "a
ship Owners and Masters OF YES
seIs-The OTer Somewhat of a sur
prise in View of the Previous PO-
sftion of the LongShoremen-Th =
Circular Intended for Effect With
the shin ovvnerS-The LonEshOre-
men Have Very Little Expectation
of Getting work at Even - Cents
Bale. as the ship Brokers Who
Control the situation Have a Con-
tract for the season With Col.
Harmon.
After a long silence the union long
shoremen who have been of the docks
for over year now. have come to the
front again. Having failed in their pre-
vious efforts to break up the arrangement
between the shipbrOkers and the non-uuion
labor managed by Col Harmon, the
union longshoremen have now decided on
a positive move.
The move consists in a circular issued
bv the two unions. in which they offer
to stow cotton at p cents bale The
circular is issued to shipowners and mas
and few copies were distributed yester-
day. A Morning News reporter procured
one from Mr.. John Carr, a prominent
member of the association. The circular
reads as follows:
Savannah Ga. October, 1S95.-To own
ers and Masters of Vessels. Gentlemen
In taking cargoes of cotton at this port,
and knowing the inferior class of labor
that are at present engaged in Slowing
cotton at this port. we the undersigned,
representing the skilled cotton workers,
offer 10 stow your cotton at 25 cents per
bale. and are prepared TO give bond and
guarantee satisfaction. Respectfully,
John Driscon,
President Worlingmen's Benevolent As
ISOLATION.
Josiah Brown,
President " orkingmen's Union Associa-
p. s-Please forward this circular 10
home Office.
1t was learned from another member of
the association that meeting of the two
unions was held recently and this de-
cided move was agreed to. When 1t is
considered that the price formerly charg-
ed by the stevedores for slowing cotton
was Is cents a bale, and that the union
longshoremen refused to agree TO any re.
ducton of this price. or even to take on
their limit Of seventy-hye pales as Z
DAYS work for a gang of five men, which
was all that the ship brokers asked, II
will be seen that they have made bold
move in Offering to stow cotton az =
cents a bale. As the ship brokers have a
contract with Col. Harmon to load their
cotton for this season, the circular is not
likely to have any effect on the labor SIT
uation at present. Several members OF
the association said that 1t Is not eX-
pected that the circular viii have any
Immediate effect here. 1t is intended Tor
circulation among the agents and owners
of vessels engaged in the cotton trade.
The idea is that when the foreign snip
owners note the difference between the
prices charged them by the ship brokers
for slowing cotton, which is So cents
bale at this port, and the price at which
the union men offer to do the work, they
win set on foot some inquiry which viii
result in a change in the manner OF load
ing the vessels or will change their char
tiers so as to leave the loading OF the
vessels in the hands Of the captains, VINO,
Ii is naturally supposed, would select the
best and cheapest labor. The union men
claim that the ship owners are already
dissatisfied with the unskillful work of the
non-unton labor at this port and that they
have expressed themselves in favor OF a
change, IN the correspondence which has
passed between them and the officers of
the union.
A man prominent in the councils of the
longshoremen told a Morning News re-
porter that the union societies of New Or
leans, Brunswick, Charleston. Savannah
and other cotton ports had arranged to
send a representative from each port
across the water next spring to lay the
situation before the foreign ship owners
ana explain TO them how II would be to
their advantage to have their work done
directly by the union labor without the
Intervention Of the brokers. The main
point which they will attempt to make, OF
course. will be that the owners are goug-
ed by the brokers in their charges.
How is il that the union men can af-
ford to load cotton at % cents a bale now
when the union price was formerly As cents
a baleR'' one of them was asked.
Really they cannot afford 1t at that fig
got to have work and with conditions diff
ferent from what they were two years
ago they can manage TO make living out
of It. They could not make the old wages
of s. and S. a day, but they could make
$50 to 81 a day and perhaps more. You
see the ole charge of As cents a bale didn't
all 90 to the longshoremen by good deal
The stevedore got his profits and then
there were a number of Incidental expen-
ses to be paid out of 1t. With the steve
dore out of the way and the limit removed
the men could make So to S4 a day With
such rate the men of course would not
expect to stow cotton as tightly in the
ships as they did when there was limit
to the days work That was really in the
brokers' interest because it enabled them
10 get SO much more cotton in a ship, but
they would do better work than the pres
Another one of the Morning News in
formants said that he did not think the
longshoremen would be willing to make
a seasons contract at % cents a bale.
They could not afford to do it, he said.
The offer was made merely with
the hope of securing odd contracts at
loading vessels this season for the purpose
of making a break in the present situa-
ton. Il would lee willing TO take the con-
tract at Is cents for the season" he said,
and guarantee good work. That is less
than it is costing the brokers at present
and the work would be more satisfactory
ly done
If the union men had manifested their
disposition to work at cheaper rates last
spring the situation might have been diff
ferent now. The contract of the brokers
with Col Harmon expired then and new
contract for this season was made. If the
union men had made an offer 10 work al
p cents a bale then it would no doubt
have been accepted A shipbroker who
was shown the circular of the union men
said ii would have no effect.
1T is only a bluff" he said. 1.-The work
being done by Col Harmon is satisfactory
and as we have contract with him for
the season, we could make no change until
the end of the season.