The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-23
PRESIDENT INQUIRE,


OF the Carpenters brotherhood, Speaks
ON Labor Topics Elght-Hour Day
the Remedy for the Introduction OF
Labor Saving Machinery.
on Saturday evening. at odd Fell
lows hall, chapline and Twelfth
streets, President p. ]. Mcclure. OF the
carpenters and jolners' brotherhood,
and one of the vice presidents of the
American Federation OF Labor ad-
dressed a small audience on labor top
les. Mr.. Mcclure is thoughtful man,
who deserved a better crowd. The nom
attendance OF the great body OF labor
people OF Wheeling and vicinity was
bitter and humlliating disappointment
to the local carpenters organization,
under whose auspices Mr.. Mcclure APP
peared.
Mr.. Mcclure was introduced to the
few dozen listeners by Secretary
Thomas V. Salisbury, OF the Ohio VAL
ley Trades and Labor Assembly. HIS
first remarks were that he was sorry
there were not more workingmen
present. He said that labor unionists
should not be In the least discouraged
or fear that unions OF labor were de-
torloratlng His review OF labor unions
and their formation was instructive.
The first labor organization that ever
| assumed any standing In the country
| was the Brotherhood OF Carpenters,
who succeeded In owning their own
hall In Philadelphia In 1850, away be-
fore the Revolutionary war. In this
hall, he said, the foundation and base
of wages of large number OF crafts
were nodded and established. The next
| organization was the Rhoemakers, ana
| as immigration was slow in reaching
| these shores, the organization OF labor
| was not extensive until about 1885, or
| 1910, when labor unions sprung up In
every part OF the eastern states, From
this time until the breaking out OF the
war, in 81. labor unions were q factor
In UNFOLDING wages. From 1861 10 1850
unions were not In much force. as wage
workers we're scarce and they got their
own prices. In 1872 there were In this
country 10000 union wage-workers.
| Then the Jay Cooke disaster set in and
the panic OF 1878 followed, which was
| disastrous 20 the unions. as well as the
country at large. The depression from
| 1878 to 1878 almost ruined the labor
| unions. for In five years 81 per cent OF
the membership OF 1872 fell away, leav-
Ing-in the union ranks In 1878 only 5l,-
] 900 men.
Mr.. Mcclure said that hard times
and the Introduction Of iabor-sayinS
machinery commenced TO reduce wages
| and throw men out of employment,
/ ending in the decentralization Of the
wage workers. Then the manufactur-
ers become suddenly independent and
forced workingmen to accept any rate
OF wages they desired, and the stand
| ard adopted by one firm was taken
up and accepted by the others. After
this. however. the credit OF the country
began to expand and better wages
were paid. But. here again. he said,
/ immigration commenced to bring in
the worst kind OF undesirable foreign
| ers. men who would not assimilate, In
principle, In habit or custom. but would
accept any wages and live on any KIND
| OF food. thus debating our standard
| OF living and our standard OF wages
| In his account OF his trip to the meet
ing OF the Federation OF Trades In
| Great Britain last summer, he said
| he saw wIndowJsa and other prod
ucts manufactured In Michigan and the
northwest sold In Liverpool % per cent
cheaper than the same kind OF work
made IN that country. He said he was
not free trader, but II surprised him
how a protective tariff country could
manufacture. send abroad and pay
freight on the manufactured article
| and undersell the product OF free
trade country like England In its own
market. Surely this must be the result
| OF cheap labor, enforced by these man
| ufacturers, with improved machinery.
On this phase OF his sneech he laid