The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-28
STRIKE ORDERED
.IailorS Place Four Shops
Under the Ban.
Merchant TailOrs Would Not
Accede to Demands.
about Seventy Men Affected In Ad-
diti0n to the 40 Now Out.

The members of Union 155, Journey
men Tsilors' Protective League OF the
United States and Canada. TO the num-
Der about u, :aet in Sade Hall at 45
Eddy street at o'clock this morning and
after three hours elaboration voted to
order a strike in the shops OF Bliss d
Gardner, Thomas w. Chace, q. III. Auty
md James Murphy, because, as they claim
I'd, the merchant tailors in the Exchange
positively refused not only TO accedo 10
Their demands but slso to grant any COM
promise or concessions. The strike order
Va viii call out 20 men, IN addition TO
he 40 already out in Luther & Huber's
Establishment az 1O1 Westminster street,
where the trouble practically began about
. week ago. All along the journeymen
have been declaring that they were only
desirous of obtaining a restoration OF the
10 per cent. reduction to which they
agreed a year ago last January, but the
merchent tailors declare that they have
demanded enough extras To make the
prices for cutting and making
garments equal an advance OF from 10 to
20 per cent, or more than has ever been
paid even in the most prosperous times.
For instance, the firms under the ban
state, almost without exception, that il
the 10 per cent. restoration had been the
only thing to be considered some conces-
sion might have been made but the jour
neymen put in extraordinary demands for
the "extras," such as 30 cents more for
every coat try-on; % cents extra for every
edge single stitched, end 30 cents for
double stitched edges; % cents additional
on dress pants; 30 cents more for whole
falls; 25 cents extra for flap and side
pockets; 30 cents on interlined coats; 25
cents for all pants pockets over four, and
25 cents more on all vests made. These
are the demands that were most objected
TO and which the iourneymen claim are
only right because it takes time to do all
this extra work. 1t has also been stated,
and the journeymcn make the most of it,
that Tripp * Olsen have paid more for
making suits than any OF the other tall
ors In the Exchange, bat this is denied
by the majority OF the merchants, who
claim that such has not been the
case and that Tripp & Olsen violated
their terms of agreement with the ex-
change when they signed the journey
mans bill.
The strike does not seem to intimidate
the firms involved, who state that they
have made every arrangement to have
their work done fully as well as 1t was
ever done before, and their customers need
not worry
The Merchant Tailors' Exchange will
meet again at o'clock this afternoon and
discuss tho action Of the striking
The jouneyman's meeting has lasted
nearly all day, President John Gleason
presiding. Nothing could be done further
than ordering the strike, except to ex-
press their reasons for so doing and agree
to stand by each other. Mr. Gleason said
that the men had tried to avoid the strike
all along, but were forced to into. He adj
mItted that it was an unfortunate time,
with only about four weeks lett of tho
busy season, and he was afraid there
would be ample opportunity for the
journeymen to enjoy ciambakes down
the river this summer. The people who
want the best work, will, he thinks, see
the propriety of the best workmfn hold
ing out for their rights. He said the men
were willing to compromise on the 10 per
cent. restoration plan, but the master
tailors wouldsgive them no opportunity
so strong is their attitude. II was stat
ed that besides Tripp & Olsen, none of
the merchant ta$<ors In the Exchange
had signed the bill, but two or three out
side of it had done so.
In the case OF Z. II. Auty il was stated
that his is a peculiar shop, part of his
men belonging to the union and part be-
ing non-union men.