The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-26
WORKMEN 70 FIGHT.
They Will Make the Ne
farlous Store System a
Political Issue in the
State.
CLAIM THE LAW IS VIOLATED
Glass Workers Of Cumberland AL
ready organized for a Wig
orous Fall Campaign.
CLAIM THE LAW IS VIOLATED

BRIDGETON, Aug. 26, 1897.EThere will
enter into the coming campaign in Cum
berland county, and, in fact, in all the
South Jersey counties. an issue that viii
bring on a severe contest. The working
men are going to make a fight against
store orders. punch books and the system
which compels operatives to deal at the
stores managed by the company or firm
that employs them.
That is not a new thing in South Jersey.
The question has worried several sessions
of the legislature and it has always kept
tn glass workers active in politics
This year it is to be an issue set square
ly in politics and no mar can go to the
legislature with the workers consent un-
less he is pledged to work and vote for a
law which will either improve the system
or do AWAY with it. There are laws that
are supposed to cure the store order
system, but they are never enforced be-
cause they are not perfectly alright
laws. Those who are sent to make laws
this year are to secure a law that will be
consistent with the views of the working
men on that subject.
Nearly every glass or firm
maintains direct, or has an arrangement
with general supply store where the OPP
e~ratives purchase their supplies. These
stores. Of course, are not run for the con
v~enience of the operatives, but for the
profit of the company. They are not all
run alike
In Millyille, one firm has stores where
it expects its 1000 operativs to buy the
necessaries of life for cash or credit.
Their credit does not go against their
earnings. They are paid the full amount
and are naturally expected to go to the
store and settle their account.
The claim that they sell as
cheap and as good articles as any other
commercial concern. They do not insist
that their operatives shall deal with
them. The ~workInen, however, say h
they understand that it is better for them
to deal at the c~ompany's store, and that
in comparing prices they find a differ
ence. but do not believe that the differ
ence in the price is due to a desire to
overcharge. They all feel it incumbent
upon them to buy at the store, because
it establishes firmer relations with the
firm.
There is apparently no serious friction
III HllilNIl1G III IN olOIC O1USA
except lack of freedom to spend money
as suits them best. The men are divided
into local unions, who are part of the
national unions, namely, the American
Flint Glass Workers, Green Bottle Blow
ers of America and the Window Glass
Makers.
The operatives claim tina organization
has secured to them rights that no other
group of glass workers enjoy. 1t has
simplified the store system and brings
about quicker adjustment of the wage
scale.
In one particular Mi9lville is a working
mans Utopia. There is a genuine sem
timent against liquor. the vote Of the.
town shows that even those who do in
dulge at their " sideboard admit that
the locking out of King Alcohol was the
beginning of the thrift of the place
The money that in licensed towns goes
into the saloon till has gone into build
ing and loan associations. Nearly 700
glass blowers and workers in Millyille
own their homes.
TIE tax assessors volunteered the in
formation that $500, 600 of the real estate
ratables was secured to Millville through
these building and loan associations Tor
these thrifty glass workers.
Even during the recent depression, with
nearly all the glass workers on short
time, there is no delinquent in these asso-
Citations. The last official report of he
four Miilville associations shows that the
Columbian has 23 shareholders, Hope 366,
Institute 81, Security 4oS. Last year
o borrowed out of the Hope ASCOT
It is generally believed that as long as
liquor is kept out the workmen will con-
Tn TIE situation is the re-
verse. There is no organization among
the men except the window glass work
operators believe that tits because there
is no organization that they are obliged
to submit to SO many things that are i'm
A glass blower ventured the informa-
ton yesterday that there were not a score
the only one building and loan a~ssocia-
tion that the town has, and not one hum
dred who have 800 more than is neces-
sa Tyof for u 1ying E e sa3narad IN Brideeton the.
law is constantly violated and the factory
inspectors have been winklfg at the vio-
latfons. One glass company is quoted as
practically compels every operative to
/ deal with them under the penalty of dis
| charge at the first opportunity.
The amount of the purchases is taken
| out of their wages, and as things have
been going, with men on short time, there
was little or nothing coming e me men.
Other concerns issue punch booksAfor
| certain amounts to each family man, the
amount issued being. regulated by the
amounts are punched out as the pur-
book taken from the wages.
Families are encouraged to buy articles
Some are encouraged to buy household
articles at fancy prices, and chattel
| mortgages taken on all the household
| chattels to cover the debt
At this time of the, year, when the
furnaces are all out of blast and the men
| earning nothing, they are given credit at
| the company's stores, and when 1.-The
| amount gets large the chattel mortgage
is made and the wages for the first six
/ months absorbed by the debt. In case of
| sickness the foreclosure comes, bringing
| want and misery.
Public opinion is against the system be-
aause Il few of the cases lave gone into
burt and the juries have always decided
| against the manufacturers. To overcome
this the operatives are quietly organic
ing.
SMITH FAMILY PIOEIO.
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