The times., 1897-04-27
Statements Made by the National
Brewers Union Denounced.
ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE
Firms That Employ Workmen Affiii.
ating With the National Brewers
Organization Warned by Sccre-
tary-Treasurer Deciara-
tions OF the Union Called Lies.

agains THE National Brewers Union and
| its sponsor, the American Federation of
Labor The fight will be one for suprem-
acy between the principles of the Knights
of Labor and trades unionism. t viii be
struggle for future control, in the point
of organization, of the wage-earners of the
whole country, and so means the life or
death OF one or the ther of the great labor
bodies Of the world.
The first war notes were sounded Oh
March 21 last, when the national secre-
taries of the Brewers Union issued cir
cular calling the attention of all affiliated
trades to the extraordinary conditions
prevailing in connection with the brewery
trade, and citing the Rochester and Troy
breweries as examples These plants are
worked by Knights of Labor. The circu-
lar also characteriZes the order OF Knights
of Labor as that monbund concern and
its officers as desperate and contenpti-
ble.' who are trying "to galvanize the
corpse into a sepblance of life
In answer to this and for the better pro-
lection of the members of the order, Cen
erai Secretary Treasurer John ". Hayes
yesterday issued the following letter TO the
master workmen of the different district
assemblies tlrone bout the United States:
Washington, u. c., April &c, 1897.
ITO the Order, Wherever Found, Greeting;
Brothers: The National Erewers' Uniun
has in the -rast few days placed boy
cott uron the product OF the Bartholomay
Brewing Company, of Rochester, n. y.
for the alleged reason that said COMP any
employs non-union workmen. compels its
I.
work, and PAYS lower than the regular
wages.
These statements are deliberate and
malicious lies; every person employed by
the Bartholomay Brewing Company is n
member Of L. A. 1856. Knights OF Labor,
which has been incontihuous existence Tor
fifteen years; long before the National
Brewers Union was dieamt of. Ten hours
constitutes days work, with from 81
to So so per day as wages. The boycott
referred TO was started in Baltimore, which
is strange, to say the least, and would in
dicate that blaekmail or a desire TO help
some rival firm is at the bottom of this
dastardly trick.
.'You are directed TO notify all dealers
in your locality that the National Brewers
Union has never had Inemberin Rochester,
nave no liSHJ 10 ufUtilc VIII d
with whom they have no possible griev-
ance. and that if this trouble continues we
must retalate by declining to patronize any
store where goods made by members OF the
Brewers National Unicn a1e offer ed for sale.
Lose no time in notifying all parties in
terested of this action.
Firms who employ members ofthe Brew
ers' Union are Pabst and Schlitz, OF Mil
baltimore brewers, and others of whom
ne gyA advsse yUl later
y copy or tile following letter was
also sent r. the uoaagere OF all the
trcwing companies IN the United States,
Hich are worked Dy workmen affiliated
With the National BUeEers' Union:
'Gentiemcn--I regret 20 say that the
action of the National Brewery Workers
Union of the United States, in opening
war on the Rochester manufacturers, he
cause tile employees OF Bar holomay & Co
are connected With the knights or LaBor,
places this organization in the attitude .lf
being compelled, for self protection, TO
refuse to handle any product manufactured
by any firm employing members of the
National Brewers Union, until the man
agement of the union realize the fact
who have contracted with the Rochester
brewing firms. at terms, as to wages and
hours, as liberal as any firm in the United
States, and which are better than the
terms OF the National Brewers Union,
must, in all honor, live up 10 the cou-
tract which they made To force them
out of the Knights of Labor, and cause
them to violate their contract, is unjust.
and viii not be tolerated.
I'VE dislike very much to be placed in
the position of issuing a notice to the
membership Of our order that the beer
manufactured by yourself and others in
the city OF Milwaukee should not be handled
by Knights OF Labor, but in order to pro-
tect the Rochester Brewing Company, who
have acted fair and just with the Knights
of Labor, and with all of the officers. who
have had dealings with them during the
last ten years, we must do so.
I'VE trust your company will see the
Importance of calling halt, by notifying
The National Rrewcrs Union that this Wal
must stop Immediately We would have
the same right 10 20 to Milwaukee and
say to your brewing company you aIust
make your men join the Knights of Labor
or we will boycott you, that is what they
Sdiu W tiie bdi t'OIoiiids DitNlnS CUipd'19
OF Rochester, n. Y. and we cannot be
expected to stand idly by and let such un-
just and unbusincss like methods as these
go unnoticed
"Will you do me the favor TO write the
Officers of the Brewers National Union,
under whose Jurisdiction your employees
are connected, and notify them that this
contest must stop?''
A reporter called at the American Fed
Grafton of Labor headquarters yesterday
to get an expression of opinion from Prcsi-
dent Gompers on the situation, but that gem
tleman was outof the city.