The record-union., 1897-02-25
State Printing Office Employees
Walk Out Yesterday,
But Resume Work Late at Night
$4,000 for Legislative Printing.
Senate and Assembly Getting in the Best and
Quickest Work Of the
Session.

There was CONSERVATION in the ranks
of legislators yesterday morning, ana
prominent members buttonholed one
another and with blank countenanceS
inquired if there was any way out.
The trouble was all created by the ac-
tion taken by the printing pressmen
walking out of the State Printing Of
flee, after having registered their de-
termination to do no more work until
arrangements had been made whereby
the six weeks wages already due them
should be paid.
THEY WE'RE OUT.
The printing pressmen were out. The
printers were out The bindery was
shut down. Everything was out, and
the State Printing Office was deserted
1t all came about as indicated in yes
terday's issue of the ''Record-Union,"
and the burning question, What will
the Legislature do?" was a conflagra-
ton.
The pressmen meant just what they
said when they made their assertion
that unless paid in full for the work
performed during the past six weeks
they would quit. AS a matter of fact
they did quit, and after they had done
so there was no further need of the
other employees, and as a result every
ID,.iV. fi17er
flee was as barren as the desert Of
Sahara.
WHY THEY QUIT.
The Printing Pressmen's Union, No
60, held a meeting at Federated Trades
Hall at noon yesterday, and agreed to
Stand upon their action in withdraw
ing. until assured that a bill satisfac-
tory to the Governor and to both
branches Of the Legislature would be
introduced and passed under a suspen-
sion of the rules.
NOT UNADVISED.
The action of the union was not un-
advised. An attorney had been re-
tanned, who made a careful invesiga-
ton of the law governing the case,
and it was upon his advice that the
men walked out Indeed, under the
Act cited by the attoreny in question,
the men who have been doing the work
in the State Printing Office since the
beginning Of the present year had a
Just right to feel shally about ever re-
ceiving one cent for labor performed,
unless the present Legislature was
forced to take action.
HELD ITS BREATH.
And the pressmen were out and the
Legislature held it's breath (for once
during the session. and wondered
where the next bolt would strike. The
State Printer early in the day nott-
fed both houses that he would receive
no more bills for amendment or en-
rollment, giving as his reason that he
would be unable to return them within
the time prescribed by statute.
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNIONS.
The local Typographical Unions met
in consultation with District Organizer
II. II. Watts at noon yesterday, and
while the conclusions We're brief. they
were to the point. 1t was decided that
as the pressmen had quit work there
was no further labor to be performed
by them. And so the printers quit,
and so far as they We're concerned no
more type would be set until the claims
of the pressmen were satisfied
PREsSMEN WERE FIRM.
The State Printer was also in a peck
of trouble lie wished to have the
daily journals and files printed so as
not entirely TO clog the wheels of leg
islation. and asked for and secured sew
eral conferences with committees from
the Pressmen's Union, but all without
avail. They proposed to strike no me-
dium. They were out to settle the
question of wages, and stood by their
guns to the last.
THE EFFECT OF IT
The action of the pressmen shook the
printing muddle to the very core, and
while it was believed that an arrange
ment would be made whereby the Leg
isIature might grind ont more laws,
nobody knew anything about it.
BOTH AT THE BAY.
Both Governor Budd and Attorney
General Fitzgerald We're in San Fran
cisco yesterday. and while there met
and agreed that something ought to be
done to get things hack into working
order. and. it was said. agreed upon a
measure that would prove acceptable
to all parties.
They further agreed to return to Sac
cramento forthwith. and, If possible,
hold a meeting of the State Board of
Examiners last night and approve an
appropriation for the work done since
January 1st of the present year.
A CONFERENCE.
If was recognized by all concerned
that such an action by the board would
relieve the strain and send the dissat-