The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-14
CHAPTER XXXIV.


The years work has been most en-
couraging to Marsten. He had come to
a cordial understanding with many of
the unions, not only at home. but in
America and the colonies, and had
formed an active alliance with sew
! eral societies of workingmen in the
United Kingdom. Times were good,
business brisk. and comparatively few
men were out of employment. All this
| inspired confidence in the success of a
strike, for the demands of men are
more certain to be listened to with at
tention when the market is rising, than
| when it is falling. There would now
| be much difficulty in filling the shops
with competent hands, as employment
was more general throughout the cOun-
| try than had been the case for years
| before.
Marsten had been secretary of the
union for Is months before he made
up his mind to begin the contest. He
| resolved to make a demand for a 10
per cent increase of wages all round,
and, if it were refused, TO call out the
men at once. The committee met in
! secret session and the demand was for
mulated A gathering of the men was
ordered for Saturday night, but the
subject to be discussed was not stated.
! Marsten impressed on his committee
-
bons. who was one of the members,
said he failed to see the object of this,
| as their desire was to obtain the in
| crease, and that desire could not be
attained except openly. However, he
| added, Marsten was conducting the
campaign, and it was but right he
| should be allowed to conduct it in his
own way; therefore Gibbons merely
! stated his objection but did not insist
upon it.
A deputation was appointed to Seek
an interview with the directors and
make the demand on Saturday after
noon. After their conference they were
to draw up a report to present to the
meeting of the men,
/ On Friday SartWell gathered his en-
ployees together and announced to
/ them that, in view of the state of bust
ness, the company had voluntarily
come to the conclusion that an increase
of wages to the extent of 10 per cent
| should be given, adding that he hoped
! the amicable relations between en-
ployers and employed at the works
would long continue. This announce
J nIent was received with cheers. and
| the workers, who knew nothing of the
meeting of the committee, dispersed
we'll satisfied with the outlook.
1t was too late to countermand the
gathering ordered for Saturday night,
] anu WITCH II lOOh pleASC SOiuc
| of what had happened was spread
abroad, the general opinion being that
| in some way Marsten had been too
clever by half, and had met with an
unexpected check.
The young man, however, faced the
meeting in good fettle, and congratu-
| lated them on the increase offered. The
men were in jubilant humor, and they
cheered everything that was said with
/ mr. Vti 10 ~ q rcfa to1
! them frankly why the meeting had
been called, and he eXulted in the fact
that the recent unexpected turn of
events had made any discussion I'M
necessary.
Il have heard it hinted'' he contin-
ued, that l have been Out-generaled by
Mr.. Sartwell, but we can stand 81 lot of
beating on these lines Mr.. Sartwell
is evidently afraid of the union now.
If the mere rumor that we were about
to make a. demand induces so stiff
necked a man as the manager to ca
pitulate before a, gun is fired, it goes
to show the tremendous infiuence-We
! can WELD by all standing firmly to-
gether.'
1t is said that the misplacing of
comma in an act of parliament once
cost the country 100000. The one
word now" spoken quite unthinkingly
by Marsten, made Gibbons grind his
teeth in helpless rage. He saw Marsten
triumphant and his own adminiStra-
ton discredited. He determined to
make that small word of three letters
cost Marsten dear. if an opportunity of
upsetting the confident young man of
fered itself. However, Gibbons said
nothing, and the meeting dispersed
with cheers.
Sartwell had no delusion regarding
the advance he had made the men, He
knew he had merely postponed the
fight, but he wanted to be in a position
to show the directors that he had done
everything possible to avoid a con
fiict. Six months later Sartwell called
the directors together.
81 desire to place before you" he
said, certain information 1 have re-
ceived. There is reason to believe that
further demand of 10 per cent will
be made. If you are going to grant it,
l would like to know; if you are going
to make a stand, 1 would like to know.
1 will then arrange my plans accord
ingly."
IF we grant it." said Mr.. Hope,
what do you think will be the resudlt?
Will it avert trouble. or will it be
made the basis of fresh exactions?
We cannot go on making concessions
indefinitely"
Giving the increase will probably
postpone the trouble for another six
months. I am certain that Marsten
wants to force on fight; he has been
preparing for more than two years.
What I want to impress on you is
that the struggle, when it comes, is
going to be a severe one, and if you
enter upon it, you must do so with
your eyes open, resolved to fight it to
the very end. You may go on conced-
ing until wages are doubled. and every
fresh concession will merely make an
ultimate fight the more inevitable"
'Then you think we had better make
a stand now?"
Yes; if, having made the stand.
you refuse to capitulate on any terms"
but if we find. when the strike has
lasted a few weeks, that we cannot
hold out, it would be folly to continue"
Exactly. You know your own re-
sources, and I know the resources of
the men. You are therefore in as good
a position to make up your mind now
as two weeks hence, or a month, or a
year. If we enter into a contest we
must win, or / must resign
TT is a. most perplexing situation
sighed Mr.. Hope.
"Oh. the situation is simple enough.
You either give in or you don't. Which
is it?'