Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-07
BOTH SIDES READY,
Awaiting the Inspector at the
Rock Island Ar.
senal.
MEN HOLD A MASS MEETING

Provide For . Committee 20 Entsrtain
the Gov. rensns Emisssry-uspt Blsns
Doss sam> Hiet r,ag- aehinisss' Press
Ce1mittee Sends Oet . Report On the
situation.
All 10 in readiness for the recep.
ton OF the inspector. who the Rock
Island arsenal employs ara advised
b their representative in Washing
ten Is on his way to the three cite,
to investigate and report en- the new
wage scale ut the arsenal. The men
are looking for the Inspector BY
every train. A mass meeting Of all
arsenal en- ployes in the three cities
va, held last evening ut Turner hall,
when q committee WAS appointed to
invite o citizens committee to take
chsrg Il the entertainment Of the
inspector in behalf OF the men while
here. Toe arsenal employees have
not yet received their monthly pay,
although they signed for it some
days ago. They take this as evi.
dencs that it is being withheld pend.
ing word from Washington.
Capt. Blunt repeated this morning
that he had received no advice what.
ever ttat an inspector WAS coming to
the arsenal. The captain. however.
hiss prepared for the information OF
any whom it may properly con.
cern. . transcript. Of the entire
arsenal pay roll. showing in par
ale! columns the pay received
By every employee Of the works.
whethe: in ofIice or shop, and
the amount paid to each under the
new and old wage system. The to.
t,l number OF employees OF all classes
at the arsenal is isi Under the re.
adjustment. Capt. BInnt's repor,
.hovs the aggregate pay roll is g..
Oss 80 per day. whereas il was for.
merly 81 0s9 So. a difference in the
way OF reduction Of 81 cents per
day. From this, tho commandan,
figures that the actual reduction
averages les. than an eighth Of cen,
per man per day.
The M.chini,',' st,ts mens.
The press C mmittee Of the ma
cliuists has sent cut the following
to tri-city newspapers:
The rcducticn Ia wages that Ia.
'sien place at Rick Island arsensI
was recommended BY the tri.city
manufacturers. approved by Capt.
Blunt ard ordered BY Gen. rlsgieI
without the kno Wedge OF Secretary
OF War A'ger.
This In substance vas admitted =,
C,pf. Blunt in his interview with tn,
machinists' cpmm,ttce. Capt. Blum,
goes frriher In igroring the po-itior
OF the secretary Of war. for when b,
asked the mschinists' con mit,et
where they secured their Information
In regard to wages ut other srseuals
and they told him 1t was Cd
from the secretary Of war. he said
that the secretary Of war was mistaken
that he proba. lily handed our re ques,
fer the wage schedule to some clerk
who sent s,us the FIRST old rates he en-
countered. This was heard by al
the committee, ard will be certified
to. This reflection OF Capt. Blum,
on the secretary Of wars wsy Of do
Ing public business will not be rel
ished BY that official when it come.
10 his notice.
The commandant laid particular
stress on the fact that his action wa:
according 10 rules and regulations
and had the approval OF the chief oil
ordnance. Gen. Flagler. No one car
tell the arsenal employees how Gen
Flsgler loves the law, not to men.
tion rules and regulations. for when
commsndant Of the arsenal he IL.
nored for three years an act OF con.
gress which says .eight hours shall
constitute days work for all labor.
ers and mechanics employed for OF
In behalf Of the government" BY max
leg the employees work 10 hours.
The captain admitted to the ma.
chinists' committee that the machin.
lists had men among them who are
probably worth $3.50 day. but tina,
the government had no work at the
arsenal that would Justify it in pay.
Ing that price. II that is so. let al
have this rule or regulation wori
both ways. Surprising the govern.
ment, which, from Capt. Blunt'l
eighteenth year or therea bouts. fed,
clothed and educated him for The
trade Of . warrior, notified on Jan. /,
1898. that owing to these piping
times Of peace and prosperity, II
would have no use for him at the
trade for which il educated him, aud
would have to assign him to some
position lower in grade and salary
than the one be now fills. Is it safe
{, say that Capt. Blunt would Highly
approve Of Any rule or rceu latiou
which would thus effect him.
10 IL probable that Cspt. Blunt,
vhen Investigating wages paid BY
local concerns, addressed letters OF
irquiry to Company T. OF Moline;
Rodmsn Rifles, OF Rock Island. And
Company B. OF Davenport, asking
Whas wages they paid their officers,
and adjusted his own aud his subor.
dinases sccordingly' Did be ask the
city clerks OF Moline, Rock Island
and Da,eoport what wsge, they
paid tho teams employed on corpora.
m.