The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-06
NEWS FAMINE ENDS.
Chicago Stereotypers Lose Every
Point IN Their Strike.

Point IN Their Strike.
Chicago. Ill, July 6-After being
without papers of her own for four
days Chicago today again enjoyed the
home product. The famous stereo-
typers' strike has passed into history
with the men woefu1ly defeated. They
did not accomplish a single thing they
struck for. On the contrary, they
knocked themselves and all the other
union men in Chicago offices out OF
their pay for four days and have ever
Aasungly killed union work in the stere-
otyping departments of the papers.
Up to almost 9 O'Clock last evening
there was very little show of any morn
ang paper appearing today and the ex-
pectation was that Chicago would again
be thrown upon the mercy of enter
prising neighbors for what news of the
world they got. But at that hour the
situation changed by the Typographical
union meeting breaking up after VoT-
ing to stand by their contracts with
the publishers. Everything depended
upon what the other unions employed
about the newspaper offices would 90
The question was whether they would
consent to work with nOn-uniOn men in
the stereotyping room. The publishers
were determined that there would De
no more union work in that room for
q long time to come after the present
experience and they stood ready TO
flight it out on those lines II 1t took
all summer"
4uey aWalLeQ Ine 06ClSAO4A VI liz
pressmen and the compositors, really
expecting for the most part that these
latter would stand by the stereotype rS-
While the publishers were in session IN
H. H KOhlsatt's Office in the Times
Herald building, President Prescott OF
the Typogra phical union caI-ed and ask
ed the publishers to again receive a
committee from the stereOtypers' union
While there was some objection to this,
the request was finally acceded to, and
the stereOtypers' committee was
brought in. After some little talk they
said they had another proposition TO
make to the publishers that was in the
nature of a compromise.
They stated that the stereOtypers
were willing to return to work If the
publishers would grant them the an
crease in wages that had been asked,
and drop all other questions that had
been raised. That is, the men wanted
their wages raised from SO. % to 81 per
day, but were willing to fOregO their
requests for an increase in the over
time pay from so cents to IS cents an
hour, and for the reduction of the work
ang hours from eight to seven hours per
day. They were also willing to concede
the right of the publishers to have more
than one apprentice in each room. IN
fact, they backed down on all OF Inelr
demands except for the increase IN
wages of rs cents per day. They stated
in making the announcement that 1t
was the furthest the stereOtypers' IN
ion was willing to go in surrendering
their demands. The publishers declln-
ed to agree to the terms, but after
slight conference decided to submit
counter propositions to the stereotyp-
ers' committee. These were to the eff
feet that the men return to work on
exactly the same basis they We're be
ICSe they struck, with recognition for
their qSuion, and further with an arbl-
tratiOn clause put into their contracts.
While this would have preserved the
union it was a. surrender of everything
else the mn had demanded, and they
instantly declined it.
Failing in his efforts to bring the
strikers and the publishers to an agree
ment Mr.. Prescott assembled a meeting
of the Typographical union to decide
what it was going to do, for the pub
fishers were ready to place the new
men they had imported into the stereo-
tipping rooms and resume publication.
The Typographical union met about
o'clock and it was almost before it
adjourned. When the meeting was
over it was announced that the meeting
had voted by almost three to one to
stand by their contracts with the pub
fishers The speeches In the meeting
had shown the men that the stereOtyp-
ers had broken their agreement with
the publishers and made an illegal
strike. Otker similar phases of the
question quickly caused the men to de-
eide to stand by their agreements and
the crisis in the situation was passed
The composers all set out at a rush for
their offices glad that the trouble was
over and that matters had not taken
on q more serious turn.
Inc SIereOryperS mad nOE been given one
grain Of comfort by their brothers in the
union, but when the publishers heard the
turn affairs had taken they became little
more lenient. It had been previously de-
termfned by the publishers that none of
the strikers would ever be given a posi-
ton in a Chicago office again, but when
they realized the extent of the rOut of the
enemy it was determined to allow such
men as they particularly desired to have
in their service to return to work on the
same basis as they left, but there will be
no scale about it, union recognized.
Some of the strikers will, therefore get
back their former positions as individuals
coming into the office on not quite so good
basis as such of the imported men as
the publishers may employ. They will
select the best of the latter and return
the others to their homes.
It should be stated the pressmen voted |
on the question much as the Topographic |
cal union did
The damage that has been done by the !
strike is inestimable according to the |
views of business men, in the shutting off |
of practically all sources of information.
No class has escaped the Inconvenience of |
this and the community has been taught /
the lesson that life without the daily pa
per is not very much Of an existence after |
al