The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-27
THE ANDERSON STRIKE
LABOR COMMISSIONERS WILL GO TO-
DAY TO INVESTIGATE 1T.
Suit to Be Brought Against the Wire
and Nail Trust - Governor
Mounts Opinion.

The State Labor Commissioners will go to
Anderson this morning to investigate the
strike of the men employed in the mills of
the American Wire and Steel Company.
There has been some comment in Anderson
on the delay of the commissioners in going
there because the strike is appreciated in
the town as a serious matter. Four hun
dred men are out now and there is no pros
pect of their going back to work. The wire
and nail works at Anderson is an arm of
the trust which controls 95 per cent. of the
output of the country. The trust has de-
clared cut in wages of from 10 to 40 per
cent. and the workers have determined not
to submit to it.
News reached the Statehouse yesterday
that the trust had purposely brought on
the strike. 1t claimed 1T is the intention of
the trust to let the men lie idle for time
with the hope that they will be starved
into agreeing to the wage cut. 1t is known
that the mills have a large stock on hand.
great force has been employed in turning
out the product and the demand has not
been great enough to swallow the supply.
Therefore the companies in the trust will be
able to supply the trade for some time to
come without manufacturing. At the same
time the prices will go up 1t is asserted
length forced to go to work at reduced
wages, and during the period of idleness the
trust will be able to get rid of it's accumu-
lated product at increased prices.
Along with this information comes the
statement that the workmen at Anderson
and their leaders have determined to fight
the trust to the bitter end. Suit, it is said
will be filed against the trust in the Federal
fov yfo1o fi,,e he
trust laws. 1t is believed this suit will be
brought in this district This action is to
be taken, it is stated by officials, because
1t has been discovered that the Indiana
antitrust law is defective. Three attorneys
have been engaged to bring this suit
Governor Mount was asked about the
matter yesterday. .T have not been official
ly informed of the matter" said the Gov
ernor, "but 1 have made. inquiry of the at
torney general of the condition of the State
antitrust law. He has informed me that
it will not cover the Anderson case. 1 am
row engaged in writing another letter to
him on the subject" The Governor is in
sympathy with the Anderson workmen in
their fight against the trust,
Another reason for bringing the case in
the Federal Court is that the intention Of
tIl0 lIuol, IL ID DSlleNSu, Is W CdLIy OUT the
policy outlined above in their mills through
out the country. The trust controls mills
at De Kalb and Joliet, ILL.,; Cleveland, Salem
and Findley, o.; Rankin, Beaver Falls and
Allentown, Pa; st. Louis, Mo-; Anderson
Ind, and many other cities 1t is expected
that in all these cities the trust will try to
force the wage reduction on the workmen
and that strikes, which, 1t is charged, the
trust hopes for will be inaugurated. The
news comes from Anderson that 200 men are
at work in the department of the mills in
which raw material is manufactured. The
windows and doors of the other depart
mentS are being barricaded. The appearance
of the place indicates that the owners of
the mills intend them TO be shut down for a
long period. The people of Anderson are
heartily in sympathy with the strikers. This
is sharply shown by the fact that Harry
Hardy, one of the city's police commission
ers has resigned as foreman of the rod mill
after eight years of service. L. ii. Gedge,
who was the Anderson representative Of
the trust, refused, it is said, to become
party to the scheme which the trust has III
aGgurated, and his resignation was due to
this fact
The labor commissioners would have gone
to Anderson several days ago had ii not
been that labor troubles here and at Evans
Vile and Hartford City have engaged
their attention 1t is OF behaved they will
deal with the trust at all. Their intention
is to hold conference with the WORKING
men, The opinion expressed IN the
Statehouse yesterday that the officials of
the trust do not want to have anything 10
do with State officials who wish to settle
the strike because that Eoulo be IN oppcS:-
ton to the trusts PURPOSES