The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-06
Reduction Of Wages at the Navy Yard
ArOuses Them to Action.
SEVERAL GENTLEMEN SPEAK THEIR MIND
Hon. Wa Young warmly Espouscs
the Cause or lilo wornmen- Com.
mittce Eiccted 10 Go 10 washington
ntonec 10 Sec the Secretary OF tho
Navy.

last night at City Hall for the purpose
Of taking some action in regard to the
reduction OF wages Mr. John A. Nc
Donald called the meeting to order and
read the call, which was published In
The Virginian of yesterday, which
stated the object for which the meeting
would be held. AT the conclusion Of
the reading Mr.. Mcdonald WAS made
permanent chairman. The press was
requested to act as secretaries. Mr.
Wilson butt was nominated for prl-
Vate secretary. air. Carhart was also
nominated. a vote being taken result
ed In the election of MI Butt, and he
was declared the nominee.
Mr. Mcdonald then made short
talk He said that he came to the
meeting to do what was right and
honorable. and he felt satisfied that he
voiced the sentiment OF all present,
when he said he, only had the interest
OF the workingmen at heart. and he
thought tina the meeting was with him.
and that the workingmen should re-
celve fair pay for 4 weeks work He
SAID he was not present to crfticise
those who had fixed the wages, but it
was a prerogative that the workingmen
mad, to express themselves, and fs:
should do so. He said that the work
ingmen no longer lived in the dark
ages, but that they had n right to
speak about what affected them He
1hen cited the custom of fixing wagcs
lie spoke Of the manner in which the
reduction had ~een made He said
that such things should not exist be-
cause better wages were being paid
outside than In the yard. He said The
reduction affected every one He spoke
OF what could be done with proper eff
fort
lie believed in econ omy. but it should
ne III lis proper place, and when il en-
croached upon the poor man that it
should be frowned down. He spoke of
Ine commandart Of the yard and pail
MIN quite compliment, and said bo
uld not believe that his Sympa thies
were with "he cut. He said that i'm New
aork lirst class men received $352 n
gay Ihen why should not men whose
Skill is known the world over and
VINO cannot be eXcelled receive less?
iie e'tea an illustration of how this
YARD mad outstripped all other Yards
Ihen why should not our mechanics
ne pald the same as those elsewhere?
ne asked that the meeting take such
action as would request the Secretary
: OF me Navy to rate all yards alike
ana the men would be satisfied He
men SAID that the meeting was now
ready for business:
Mr.. w. II. Faress was called IN
ana made n talk. He said that he di5
not come to make speech but to be
IN sympathy with the meeting.
re tnen cited similar meeting that
ne mad attended to keep wages from
peihS cut two years ago, and how thew
succeeded. He said that IT was ,nnci,
harder to get thing altered nriar II
MAD been done than 1t was to intercent
IN me beginning. He thought the
proper thing to do was to get down IN
business. lie said that he thought that
most or the members Of the Io.i,nr
boafd are young men, ana that n MN
Der or them were living in the ward
contrary to the rules and rrrn,ntinns
or the Governments
ne said that there were \, numbor 90
thl!iGs IN the yard upon which econopy
could be practiced better than ma,
inc workingmen. He ctcd the pass,rn
vi phe Dill for paying workincmcn on
i,toi!o"ss, ana said that the intent of tn,
u" was that II man should he poid
Tor them, but Secretary Hrrbcrt rnd
seen III TO issue an order that "a man
must work eight hours prior Ia ma
monday and upon this ground the NO.
non mad been taken. lie said that tha
commandment said that he had no OH
gu oro 10 q telegram being sent to the
le'ar9, REQUESTING him not To moi
on on me order until committee Of work
Hshleh could appear before him
lie said that he told the Commanders
OF the yard that he was ashamed 10
mink That hi1 party had taken such
wages. ''''i .
Hon. w. a. Young, member or Gov
greSs from this district, was called unou
anu said that he was present for .bn
purpose of Offering his services 10 tha
Workingmen of the yard. He would
uaFe put.iittle to say. He. thought that
the action of the Labor RnorI w.ns
fWYOnr In pnttiNpr bn
thought that every man, both union
ana others in the three cities. should
forward Position TO the Sccrniarv
aSkihS nm TO restore the pay back In
Where 1t belonged. He said that with
$ol without committee he would begin
On FRIDAY to try TO get the working
mems pay restored ITO it's former nrire
lie mad nothing to say about the Labor
Boa1'd. If they thought they had done
right ne differed with them and that is
all. He said speeches were not what
was wanted, but action. lie moposcd
10 nave an interview with the Secretary
on fflday and he asked the HELM OF thn
meeting. ''''
Nh Mihalre then moved that the
meeting elect a committee to act in
conjunction with Hon. w. a. Young In
the matter. 1t was seconded and
Capt. John w. Happier, w. IT Fair
less and John a. Mcdonald were nomi.
ihLled as the committee and elected
Hon. w. ~ Young was requested ia
appoint two men 10 act with the COM
mittce from Norfolk.
a motion was made that Berkeley
have one member
MI Fairlcss thought that one man
from Portsmouth, one from Norfolk
and one from the county would be SUM-
cient.
A motion was made that one be an.
pointed from Portsmouth, one from