Bridgeton pioneer., 1899-04-13
THE GOLDEN RULE.
In q Remarkably Plain Sermon He Makes
Some Strong Statements Against
the Business Policy of
Manufactur

Rev. E. w. Stone Sunday morning,
preached a strong sermon touching upon
the difficulties now existing between
capital and labor in this city.
The church was crowded to it's utmost
capacity, about three hundred glassblow-
ers being in the congregation.
The subject of the pastor was the "Gol-
den Rule in our labor troubles" and his
sermon was based on that verse of Scrip
ture found in the seventh chapter of st.
Matthew, and twelfth verse: Therefore
whatsoever ye would that men should do
unto you, do ye even so unto them; for
this is the law and the prophets"
He discussed the Golden Rule at length,
applying it to our lives for the betterment
of men, and declared that there was no
relation between man and man that can
not and should not be covered by this
universal law.
He then proceeded to discussion of
the pending struggles in industrial
circles. He said we were upon the verge,
if not i'll the very midst of serious con-
fict. What does it mean? 1t means the
loss of thousands of dollars; it means
loss to business; it means untold agony
and suffering of wives and children; it
means a conflict from which it will take
years to recover. He declared that most of
the glass manufacturers here were men,
bers of our churches, and the greater part
of the blowers we're in the church. some
of them holding important offices in the
institutions.
The pastor then pleaded in Gods name
that the Golden Rule, Gods rule, should
govern the two factions. He declared he
was not speaking to inflame passion, to
antagonize labor an capital. The two
should be friends, they were dependent
upon each other.
After taking up the situation fully, he
asked, "Who is responsible for this con-
dition?" and then he explained that his
more than four years. residence in
Bridgeton had been a revelation to him,
Hitherto he had disbelieved statements
as to the condition of the workingmen,
out his disbelief had been dethroned. He
had changed his opinion.
He then explained that the wage scale
was based upon dollar. Some years
ago it was necessary, owing to dull
cAAhOo, dhN d INV 10 CuG LQ0 i1SL 10
cents, which made the scale IS cents.
Ten or twelve years ago the non-union
workmen were employed at cents off
the union list; to-day they are working
at an average of 80 cents off. AS shown
previously SO non-u nion men here make
70 per cent less than so union men of
Millville. The other day he said, Clay
ton manufacturer paid his men as high as
$500 each, the difference between the
wages he had been paid, and what he
would have received under union condi
tion "a difference to the blowers of Sl5O a
year.
Wages of non- union men were deduct
ed without their having anything to say
In the matter. Last year men got SIS
cents for certain ware; this year, with
better times, they receive so cents for the
same work. One factory hired it's men,
agreeing to pay 25 cents off the list.
When it settled with the men it was at IS
cents off, and when the managers were
asked for an explanation, they said, "Oh,
you don't figure as we do" When will
this thing stop? he asked.
lie told of factory where men were
paid " cents for certain ware. One day
the manager asked the men to make all
the ware they could, and the days output
was increased $50 dozen. The next day
the wages OF the mon were cut just one
half. The men were obliged to receive
the deduction without any explanation.
One man, said the pastor, had good
work, and made good wages. When his
settlement was made $40, was taken from
1t, and the explanation was that the firm
could not permit a man to make 40 much
aday And vet this man was paid not
by the time, but by the amount of work
he turned out, and the manufacturer sold
them by quantity.
speaking of contracts, the pastor said
that men had hired at a fixed rate of
wages Another man on the verge of
want would offer to take the place at
lew cents less, and the holder of the lob
would pe Obliged to accept the reduction.
or lose his place,
Rev. Stone then referred to the tax list
OF this city, and said the books show that
out OF 500 glassworkers here. only forty
men pay taxes upon their own property.
In Mlllvllle nearly every other glass
worker owned his own home. Here the
ratio was l in IL That, declared the
speaker, was the effect of IL or l3 years
OF non-union conditions here.
The glass house store was then talxen
up. He showed many instances that in
dicated that men were forced to deal with
these places. Men he spoke of were
driven from the factories because the
store bills were not as large as the man
ayers thought they should be-, In a small
town. near here, he said glassworker
was i'll and his child died. The MANS
shopmates raised him purse of monav
Tor the burial of the little one, The em.
ployer himself contributed 81. When the
blower returned to work and was given
his wages tho naparouSlu