The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-22
WAGES in NEW ENGLAND
HORACE NJ. EATON ON TKE CONDITION
OF SHOE WORKERS.
Lasters and Others Unable to Earn
Severely Condemned.


Jurisdiction OF the union. ne said. extended
over the United States and Canada While
the organization provided strike assistance,
IL was inadequate on account OF the low
dues, and 1t was his opinion that many a
strike had been lost because Of lack of
funds. Referring 10 the Marlboro strike. he
said it had failed from both the employees
and the employers standpoint. The en-
ployes were worse off than before the
strike. Wages were from % to 90 per cent.
lower. The issue was the recognition of
the organization OF the employees. The en-
ployers had declined all proffers Of arbi-
~tration, but they offered to leave the quCs-
tion at issue TO the ministers of the town.
This proposition was refused by the strik-
ers, and IL subsequently developed, Mr..
Eaton said, that eight out of nine minis
tiers were against the strikers. There were
about 1900 members of his organization, he
said, about half of whom were in New Eng
land.
Speaking of the conditions among the
boot and shoe laborers. he said work was
plentiful but wages were poor. Eleven
years ago he would have been able TO earn
from SIS to $50 a week lasting shoes; now
ne could not earn more than SIS. In ex-
PLANTATION he said that the reduction In
earning capacity in this branch of the trade
was due to the change in conditions. Com
petition in the shoe trade was fierce and
the manufacturers were confronted with
the alternative of raising prices or lowering
the quality. In this connection he said that
the shoe trade, regardless of party. regarded
the duty on hides as iniquitous. They ala
not regard free hides as inimical to the
farmer. They regarded. hides as a by,
- III .~AGAA fhn onk ami
not the farmer. The manufacturers old not
look on free hides as a solution. III Was
only one of the incidental aggravetlhs
things which went to raise the cost or ma
terials.
other evidence of New England's desire ior
free trade in raw materials and high duties
or manufactured products?' asked Com
missioner Kennedy.
Il have no opinion on that question: re-
piled Mr.. Eaton. but so far as the shoe
business is concerned, IL needs no protection.
We are able to produce shoes in competition
with the world. We can undersell the Eng
Iish in their home markets. But as ar
ranged the. tariff discriminates against
American manufacturers. The duty on
hides Is 10 per cent. but when the hides hides are
That is to the interest of the foreign manu-
facturers."
The improvements in machinery, he said.
had resulted In shortening the seasons or
labor. With the present number OF shoe
plants the shoes necessary to supply the
CONSUMPTION can De MANUFACTURED III lOuI
months. The price of shoes had decreased.
This was not only due to Improvement. in
machinery and lesser labor cost, but to i'm
provement in tanning processes If the shoe
manufacturer went into a trust many of
the shoe plants would shut down and the
laborers thus thrown out of employment
would be compelled TO bid against the
Others. A shoe trust would be injurious to
labor. he thought. He knew of no shoe
manufacturers who thought 1t possible TO
effect a combination for the maintenance or
nglnGG and dlQnOllnfG
Speaking of the change which had taken
place since the Introduction OF machinery.
Mr.. Eaton described the conditions In Lynn
In the old days when every man made a
complete shoe. The shoemakers were all in
dependent; all politicians. Henry Wilson
was a shoemaker and said every
in Lynn was fit to be a UEirad States SEN
ator. Now the hard. driving work at a ma
chine gave employees no opportunity TO ex-
necessarily. The employment of child labor
was also a great evil. Socially the c0ndi-
tions of the workmen could not be compared
Conditions could be improved by the es-
Enlistment of stable prices for the manu-
facturers- Some legislation was necessary.
shortened TO six hours. He said there could
not be any great Improvement in wages and
shortening of hours of labor that the con-
sumer would not pay for. Only 8 per cent.
of the shoe workers were organized. The
union hoped to be able to make arbitration
agreements with manufacturers. Some had
Deen made In SUCH cases the Snoes were
stamped union made and If supported by
other trades unions this movement would
grow.
Mr.. Eaton expressed the opinion that alien
labor had broken down wage I'm New Eng
land, although in the shoe business the pro-
portion OF foreign-born workers is not over
10 per cent. He would feel more interest in
restrictive legislation. he said, If he had
any confidence that immigration laws would
be enforced He was in favor of the Stone
bill. which provided for consular inspection
abroad. Mr.. Eaton thought the provision
OF the Constitution of Massachusetts. re-
quiring towns to support. maintain and en-
ploy those unable to support themselves
should be enforced. He opposed convict-la-
hcr-made shoes. Shoes were made by con-
victs in Maryland. Virginia, Indiana, I'LL
nois and Rhode Island. He did not think
antitrust agitation would benefit the labor
ing men. Campaigns might be won or lost
on the issue, but the tendency was toward
concentration. The only thing which could
be done. he thought. was 10 regulate and
curtail some of the special privileges great
aggregations of capital enjoyed.
William III. Allen. of Brooklyn, a member
or the Knights of Labor, testified that he
had been in the organization
of the Protective Labor Union, which IA
vored restriction on economic grounds. Most
of the aliens underbid American labor and
did not assimilate with the people of this
country. He produced some figures to show
that foreigners returning home or sending
money home took out of the country Sl1S.-
we're enough. He favored complete exclu-
sion and. If he could have his way, would
even expel some of those who were here.
Strike of New River Miners.
CINCINNATI q Sent 81 The E,n,u;ror