The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
a VILE CONSPIRACY.
A Printer in "The Sun " Composing Room
Makes = Manly REPUTATION of an
Infamous Libel,


Makes = Manly REPUTATION of an
Infamous Libel.
ToTHE EDIToR OF THE SuN-Sir: As one Of
your numerous employees desire to enter q
protest against the vlllainous attacks made by
Typographical Union No. o on the mon now en-
gagged on THE Sun in its various departments
especially so on the oompositors OF tho morn
ing Sun. one OF whom am
The bosses OF the Big 9. having met with no
announcement In their boycott. and with no
sympathy in their despicable warfare now
seek to injure the reputation OF tho en-
ployees.
Their last circular. signed by the President
OF the Infamous organization. Is u lie from be-
ginning to end. and II the Union WAS worthy
the consideration an appeal to the courts
would be taken by the men. The circular re-
fers to the employees as ''scalawags." "deRene-
rates. men who seek the saloon as home"
who are outcasts upon the face OF the earth"
scum OF the lower quarters" neither SOL
diers in time Of war nor citizens in time OF
peace" they neither pay board. rent or gro
Gerry bills" their children grow up as
heathens'-and so on In scurrilous terms for
Tour pages. No grosser libel was ever pub
lished. and any court would sustain libel pro-
coedings on the face OF the veness OF the ut
terings. But the text 10 in keeping with the
method OF the Big q to either rule or ruin
an organization which appeals in one breath
for support on the grounds OF Its charitable
character. and in the next breath violates all
rules OF peace to mankind"
In reply to this last circular desire to state
that have been employed on The Sun since
the strike as compositor am acquainted
with the personnel Of the force bave never
before come in contact with more gentle
manly set OF men. we'll dressed. well-man-
nered and intelligent Instead of being
scums of the earth without home or desire
to install one" they are In the m ain men OF
family. They have moved to New York,
Invested capital here In Quitting their homes.
Others are residents OF the city. who own
their own homes. and taxpayers and citizens
OF importance in their community. | have
met one gentleman whose father is a clergy
man Of high degree In the Methodist Episcopal
Church South; another who was Mayor Of an
Ohio town a few years ago. and editor OF a local
paper; another who was private secretary to
an Illinois Senator; quito a few who have
published country newspapers. and SO on
through the entire list
Tho Union knew it uttered falsehood when
1t said the men were men without homes. for
its Visiting Committee has visited them in
their homes, not only once. but two and three
times. and as evidence of its desperate strait
will repeat in substance the order Of their
proposal-this was made to me by proof
reader OF the Tribune:
You are to apply for a card in the Big 9.
We will elect you member at once You are
to remain in your present position on THR
Sun. act as spy. and whom we call you out
you are to obey us. Then when we win this
fight and THE Sun is again a Union ONCE, we
will give you a position-if there are enough
to 60 around"
This proposition has been m ade to most all
the present employees OF the morning SUN
Big u received no additions to its ranks through
this course. They have received additions, but
from discharged employees. Whenever a com
positor Is let out" through incompetency he
makes Decline for No. IS headquarters and
Is taken in with open arms
The majority OF the so-caled "scabs" ON
IHE BUN never belonged to the Union for the
reason that they were always able to earn more
than the Union scale. The fundamental prin-
cipe OF the Union is wrong No man is placed
on his own merit. He is placed on an average
merit. He might be worth S24a week and the
next employee but SlS, SO they make an aver
age. and rob one man OF SO and make q present
to the other OF like amount For that reason
superior workmen keep aloof from the Union.
and THE Sun has now gathered upon its
mechanical force Just such men-those who ara
better workmen than ever belonged to Bige.
There 10 no principle In Big o. 1t is con-
trolled by few bosses. The weaker members
are trod upon like caterpillars in harvest time
Even now union men are daily Applying for
positions on THE Sun, saying that they have
been forced out Of their positions on the other
morning papers to make room for the pre-
ferred few who quit THE SUN,
When the Union Visiting Committee saw me