The times., 1899-07-31
PRINTERS NOTES ARE DUE
Developments Expected Today in
the G. P. o. Tangle.
Employees May Demand nn Account
inE-A Report Thnt Payment Will
BE Refused on Half of the Obliga-
tions - Committee May De Asked
TO ExpIain-Thc Unions Attitude.

It is expected that there will be some
surprising developments today in connec-
tion with the payment of the CONDITIONAL
promissory notes given some time ago by
printers and bookbinders employed at the
Government Printing Office to defray the
expense of having their wages raised from
$500 to s4 per day by an act of Congress at
the last session. The matter was referred
to some days ago. when it was explained
that large number of the employees of the
Government Printing ONCE, estimated at
1,200. had signed conditional notes to pay
s25 each to defray what was understood TO
be the legal expense in properly placing
before Congress petition asking for the
increase of wages mentioned.
The increase OF wages was commenced on
the lst day of July and the notes were
According TO this agreement. these notes
would fall due. today. II Is understood,
however that many employees of the Gov
ernment Printing Office are out of the city
on leave OF absence. and some OF these at
least. have asked that the time of payment
be extended. There are others. however.
the notes either in full or in part until an
accounting is made of the whole transac-
tion which resulted in the increase of their
wages. This ground is not taken, it is
| said, from mercenary motives but because
| il is believed by those who take this stand
! that they are entitled to know what they
are paying for. how much il costs, and who
| is to get the money. These same people
say that at SIS apiece the raise of wages
I
| amount would simply mean the deferring
of the increase for thirty days after July l.
/ The increased earnings per month since
| the new law went into effect is almost
! equal to the amount each person agreed to
pay for the alleged legal services in having
the law passed.
The custom has been to pay half the en-
ployes of the Government Printing Office
on each alternate Monday. Under this sys-
| tenn it will be seen that since the printers
| and bookbinders signed the conditional
promissory notes four pay days have
passed. AS the notes were not due, how
ever until today no demand was made nor
their payment was not expected until this
| time. II rumor be true, il is probable that
more than half of the notes given win be
refused payment today. or their makers
will ask for an extension of time until a
full report of the contract between the
committee in charge of tho affair and the
attorneys employed shall be submitted
The affair, it is understood. was a private
| arrangement between the committee in
| charge and those interested. and while
what was being done vas known 10 all the
members of Columbia typographical Union
No. 101, still it is not recognized as a union
affair. As a consequence it is not expected
that the committee will submit a report
to the union CT that Ii will be asked for
one. From what can be learned, however
it is safe to say that large number of the
signers of the Conditional" notes will call
| upon the committee and ask for an ac-
counting and full explanation as to who
is to get the money.