The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-22
BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY.
STORY or STnuGGLE DETWEEN
NEW YORK Sun AND ssDIG SIX"
niet 81 OrganlseA Labor-WsP
CoieesDenAest Davis Praises

Wsshington Troops In Manila.
NEW YORK. Aug. 1.-THE battle be-
tween the Sun. one OF the most powerful
and influential newspapers printed In the
world, and New York Typographical
Union, No g. one OF the model labor or
CARNATIONS OK the world. and Familiarity
known among organized wage earners az
big Six" il now on for fair. and promises
to be q historic struggle. The organized
labor OF New York city has promptly raj
lied 10 the aid of the striking printers.
assistance In promised and assured by the
international Typographical Union. and
plane are being made for an elaborate boy
cstt.
II Is the boast Of those who are directing
the fight for the union that the Sun will
be driven into bankruptcy. II IS the calm
Assurance OF william NJ. IAfYan. publisher
Of the Sun. that he has never been seri-
ously inconvenienced by the strike. that
he II glad Ii has come, and that the Sun
will not lose dollar.
An examination Of the causes which led
up to the strike leave the investigator in
a rather uncertain state OF mind. The
strikers assert that the MANAGEMENT OF
the Sun sought 10 deprive them Of their
just right. and that they were forced 10 use
the only weapon placed In the hands Of
men who must live by the sweat Of their
brows. the strike. The management de-
ciarcs that II was interfered with TO point
where IL ceased TO be master In is own
house. and had to act.
1t appears that there has always been
more or less friction In the office. partic-
uiarIy since certain type-cast!ng machines
were introduced into the office. The max
ers Of the machines and the managers OF
the paper claimed that they could be bet
ter operated BY machInists familiar with
their delicate construction than by print
ers who had never seen them before. Ma
chine operators were PLACED on those In
stalled In the Sun and some time ago the
union demanded that they be discharged
and union printers given their places.
There was no question OF wages, for in
every Observation-Disclosures. mechanical
and business--the Sun has always been a
pacemaker Ia the matter OF pay. lAfYap.
In behalf OF the Sun. asked that the ma
chinists be taken into the union. but his
request was laughed al. There was moth
Ing to do but meet the demand Of the union
and with reluctance the Sun discharged the
machinists and thereafter printers oper-
ated the machines.
That was the beginning OF actual war
fare. I.affsn began preparations 10 turn
the office into an "open" one. and sent
aktAs& w bssaa'tShA ~ obtH ~
office. The union got on 10 the move ana
acted 1T once. Lafyan was asked to
align an agreement TO perpetuai!y observe
the rules Of the union and given about
twenty minutes to do IL In. He didn't do
II. and nj 9.&S o'clock on Saturday night In
the midst OF all the hurry and rush over
the preparation OF the Sunday paper the
mechanical stan walked out.
The Sun appeared a cripple the next
OF the blow. That day nearly 100 printers
recruited at Philadelphia and brought 10
New York By special steamer were cap
tured by the union. Tuesday. however the
paper got UP to ten pages and at the end
OF nve days was back to almost original
form. The strike was not attended BY any
scenes Of disorder. A Gordon OF police
guarded the office. and privately engaged
Pinkertons swarmed through the ed.iora!
rooms ana mechanical departments for
several days. but the force OF both public
and private guardians Ia being quickly re-
dueed. Printers do not resort to violence
as rule. The strikers maintained force
OF pickets about the office. but there was
nothing much 10 he accomplished by that.
and the watch may be discontinued.
The fight Is over as far as Park Row Ia
concerned. II will now center in the husi-
ness cs;rict. where the advertise, ahides
OF the strike. $1,000 more IS to be raised
hy an assessment Of printers and stni an
other sZso1 Is promised by affiliated wage
earners The newsboys and newsdaalers
are being swung into line 4 boycott
and systematic canvass Is being made
among the business men 10 kill the patron
age Of the paper Where the printer would
once rule he would now ruin.
There Is as Yet no apparent effect 10 be
ises the other side affects confidence Re.
suits must be awaited. Opinions do no,
20 FOR much. except perhaps where they
are paid for, IA in the case OF the doctor
and the lawyer. and then |, cheers one to
believe that they are worthy ef the pay,
but the belief Of the writer Is that the
boycott will not prove effective aud that
the sun will so on shining
The principal reason for that conciu-
sion lies In the fact that the sun OF today
has never been friendly Ia the laborng
interests and has nothing 10 ask from
them. II has not hesifated to denounce
strikes and defend the larger business in
terests Of the country. |, has forcefnlly
declared that the trust or trade com1lna-
ton was but the natural outcome 81 som
roercc. the acme and true economy ~
trade. There Was n this case no question
Of wages involved. no squeezing and
crushing az ths down-trodden /, was all
for principle "a which everyone does not
suhscf be. The boycott VIII be very ef-
fectiv. among those who are enrolled with
affiliated with ny IN sympathy with or.
sauixed inhor bat beyond that vii, proA-
ably fall.
The strike has produced several re-
markable results and recalls some inter.
essin. history IN connection with the sun
Ono % the FIRST results Of an unusual ma.
ture Is 10 throw TIRE sun and Is old enemy
the Evening Post. together. The Post Is
an open. or nnn~uaion. shop us machines
being operated ny nachintsts instead Of
printers sna when tire strike came 1. op-
enei It's csapos rs room 10 iho sun The
papers have lonS uesn deadly enemies in
an editorial sense bat a threat 81 afvcrs~
tty tn which they have "a mutual concern
makes them friends Another resale has
been - further sntagenlxe tAe Herald aui
the san.
The former eggs the strikers M. an.f
the sun retaliates by eating attention Il,
the obscene personal column published
daily ia the Herald ana Aoa,Narsilng .rss
glass house in which 80 personal James
Gordon Bennett lives Tee elder Dana