The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-11

Works. The SCOTS were charged with
employing scab labor and resorting to in
timidation to prevent the workmen from
voting as they desired. AS a matter of
fact Irving NJ. Scott never sought to in
fuence his men as to how they should
vote. The only way the men could judge
of Mr.. Scott's choice of candidates was to
ascertain his sentiments as proclaimed on
the stump.
No one connected with the management
of the Union Iron Works even thought
of placing an impediment in the path of
the men to the polls, yet a newspaper
concern which was purchased at auction
for $4,000 impudently and arrogantly in
sisted that the $500 men at the Union Iron
Works should each have two working
hours to vote. A demand was made that
the SCOTS should stand the loss of 1000
hours. The demand was addressed to men
who in one month alone had disbursed the
sum of 100000 to $500 employees
The case of the SCOTS is only one of
many. Leading men. the builders of the
State, the promoters of prosperity, the
men who invest capital, brains and energy
in great enterprises for the betterment
of the city. are constantly assailed by
vicious and irresponsible papers.
In August. 1886. when the Navy Depart
three cruisers and two gunboats-the first
vessels of the new navy-only five firms
responded. and of these one did not have
the requisite facilities. and the contracts
went to the Columbia Iron Works at Bal
timore, Cramps at Philadelphia and the
Union Iron Works in San Francisco.
These three yards practically constituted
the private shipyard facilities of the
country for navy building, and not one of
the eight navy yards had the requisite
plant to build. During the past thirteen
years the number of private shipyards
capable of doing navy work has increased
to over twenty, and three of the navy
yards have good shipbuilding plants. Of
the one hundred and odd vessels built
or building since 1856 only four were built
in two navy yards; the others. including
fourteen battleships and armored crms-
ers, were the product of private ship
yards fostered by protective and liberal
policy. In the early period there was a
keen competition between the older estab-
lished firms and the new firms, that were
attracted by the high prices paid for navy
work, and while the cost was high the
Government got fair value, the indus
tries attendant to ship and engine build
ing were developed, and the work was di-
vided all over the country to big and
small yards In 1895 the first disturbing
factor appeared with the Newport News
Company, which underbid the other yards
so greatly on the contract for two battle
ships as to indicate that an understand
ing between the several builders was alb
solutely necessary for their common good
and subsequent bids tended to prove the
correctness of this belief. eliminating a
year ago in the charge that the principal
shpyards had formed trust for the pur-
pose of regulating prices. The Newport
News. Bath Iron Works, Lewis Nixon
and the Union Iron Works were named as
constituting the trust, and while the Of
ficials of the several firms Indignantly de.
MED the existence of such an organiza-
ton the Navy Department nevertheless
took alarm and prepared to overcome any
attempt to gouge the Government A fur
| ther. almost positive, proof was furnished