The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-28

Tails paper has been among the
friends of labor who have given warn
Ing that II was dangerous for unionism
to asitate against trusts This was not
because trusts would retaiiate, at least
that was not the danger; the warning
was given only on the general principle
that he who lives In q glass house
should not set the example of throw
Ing stouaa- It II not the trust itself
which II Questionable. but the abuses
which hays grown up beside its merits;
It II not unionism that is wrong. but
the abuses which injudicious leaders
have fastened upon II. Now 1t is pro-
posed to apply the same action to
unionism that has been applied with
some success 10 the other farm of
unionism called o trust
The action has been provoked by the
Jnurneymen Plumbers Association,
which has issued schedule by which
tourneymeR ought To be governed in
determining what shah constitute u
days work. The plumbers of Chicago
have succeeded In getting a reduction
In the number of hours, and no man IL
allowed to work more than eight.
After that had heep accomplished the
Union then reduced the amount Of work
that each man Was permitted to do by
one~haif. SO that practically days
work Is only four hours. or course. this
loss falls upon the public. which does
not consider that II IS being fairly
treated.
The public h beginning to learn that
whenever there lev combination tn re-
duce the output or to increase tha price.
the public has to pay. The plumber says
he Will make the employer pay, but he
does not. because the employer cannot
pay more than he receives. and even
be. rapacious as be has been credited
with being. has not exacted 800 per
eeat ON the wages he paid out.
The secretary 81 the Master Plumb
ers' Association has made COMPARE
son between the old rules and the new.
from which are selected a few ex-
amplex;
''Rule /. When working on lead work
eight wiped Joints will be considered q
days work
"tsixteon wiped Joints In lead work was
considered "a day. wark formerly
Rule :. Whea working IN from pipe
the measuring. cutting, threading and
placing In positian of Hfteen threads Of
one-imrh or under shall be considered a
days work
"trhirty-hve threads applied 10 this
case formeris1
Rule s. Ten threads on IA. lis and 8.
inch pipe shall be considered aay a
work
''(Twen,y~five threads forfneriyA
''Rnts PUMP nspes, dewn srouss ana
either straight stacks ef plpe ~ and :.
inch 81 feet shall be considered day
work. and s-inch. - feet DAYS work
and s-ineh, - feet daN's work
"loihie the number # feet
''Rue In cases where work - ~ Il
complicated nature or woFksnen are de-
iayed through ue faalt ~ theirs che att
salute performance az amounts IS taid
dewn Ia this schedule shall nos be con.
stdsrsd sarnpslsuFS ht tas assaslatl
'fThs rule. which permits even far.
Their cssstailmcnt uf days work Is enc
OF the worst in ths iisti
''Rale II. AM member ytalatinE any of
these rules shall hs dealE ~tsh accord
Ing 90 Section u uf wurktax rules which
reads A nm. 80 ene days pay far fret
ofYense and INA ssays pay fer ssonFsi nj
Tense, and IL he persists In his Violation
the association shah deal Wilt him as IL
sees at"
IL Is true that there Is ru!e which
SAYS tina, lin ali eases "a fair days
work shalt b. performed" cat this 10
net strictly lived up TO. aesause In one
az the cases which viii he made she
basis OF the complaint. after the plumb
Ing work had been completed On a
house. the delegate computed that IL
had been finished ssay and half soa
soon and compelled tAs contractor To
pay the extra vasss ia the twenty @ea
he had worked on the sob. II Is mani