The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-18
THE TIN PLATE SCALE.
Confidence That the Mills Will Re-
sumo September IA Worker
Gives His Views on the Situation.

| wives o1S views on the SlCuatlon.
Despite the failure to settle the tin
plate scale at the conference in Detroit,
the workers are confident that the
plants OF the American Tin Plate Com
pany will be in full operation by Sep
TENDER l, says the Pittsburgh Chronicle
Telegraph. Leading members of the
Amalgamated Association who have
been carefully watching the situation.
attach no significance to the delay in
reaching an agreement.
A member who has followed the de-
alterations OF the different conferences
on the scale, said he was certain when
the negotiations We're opened that the
trust was In no hurry to settle the wage
question. and he was fully prepared for
a two. months stop.
1T was only q bluff" said he to q
reporter for the Chronicle Telegraph,
when the trust officials opposed the
proposition OF some Of the lodges for a
shutdown of the plants during July
and August. Then when they arrang.
ed for conference 1t was not the in
tention to sign the scale, even IL their
terms had been conceded by our COM
nlittee. They were merely playing for
time. They had, and have yet, big
stock OF plates on hand. but are not
contradictfng any Of the reports OF low
stocks. BY the first delay they sue
ceeded in getting concession in that
the committee, by vote OF the lodges,
was given power to settle on the most
advantageous terms possible.
THE American Tin Plate Company
has been conceded practically all that
was asked. with possibly an exception
on one of the important foot notes. The
base has been agreed to with an ap-
parent advantage for the workers, but
I cannot see It.
THE original proposition called for a
reduction of the base OF the scale from
81 % to 81 a box, with the usual ad-
vance and decline in wages with every
change Of ten cents box in the price
of tin plates. The workers have waiy-
ed the 81 base, but have been told that
the combination is willing to concede a
reductionfin the base, making It "a 20 a
box. This five cent cut will not have
any effect on wages. for the change in
price must be ut least ten cents a box
before the workers are benefited. The
majority, however, may look on the cut
In the base as concession on the part
OF the American Tin Plate Company. I
have heard from n number Of tin plate
workers In different parts OF the coun-
try, and all say that extensive repairs
have been started, and that the differ
ent mills Will not be ready for resump-
ton before September /. No effort, It
seems. was made by the trust to have
the plants ready for an earlier start,
and the men are attaching no slgnifl-
canoe to the delay in reaching settle
ment. ".
There Is no reason why an agree
ment should not have been reached at
the conference which ended In Detroit
yesterday. sec no reason why. TIC
committee should again refer the mat
ter back to the lodges. The members
OF the committee have the power to set.
tie. and should do SO. All the indepen-
dent plants are in full operation, hav-,
ing signed the scale, and the owners
have no desire to see an early resump-
ton OF the trust mills. by the latest
arrangements see that another con-
ference Is to be held within two weeks.
1t will no doubt be held in time to per-
nit the company to sign the scale and
start Its works at the time originally,
intended"