The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-28
SHAFFER'S RULE or THE MINOR
JTY

Much speculation has been INDUCED In
by the press regarding the motives which
actuated the officers of the Amalgamated
association to order a strike at time
when there was absolute peace between
employer and employees. These guesses
were more or less shrewd. according to
the knowledge of the guesser. The real
motive has been carefully concealed by
Shaffer and his lieutenants. Bombastic
statements have, from time to time, been
issued to the men with a view to infiame
their prejudices rather than to appeal to
their reason. A food of light has been
shed on the underlying motives by the
report of the annual convention of the
A. A held at Milwaukee last June and
which has just been, made public
This journal shows that the Amalga-
mated association. at the time of that
meeting, had only 1888 members all told
That less than 10000 of these were en-
ployed in the United States Steel corpora
ton mills. That less than $4,000 was in
the association treasury for strike purpo-
ses
1he report shows that the organization
was growing weaker instead of stronger;
that the high tide of prosperity and
strength was reached in 1891, just before
the Homestead strike, when it boosted
of 24.o6S members. This number had
dwindled in ten years to 1883, scattered
through 100 lodges; a loss of 1870 lodges in
decade, and 81 lodges during the last
year
Shaffer and his clique saw it was impos-
sible to extend the union by converting
the men to union IDEAS Something dras-
tic must be done to save the association.
With a logic which seemed plausible to
those who did not know the weakness Of
the association, he argued that the time
was ripe to compel the vast trust to come
to the aid of the Amalgamated.
The strike was ordered because the
United States Steel corporation refused
to unionize the plants of the American
Sheet Steel company, American Tin Plate
company and the American Steel Hoop
company. In these plants were employed
10000 skilled workmen and $4,000 laborers.
who might, in the discretion of the local
lodge, become members of the associa-
ton
Taking into consideration all the plants
of the United States Steel company. the
number of skilled workmen at the time
of the strike was 10000 and the Iaborers as
above noted. $4,000. The1e men the COM
parative handful of Amalgamated agita-
tors proposed to throw out of employ
ment if the corporation refused to COM
pei them to join the union
Here is an exhibition of the rule Of the
minority which would please the car OF
Russia and bring a smile of delight to
the solemn face of the kaiser.
From the history of the Amalgamated
we must infer that the present strike was
instituted solely for the benefit of the
association. and not for the betterment of
the Individual workmen The association
was going to pieces through the Difficult
ty in gaining recruits. The men had
learned through experience that thew
were better off managing their own bust.
ness than they We're in an order which
disposed of their time and labor as tb4
officers thought fit
By carefully concealing the actua
strength of the order, the union str;kars
have been able to intirnidate the non.
Union men, who would prefer to wor,,
This weakness. however will soon ap-
pear, and as soon as the companies car
gather nucleus of non-union men +,
make start the others will offer to re-
turn and the utter holIowness of tn,
claims of shaffer will be exposed. TIL,
New York Sun gives a number of ex
tracts from the various circulars issuaf
by shaffer which throw light upon tn,
motives prompting the leaders of thi.
H-starred movement. Speaking of pre-
NS4iNSob' III WHICH the trust
made slight concessions. he says:
Foolish as these buyers are. we know
lhey would refuse to eXpend money fo
stock which carries a strike with it Tbi
IS why We won. The declaration of on
intention to strike affected the sale n
thelr shares to the amount of 81 900 Oa0 !,
rev days in Wall street alone and in
terfered with the exploitation of it's stool
in London" ''0'i
Shaffer in his public statements de
elares that the trust will not let the me,
join the unions, and it is for this indi
Tidual freedom to ''join'' that they ar
now fighting. On the inside-in the bosom
Of the lodge-he talks differently. Their
he scores the men for the failure of TIN
association, thusly: Our chief faiur
has been among the ste.I mills c3nse
quent upon the lethargy in some pace.
such as Homestead. Johnstown and Brad
dock. OF the lodges that have becom
defunct some went by thu board as
result of a strike. others were closed TO
want OF interest Not one word abou
interfere nee by the employers-he know