The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-07-22
PRESIDENT SHAFEER TALKS
He Declared Sheet Steel Company
Failed to Keen Promises.

Mckrcsport, Pa, July 21.-At Il mass
meeting of strikers held in the Opera
House here yesterday President Shafer.
Of the Amalgamated Association said:
"The strikers will not begin the fight,
but the statement made by the manu-
facturrrs that they have engaged guards
to protect any nonunon labor that might
be brought into McKccsport is, in my
opinion, the opening gun of the attack on
us. So be it., we will fight
The meeting was opened with prayer
by the Rcv. Stewart Sharp. pastor of the
Home Mission, who was formerly en-
ployed at the wood mill. and is Il charter
member of Enterprise Lodge of the
Amalgnmatrd. The pastor of nearly
every leading church in the city was
present at the meeting.
SHAFFER'S SPEECH.
President Shaifcr opened his remarks
by saying that if there are any spies
present in the interest of the United
States Steel Corporation he would like
to have them stand up. None arose. He
then continued:
THE Sheet Steel Company failed to
keep its promises to the Amalgamatcd
Association when the agreement was
drawn and entered into by both sides af-
ter the trouble You had here last April
the company agreed to reinStatc the
seen men who had been discharged for
joining II union. Was that done? No.
Six Of those men were taken back but
the seventh one was stopped as he en-.
tered the mill and informed that he was
wanted at the Office. At the office he was
At L.. ~
and he has not worked there since You
tube workers have been made happy
with an advance of what you think and
what has been announced in the papers
as 10 per cent. raise. When You got
paid you will discover that it is from
. to per cent. and only Il very few get
the 10 per cent.
1--WE can judge the future by the past.
As soon as this trouble is over the COM
! pany will reduce wages 90 per cent. and
make even. If the American working.
man wants to get his share of the profits
| of production wants to get his share Of
| the wealth that he creates, he will have
| to 90 into politics. Now is the time
| for tho American workingman to open
| his eyes. Go to the polls and vote. Vote
right. Organize and learn that the only
way to fight these people is by lcgali2ed
| methods. But you want to get the con.
| troll Of the country and the government
in your own hands.
"rhc announcement has been covcrtlv
made that they are going to start this
mill here Monday. I want to tell YOU
the mill will not start. They cannot get
the men to start it with unless you fcl.
| lows go back to work. There are no
men in the country and there is not time
! enough to make any. One of the morn.
ing papers states that the company is
preparing for trouble and will have drpu
| ties on guard next week. II it does that
is the first gun on Sumter. None Of you
men have made such threats. If an at
tempt is made to start the mills want
you men to keep away from them. Keep
away from the saloons and don't start
trouble.
For the first time in the history of tho
National Tube Works the Amalgamated
Association has successfully organized
lodges In the several departments. In
the National Ro!hng Mill today at one
mill forty-seven ont Of forty-nine men
became members Of the Amalgamatci
Immediately after this afternoons meet
ing.
The tube workers are ready to n man
now to come out il President Shatfer
says the word. -'- '---