Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-08-07
Trouble for Unions.
LNInntneller Argus.1

The trouble i'm the government print
ing Office over the dismissal and rein
statement of a man who had been eX-
PEELED from the union may possibly have
results the union employees do not care
. to contemplate. For years they nave
successfully opposed the Introduction of
type setting machines i'm the government
printing Office The only reason for this
Is that ii would reduce the number of
hands employed. Since the printers
threatened to strike because the Pres-
dent ordered the reinstatement of Miller,
Secretary Cortelyou has asked the MAX
ers of type setting machines to inform
him of the cost of installing machines in
the office. These machines are in sue
ccssful operation in thousands of Offices
throughout the country and 1t would be
a matter Of economy for the government
To use them.
Unions are in trouble just at present i'm
various ways. Recent revelations In New
York, where it has been shown in court
that union officials met in secret and as
sessed what fines they pleased on manu-
taCturefs and contractors. have given the
cause "a black eye. The assistant district
attorney. in an address. stated that the
" labor graft " beat the police graft
and that has been supposed to be one of
the richest Things known in the line of
crookedness Said he:
" Gentlemen that Is the greatest
thing that ever happened. Fifty thou
sand dollars at a crack to call off strikes
that had been called uu I'm order that the
backmail might he levied, What's 500
"A month from a disorderly mousse or 5000
"a month from "a gambling establishment.
compared with this game? why. had
Devery or Diamond or 1Ierlihy known of
the possibilities I'm the game of the walk
ing delegate. CLAMPS and chains could
not have kept them in the Police Depart
mcut
" just look at the proposition \ con-
tractor has "a building to construct with
in "a given time. y million dollars or more
is involved in the contract. Suddenly.
and for no apparent trouble with the
laborers. strike is ordered.
" The contractor, taught by experience.
goes to Sam--Jones. the walking delegate.
to find out what the matter Is Well.
says Sam were both business men.
take it? Yes? Well, let's get down to
business. What's your contract worth?
\ little over million. eh? Well. you
bring $4,000 here tomorrow morning and
you won't he able To- see the men get
back to work for the dust they'll kick
up
Why. you damned scoundrel" ex-
claims the contractor DO you think
YOU can hold me up in this fashion.
There'n be skating in he'll before be-
come a party To any such proposition
80 All right says Sam. then youll wait
till hell thaws out the North Pole before
man goes back on your job
That's a poser for the contractor
and finally he offers Sam So U1. All
right says Sam. were giving YOU s.. Gao
but it's all right You bring the money
here tomorrow morning and you mark
the bills. Then you 90 down and tell
Jerome. What do YOU think we care for
jerome? We've got a dozen lawyers that
can lick that cigarette iend ont Of his
boots. So the money is paid and the
contractor doesn't go to see Jerome"
This eNtortion in New York was the
work Of the stone cutters union which
! appears to have been managed much diff
/ ferently from that in this section II the
/ stories that have been told in court are
true. and ii would appear that some Of
/ them must be. these stone cutters might
/ as well begin cutting the monument for
their union. Their organization cannot
continue to exist with the public know
ing that it has engaged in such opera
/ tons
/ Union men must feel Inundated at these
revelations and must realize that the
cause Of labor is seriously injured by
/ them.