The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-26

women employed in bag manufacturing
establishments, the men employed In the
: cooper shops. foundries. and machlne
shops. railway men and those In all othsr
industries connected with the bringing IN
of wheat and shipping out the product
these are the parties who will suffer.
This statement by John Washburn TO-
day Indicates the platform upon which the
millers stood when they refused, yester-
day. to accept Mayor Haynes proposal
that he appoint board OF five to, whom OF
the matter now in dispute between the
millers and their former employees should
be submitted.
The Reply to the Mayor.
For the second time, and in language
which definitely, states that their decision
Is final, the managers of the big milling
companies refused, yesterday afternoon,
to submit their dispute with the Striking
employees to arbitration.
In replying to Mayor Haynes formal
suggestion that the matter in dispute be
settled by a board OF five arbitrator APP
pointed by him. the millers express
willingness to discuss the subject with
the chief executive of the city. but only
in courtesy to him. They have nothing
to arbitrate, and they say so in the fol-
lowing language:
In reply would say, that a request was
made early in the week by a committee or
employees to arbitrate this question. We
declined to entertain this proposition.
1.-THE question was fully canvassed at
that time. and our reply was distinct
enough to. be thoroly understood. We
have no hesitation in saying further, that
we prefer to shut down our mills If we
cannot find men willing to work at the
present scale of hours and wages.
Minneapolis flour manufacturing Is al
ready carrying as great a handicap as 1t
can possibly stand. We have In the past
made concessions and sacrifices to our
men; raised their wages, shortened their
hours, and at times run the mills at a, loss
to ourselves. s
''You probably understand that the scale
of wages and hours of men working in
the Minneap polls flour mills Is already more
favorable to them than is the scale to
men similarly placed at all other points in
this country with which we must COM
pete. ar t-"l., .....,<.s.. -.
1--WE should be pleased to have a private
conference with you at your office at any
hour you name, If in your opinion 1t is
necessary, but our decision is final
This Letter is signed by J. S. Bell, presl-
dent of the Washburn- Crosby company;
II. l.. Little, manager of the Pillsbury-
Washburn company Qimited), and A. c..
Loring. president Of the Northwestern
Consolidated Milling company.
Trying to Shut Off Supplies.
u. .. bfackell, lIe grover, WAS Cdlleu
upon to-day by q delegation, which re-
quested him to discontinue selling suP-
plies to the employing millers with which
to feed the men in the mills. Mr.. Brack-
EFT made inquiry of his statesmen and
found that some goods had been sold to
employing millers. He said, in reply to
his callers, that he had not been in the
habit of inquiring whether his customers
were protestants or Catholics, democrats
or republicans, union or non-union, and
he did not see how he could institute a
policy of that kind in his business now.
He knew the meaning of the request but
declined to comply. Sal ,..s.
Thomas Moon, a sub contractor for
sheet metal work on the new Woodruff
elevator being effected in Southeast Min
neapolis, is one Of the sufferers on &C
count Of the strike. Thirteen of his men
struck yesterday, presumably because he
was too much in sympathy with the mill
ers. .... -.a.-. Pig DO.