Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-07-20
MEAT PACKERS OUT.
Fifty thousand People Walk ASay
From Their Situations
FOOD SUPPLY MAY BE AFFECTED
Employees Numbering $4,000 Quit
Work at Chicago, Kansas City
Omaha, St. Joseph and Other Cities
as the Result of stubbon Dis.
agreement, Chiefly over the Wages
for Unskilled Labor.

Chicago, Special.-As the result OF
a stubborn disagreement, chiefly over
wages for unsl1illed labor, one of the
most extensive strikes n the history
Of the meat packing j .dustry began
Tuesday morning in Chicago; Kansas
City, Omaha, st. Joseph, Mo-, and
other cities where large packing
plants are located. If prolonged the
strike is expected to cause wide.
spread inconvenience, possibly equal.
ing the anthracite coal famine Of two
years ago. The unanimity of the
strike was complete. More than 45,-
600 employees are directly involved.
In Chicago alone $4,000 men are On
strike.
The effect Of the strike upon. the
food supply of the country and the
prices of meats is being earnestly dis.
cussed, Notwithstanding the announce.
ment that the packing houses, con-
trary to the somewhat general expec'
tation, will continue operations with
out any closed door, employing what
ever help may be obtained. How
much alienation in the furnishing OF
supplies to the public this course
may afford is a matter of wide vari
alton. The packers declare that hun.
dreds of men who could not be proyid.
ed with places have been applying
daily for work.
The walk-out here was started By
the employees of the killing depart
nents at various packing houses.
The killers we're followed by the
workers in other departments as fast
as current work left by the slaughter.
ers could be cleaned up. Thus as
the workers in each department dis
posed of the their part of the work
they threw off their aprons and de-
parted. This consideration was shown
the packers, the labor officials an.
nounced, because it was not the de.
sire of the men to cause the employ
ers any financial loss as a result OF
neglocting meat that was on hand to
be dressed. -
Watched by cordons of police, the
strikers filed briskly out Of the pack,
ing houses, carrying overalls, rubber
boots and knives, cleavers and steels.
The strikers were greeted by crowds
of women and children, many OF
whom joined hands with the work.
men on the outward march. What
ever the future may have in. store in
the way of riots, there was absolutelV
no sign of disorder. -ssss.
A picturesque scene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
neries were left by their forces
There are 1000 girls employed sl1
these two departments Of The meal
industry. Clad in the variegated gaft
of factory girls, this army Of femlnffne fl
strikers tripping along the thorough
fare of the stockyards, we're roundlJ
cheered as they emerged through The
gates and distributed themselves iii
the crowd of men who had awaited
their coming. "Were with you to
the last" the girls exclaimed, smiling
as they stood around and talked over
the situation with their male com
panions in the movement.
Arthur Meeker, of Armour 6 Com
pany, said: 1--WE consider the demand
OF the union for an advance In wages
or unskilled labor entirely unwarrant
ed by industrial conditions. We could
not concede it and proposed to submit
the question to arbitration. which the
union declined to do and called
strike today at all our plants. Every
department is kept running, however
Wo have had applications from hun
dreds Of unemployed men for posi-
tions at less wages than we have
been paying and every day expect tt
increase our output"
President Donnelly, the strike lead
er, said: II wish to make it clea
that we are not fighting for an! IN
crease OF wages, but against a. de
crease. Our original demand was TO
g. minimum Of 20 cents. an hourE TO
laborers. This demand was amended
after our second conference with tht
packers in June We then agreed t.
scale of 1S1a cents an hour, excep
in Omaha and Sioux City, where, tht
scale is 19 cents. The packers, OF
the other hand, refused to pay more
than 177a cents an hour and declined
| to sign any agreements at all excep
with small proportion Of the work
men. Tie question of wages tc
skilled men was not discussed Tt
unskilled workmen the average wage
was 1S11a, but when we asked that thi!
be made the minimum wage they Gu
1t to 171a and L. cents. A man coult
live on is cents If he could get stead!
work, but at some plants the meI
have been able to make just l3 hour:
week at this wage scale. The!
could not live OH it. No one could
Another Wage Reduction.