Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-04
Labor Unions Take Steps To
Force Publishers to Accede
to Strikers Demands
THE MERCHANTS
Large Number of Circular Letters,
Signed by Union Men, Received by
Patrons of Reflector and Herald
Threaten Decrease of Business If
Advertising Is Continued.

The seed sown when the strike of
printers was declared two weeks ago
in the shops of the Reflector and Ma
shalltown Herald, and II. b. Miller
now bids fair to develop into full
sized boycott aimed at some of the
we'll known merchants and business
| men of this city. with the object of
forcing the owners of the two papers,
| thru the merchants, to accede to the
demands of the typographical union.
Those against whom this attack has
been directed are among the larger add
vertisers in the two publications, and
the first marked evidences of this war;
fare became apparent Wednesday,.
when a number of the business firms
received circular letters from union
men bearing the threat that unless
their advertisements We're discontin-
ued their business interests would
suffer.
Rumors of move of this kind have
been heard for several days. and in
some sections was expected. but II re-
manned for the mails of yesterday NOR
ming to lay bare the hand of union la
bor. The letters received were all
alike and bore the signature OF union
men. Each firm received from eight
to eleven OF them during the day.
They read as follows:
Dear Sir: have been inform
ed, on what Is apparently good au-
thority. that you are at present
advertising your business in Mar
shalltown papers that are unfair to
organized labor. the Marshall
shalltown Herald and Reflector. If
this Is true desire to call your
attention to 1t and to say that In
my opinion continuance of such
advertising viii diminish : rather
than increase your business. These
papers having taken a stand
against organized labor. must ex-
pect to meet with the opposition
OF all labor unions. Hoping it
may not lie necessary to again
call your attention to this matter,
am. yours truly"
Sentiment is Aroused.
Hundreds of these LISTERS We're sent
out Wednesday, and to many of the
business men. who felt they were in
no wise Interested in the strike, came
as a decided surprise. So far as first
evidences go 10 show. the effect of
this implied threat of boycott has been
exactly the opposite from what
was evidently intended. 1t has
aroused a spirit OF combativeness in
the merchants. and should the mean
Ing conveyed be carried out. there is
promise Of long struggle
between the two factions. A number
OF business men who had received
bunch of these letters were seen yes
terday. and in not a single instance
was there a feeling expressed other
than that OF antagonism toward the
method, and union represented by the
sender. One business man so ex-
pressed himself: II have been adver-
Using in the Reflector. but have not
had a contract. I had contemplated
a few days ago dropping 1t, but now
/ shall not do So" Another said: Il
advertise with the Reflector and have
a standing contract, which ! must pay
for whether my .ad.' runs or not.
Should the situation become strained,
and should deem It wise to dscon-
tinue my advertisement, / should not
attempt to secure release from my
contract, but should continue paying
regardless of Its not being published"
To the merchants the situation Is one
of being between the devil and the
deep sea-" II they advertise in thu
papers classed as unfair they are
threatened with loss OF trade. II they
don't their contracts bind them. and
they must pay without receiving any
benefits. They confess the situation Is
scarcely fair one in which to place
them. The concensus OF opinion. gain
ed by a number of interviews. is that
they Will pay no attention to this mis-
sive between whose lines they spell
boycott" and will continue to adver.
tise as before.
On the other hand many merchants
who feel that this fight is not their
fight will withdraw their advertise
merts in order to avoid controversy
with organized labor and consequent
loss of trade. yet Investigation has dis
closed that some of these will continue
to give assistance secretly to the boy
cotted Offices by way of protest to the
boycott in principle.
Publishers Not Affected.
Proprietors Of both the Reflector and
Herald, when seen, We're informed of
what was going on, as letters that had
been received by the advertisers had
been handed to them. They stated that
so far not an advertisement had been