The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-06-01
BISHOP M'VICKAR DECIDES
in FAVOR Of CARPENTERS
Continued from page one

SouAlnueu lIuIli page Ont
There the arguments for both sides were
presented and he then took the matter
under consideration, investigating facts
as presented at the hearing HaXing
studied the question at great length and
reviewed all the facts offered late yester-
day afternoon he presented written
opinion on the matter TO the secretary OF
the arbitration committee, Mr. Thomas r.
Kearney. The opinion reads as follows:
THE BISHOPS FINDING.
Bishops House, 10 Brown Street.
Providence II. L.,
3lst May. 1905.
To the Members OF the Joint Board OF
Arbitration" Representing the Provi-
dence Master Builders Association and
the Carpenters District Council Of
Providence"
Gentlemen-After the attentive hearing
given your case on Monday evening,
much review OF the matter then submit
ted. with such careful and unprejudiced
deliberation as have Been able TO give IL.
since. the question Of an advance OF 2iz
cents i'm the present minimum wage-rate
OF journeymen carpenters on which my
decision as umpire was asked, narrows
Itself to the consideration
First, Of the present and prospective
condition OF the local building trade. as
compared with that of last year when the
like advance was denied on the ground
that industrial conditions did not war
rant granting the increase"
Second. OF the comparison OF the pres
ent local wage-rate with that OF "A large
number Of other places. some OF them
i'm proximity 10 Providence. and third OF
the comparative cost OF living here with
hot bnr al
CARPENTERS CLAIM
The carpenters ask the advance on the
ground that the building trade at the
present time Is in much better condi-
tion than last year and for this they
procure statistics: and on the ground
that tho local wage rate OF Providence. 35
cents per hour. il excessively low as COM
pared with that OF the many places
named. while the cost OF living is no
S~Nailer here than alsawhere
In answer TO this demand OF the car
penters the master builders do ffot-sc far
at least as the argument submitted is
concerned. deny the facts and figures set
forth. but deal In general criticism OF
the minimum wage rate scheme" it.
self which. as your umpire understands.
is tho generally accepted scheme. where
trade unions are recognized and IL the
basis, already agreed on by these two
associations. in their concordat
The master builders also claim that ut
tho present rate OF 81 cents per hour "in
the past 10 years there has been an in
crease OF more than 20 per cent. and II
the increase in the minimum rate now
asked for he granted IL would be an i'm
crease of wages per hour I'm 10 years o.
80 per cent. which they think unreason-
able the figures being their own.
URGED BY MASTERS.
They also urge against the demand. the
badly managed and abused apprentice
system now I'm vogue. which often imposes
upon them as 'journeymep carpenters
workmen. who are incompetent to earn
the present wage. admitting. however.
that tho responsibility for this system
rests on themselves ne well as on the
Carpenters union. They also admit their
own freedom to discharge AT will In
competent workmen az times makes their
dismissal very inconvenient, sometimes
impracticable.
DEMAND GRANTED
Your umpire has given careful consid-
Grafton to each and all OF thecs points. for
and against the demand for an advanced
scale Of wages and has come 10 the con-
clusion that the demand ~ the present
timc II not an unreasonable ono. so FAR
certainly as the arguments submitted are
concerned. lie is therefore constrained 10
side with the Carpenters District Coun-
ell IN the matter and 10 grant their de-
mand. for Siia cents per hour. minimum
rate.
W. y. McvGCKAR.
Umpire.
CARPENTERS GRATIFlED.