The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-20
BUILDERS AND PUBLIC.
Demand From q Builder for Freedom for
Employer and Worker

To THE Enron or The Sun Sir |. with
many other readers of your paper have been
much Interested In the recent articles written
by Mr.. Theodore Starrett OF the Thompson
Starrett Company on tho subject OF com.
binations between employers OF labor and
labor unions. No intelligent person could
have read these articles without being i'm
pressed with the fact that In the attitude
taken by tho unions and the employers no
consideration or thought ia given for one
moment to tho man who pays tho freight
or the owner or the man who rents from him
combination of mechanics whose sole
and avowed object IA TO prevent any man
who may wish to work at his trade from doing
so s bad enough. but when tho master build
ers form a combination with such union OF
mechanics to prevent other master builders
from carrying on their peaceful occupation
unless they too Join such combination,
then indeed is 1t time for the public TO rise
Ia arms and declare for their liberty
Time and again IL has been stated BY the
leading and representative men OF the build-
Ing Contractors Association that 1t makes no
difference to them whether wages are high
or low, providing they can count with GER
tainty Just what those wages would con-
tinue to be during the term OF any contract
they were working under. But, again, where
do the owner and the man who must pay
rent come in7 What a howl would rise UP
from tho bricklayer. the plasterer. the IRON
worker &c. II on going TO the bakery they
should find the price OF bread had doubled
by virtue OF combination between the
Journeymen bakers. the owners OF bakeries
and the -four millsl How they would begin
to send their committees TO Washington to
invoke the majesty OF the Federal law. what
a mi chty roar OF ind gnation arose against
the increase in tho price OF beef yet these
self same hoNlers complacently get together
and pass resolutions TO raise the rent on every
clerk. storekeeper. laborer and mechanic, and
consider they are doing not only their duty
but also something sentlmentally glorious
have had years of OK perience las builder
In New York; with unions OF all KINDS, ana /
have never yet had an experience with one
OF them that would lead me TO believe that
they were even conducted on lines Of honesty
and integrity. to say nothing OF equity. They
are formed not to obtain their rights. but to
prevent others from obtaining theirs. Mr..
Starretts articles are -brutally candid but
they bear every imprint OF honesty and a
complete understanding OF the situation.
backed up by high order Of personal cour-
age. II the employers mean 10 do what Is
fair, right and American let them declare
for the open shop Any other position Is
selfish and contrary to the principles OF the
Constitution Of the United States Tho
open shop means 70 demand that merit
shall be rewarded and sloth aud Indifference
and Incompetence must take their places
where they belong-'n the rear.
This seems 20 have been the position held by
your paper ever since have been reader oft
(which has been for more than thirty years.
and congratulate you on beng fair and fear
less enough TO open your columns TO an hon
est attack on business cant and hypocrisy,
NEW YORK. Jan. 10. BUILDER.