The Washington herald., 1906-11-06

According TO statements made last night
at a meeting Of the cigarmakers' union
held for the purpose Of discussing fur,
ther the strained relations existing al
this time between their union aud the
cigar manufacturers OF this city, the
strike situation has greatly improved
within the past twenty-four hours. and
1t locks now as though all danger of q
serious trouble has passed.
The members said that OF the thirty.
FIVE employers in Washington, there re-
main only about three firms unwilling to
grant their demands
4 manufacturer who employees the ma
iority Of the eigarmakers in this city ex-
planned last night that the shops that
nave given in are those who only employ
few men, two to five. He said with
out an excepi-n the large manufacturers
VIII resist the demands Of the men,
be SAID that the men had demanded an
increase Of from % cents 10 S400 a thou
sand 20 make up cigars, depending upon
the class Of goods tAat they are COM
pei'ed TO work on, and that the union
men had not treated the employers fairly
in the matter
They came to me on Friday after
noon. he explained" and presented their
demand fer an increase. 20 so into effecf
to-day. ! told them they had not been
fair in giving me such a short time TO de
eide. and told my men that l would close
Up my establishment for a week to con-
slider their proposition.
The cigarmakeTs OF this city are max
inG more money now than ever before. ]
am now paying my employees from SIS to
50 week, which is over $50 a thousand
more than the uai-n demands.
some Not Told of Move.
I do not believe that all Of the men
were aware Of the fact that the union mad
decided % ask an Increase. ] am safe fl
saying that. in fact . per cent OF the
men were ignorant Of such move The
men agitating the question got together
and arranged the demands quietly. and
did not cali into conference the men whom
tIey thought would oppose the movement
until it was too late for them to exert
their power.
To-day ] sent around my drummers 10
md ont what the opinion OF the large
dealers Of this town were on the subject
Of union labels or the cigars. over 90 per
cent Of them stated that it ID not matter
10 them or 70 their trade If the cigars did
not have the certificate OF the union.
I'D this on account Of the presen; cond.-
ucnS, because Z am seriously contempiat-
sRg JnaEing my esUabls shment an omen
shop. II this IS rot feasible VIII close
my business and move 70 another locality
where labor is cheaper.
Can Make but. Little Proat.
With the Increased price OF tobacco
and the ever-increasing demands OF the
lnicn cigarraakers EE are 'aGfe 10 tnffze
but little On the goods We turn out. Take
the average scent cigar for example.
am paying nay worlnen from 50 90 80 q
taoueand TO make them, while all the
profit THAI falls my way is s. Der I.0ea.
There is hardly a living profit on that
Grade Of cigars.
II Is Up 10 the men whether the cigar
manufacturers OF this city viii entirely
close their factorirs and throw men ont Of
employment or for the employers 10 main
tain the open shop. Ii this is the case, IL f
IS al, their own fault. The various mem
5ers OF the cigar manufacturing drms. in
-own are 10 hold a meeting. and it is
This meeting that viii decide the ques-
uon. have already. seen two manufac- +
vureEs ard they told me that when their
present stock OF tobacco is exhausted they
VIII close up thzir shops and leave town. .
Samuel Goupers. president OF the
american Federation OF Labor and vice
president "f. the International Association
Of Cigarmakers. attended the meeting
yesterday afternoon, at which a special
assessment was requested from each
member 70 90 10 the fund for the support
NJ those men who are to be kept idle
by the firms that still hold out
President GomPers told the men that
they had The support of 10000 fellow
Workmen IN the United States if the mat
,eF should come TO be a general strike.