The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18

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and many make $40 a day. Lathers fire.
quently get $3.50. and not one Of them
works for less than g.. Plumbers get all
the way from 50 TO 50. The most unskilled
workman employed upon buildings never
receives less than s. a day. He is classed
as q -laborer" and often gets 81 or SIS, accord
ing to the extremity of the contractor
who employs him. Like all his fellows,
il he sees his employer is in a tight place
he boosts his price.
The Rev. j.. Bradford Leavitt, pastor Of
the First Unitarian Church, describes this
state of affairs accurately. Says he:
THE employer is to understand that the
work is done as a favor and that he will
be fortunate IL il is well done. Pretty
much all the work in this city at the present
time seems TO be done against the grain.
The goose that laid the golden egg has not
been killed by the labor. unions. but IL is so
far strangled as to look very sick
The strength OF the forces that are thus
doing their best TO assassinate this treasure
producing fowl is easily seen. The Labor
Council embraces about 100 separate unions.
The Building Trades Council includes over
fifty individual organizations. In the City
Front Federation are about fifteen more
auch ~ ChOuAh ultJbhCucu utuOLes
Of n sort or another to bring the total
well up above 200. This gives them a total
membership that runs well up above 100, 900,
including women.
San Franciscois total population at the
present time is estimated at about $50. 900.
Here, then, is a labor union strength of
over one-quarter of the city's population.
Moreover. its various elements are welded
into n merciIess sword ready TO strike
at the man or organization that offends
any n Of those elements. The shadow
of the sympathetic strike and the boycott
is ever over San Francisco.
Both these weapons have been used so
often and with such deadly effect that
scarcely a man in San Francisco feels like
risking a stand against them. More than
that, there is almost no one who dares
voice a public criticism of the methods
Of union labor. A few c~lergvmen, like
Mr.. Leavitt, have ventured to syeak their
minds from their pull its, but no Roman
Catholic riest has made any public declara-
ton on the subject. wen the men who
suffer most at the hands Of the unions.
the builders, contractors and architects,
dare not oren their mouths about it. One
Of the biggest builders in san Francisco
discussed the evils of the situation with
The Sun corresr ondent, who asked him
what he Intended TO do about it.
DO! Dol" he exclaimed. as If the idea
Of revolt had never occurred 10 him. why.
what in Heavens name can We do2 We
are at the mercy Of these men. We've got
the work TO do and We can't get any labor
but theirs. They control the importation
of union labor and we can't bring anv non-
union labor in herr unless We are willing
10 face the certainty of riot and bloodsheG
in the streets of San Francisco. The police
are all in sympathy with the unions and
are dominated by a union labor administra-
ton. They wouldn't protect us.
mo. sir, l tell you, if We imported nom
union labor here there would be a riot that
only martial law could quell. n I want
to tell you hat If the union leaders knew
what / had said 70 you to-day they would
put me out of business in this city within
twentv-four hours"
That this builder told the truth nobody
can doubt who is familiar with the strength
and the insolence Of the agitators who con-
troll the labor unions of San Francisco
to-day.
Two cases will show the effect OF union
tyranny upon the rebuilding Of san Fran
cisco. A certain piece of stonework built
before the fire cost SIS, 900. The lowest
bid for replacing il is $500 The marble
work in the Merchants Exchange originally
cost sl25, 900. There was a salvage OF
SOS. 900. To restore it would therefore,
under former conditions. cost 100000.
The lowest bid hat has been obtained
for the job is s1e7 900. There is as much
marble in the market as ever and the freight
rates are unchanged. The jump in the price
OF labor and the builders uncertainty OF
getting it at any price account for the in
crease in price.
Labor leaders will tell you that the real
trouble is with the grasping landlords who
have boosted the w~orkingman's rent and
with the rise in the price OF materials. In
~vestigation shows that rents have, indeed,
gone up, but not a 1.-THE as much as labor.
Some materials are higher, but a large part
of the rise in their price is due to the fact
that the wages of freight handlers, long
shoremen, stevedores, truck drivers and
others who transport materials have been
arbitrarily raised.
Even before the fire wages were higher
here than in any other commercial city Oh
earth and living was cheaper than in most
large American cities. San Francisco was
the Paradise Of union labor. IL il the Para
disc of union labor to-day. But it is scre-
thing like Hades for the other 2sO.0Oo in
habitants of the city. II will be instructive
to see how long they will stand il.
The political domination of union labor is
lust as complete and more widely under
stood. Practically every city office Of honor
or profit is in the hands Of a union man or a
union ~sympathizer. The manner in which
they have discharged their trusts is known
to the world, which rightly believes San
Francisco's government 10 tie in the hands
of a gang of iIliterate and candid pirates.
As individuals these men are roundly de-
nounced on every side in San Francisco,
but not, for obvious reasons as representa-
tives of union labor.
AS to the industrial tyranny OF the union
there is the silence Of terror on every side.
Every impartial man capable Of thought
knows that union labor in this city is n