The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-03-17
HEARING ! / al. ON
ORDINANCE
The Views Of Those Inter.
ested Presented to the
Committee.
MATTER TO COME UP LATER

The hearing given on the labor
union ordinance presented to the
board OF aldermen al the regular meet
ing was held last Friday evening by
the ordinance committee. All the
members of the committee, Aldermen
Mowery, Twining and Conkling were
present, also a large delegation of
members Of the local trades unions
and some others.
Alderman Mowery announced the
purpose Of the meeting, after which
Alderman Conkling rose and read a
speech, saying that he had no excuses
to offer for introducing the matter as
he simply did his duty to some of his
constituents. He had no old sores to
heal, no political debts to pay, nor
any ambitions to fan into flames. He
was not qualified to speak as to the
constitutionality of the ordinance,
but was trying to do his duty to a
body of men, most of whom he had
known since childhood, and are good
citizens and taxpayers. He said he
was elected to represent the citizens,
and as long as he is member intended
to represent them on the floor of The
board, as we'll as in committee.
Alderman Conkling said that tele-
phone, electric light and other sordi-
nances all pass, but when it comes to
one asked by laboring men. objection
is made. He had received over a dozen
editorials cut from a Newark newspa-
per, but he thought that If the board
appointed a committee to Try to set
tie the present labor difficulty in Nor
ristown, it would accomplish more
than appointing commission to play
tiddledywinks with great railroad
corporation.
The opportunity was then given for
anybody present to address the COM
mittee and Joseph Halpin introduced
as the first speaker, Samuel Botterill,
president of the State carpenters
union, who said the ordinance could
be legally adopted by the board as far
as he knew. 1t is charged that it is
class legislation, but he declared no
more so than the laws making closed
shops for the lawyers, physicians, ar
chitects. and other professions. Only a
few men can compete for the erection
of buildings because bonds, ETC., are
required which cannot be given by all
and in the case municipalities want
legal or medical advice, they go to
these licensed in those professions.
He claimed that ninety per cent. of
competent carpenters at least, are
members of the union and any compe-
tent man may join. The unions, he
said, are willing to defend the ordi-
nance if it is passed and carried to the
courts.
Hugh Fitzpatrick asked what points
in the ordinance are not legal, saying
that New York, Chicago and other
places have like ordinances. He also
asked the passage of the ordinance to
save some of the members of the fire
department. especially, the humilia-
tion of seeing out of town mechanics
doing the local work Municipal work
should be given to residents. There
are no open shops he declared in Nor
ristown, only non-u union shops. Wages
are graded, but how much grading is
there in the bills submitted to custo-
mers.
William Quimby said he had been a
carpenter for thirty years and said the
Morristown mechanics are as good as
those found anywhere. The ordinance
is based on solid business. There are
about two hundred carpenters in town
and they had to go where they could
get proper prices and conditions. They
do not want to have to work with men
who know nothing about the carpen-
ter business. InSummit, the speaker
declared, twenty-five Morristown men
are at work, while residents are un-
employed.
Philip Stone said the men were
bandedtogether for their good. The
masons had their demand granted,
but the other mechanics are out and
it is hardship to see other men do
ing the work the taxpayers should be
doing.
Augustus Brown, A. B. Losey, and
others made remarks. A substitute
ordinance eliminating the word union
was introduced and there was a gen.
eral discussion as to the question of
who should pass on t e competency Of
the mechanics and finally the comml-
tee went into executive session.
Board of Excise.
The Board of Excise met on Wed