The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-07-02
VICTORY OF THE HAT MAX
ERS - SLAVERY OF THE
BUTCHERS - NEW UNION
ORPHANAGE.
Bx Peter Power

BY Peter Power.
The split in the Hat Manufac-
turers' association, which resulted
In 23 concerns in Connecticut Sc
|ceding fro mthat organization and
making peace with the United
Hatters of North America after a
bitterly contested five-months'
strike, will furnish one of the
most interesting sequels in Amer
lean labor history. Each of the
Connecticut hat manufacturers has
been sued by the III. M. A. for
$4,000, the amount of the bond
given by all members of the asso-
|ciation when the war upon the
labor union was planned, so that
nearly 100000 is tied up in this
legal battle. The Connecticut
manufacturers will claim there
was time limit in the bond, with
in which they were pledged not to
use the union label and that they
are observing their contract. They
will also endeavor to show that
the association was an illegal body
under the Interpretation of the
ANTITRUST laws and was guilty of
conspiracy, coercion, etc. The con-
test in the courts will be watched
with the deepest concern by la
borites and capitalists alike.
The horrible deed that startled
the entire nation a few days ago,
when John j. Murphy, packing
house employee at Somerville,
Mass, became raving maniac
and stabbed five of his fellow
workmen to death in 10 minutes,
has aroused the butcher workmen
all over the country, and they an
lnounce their intention to organize
and wipe out the terrible system
of slavery that prevails in their
industry.
Investigation has revealed the
fact that Murphy was sober, in
dustrious workman with a wife
and three children, who were a
happy family despite their poverty.
Murphy was formerly a giant in
strength, able to do the work of
three ordinary men. His task was
to cut the. heads from hogs at the
rate of 5000 to 1000 per day as
they were shit past him on pulleys,
for which he received SO per day.
Gradually Murphy's strength be-
gan to leave him and he became
haunted with the fear of still more
suffering for his loved ones, and
finally the poorhouse or brothel.
Then something snapped in MUIR
phys worried brain and all became
dorkness, and soon there were five
other destitute widows and five
other groups of helpless children.
| The butcher workmen claim
they are worst off than slaves, that
| it is impossible to describe how
ruthlessly they are driven, and
their. hatred for their masters is
becoming almost uncomfortable.
They want to organize and obtain
some relief.
H The Ohio Penitentiary News, a
paper issued for the benefit of the
convicts in the penal institution
at Columbus, ,bemoans the sad
fact that there are no printers in
the "pen" and that advertising for
men to take up their residence in
the place doesn't pay, not even a
printer's devil having responded
An esteemed contemporary re-
marks sarcastically that IL the
dozen or more bankers in the
pen" had learned the printers
trade society would now have
some useful service from them, to
which the o. P. News replies that
eff the bankers had learned the
printers trade they would not
have come to this place."
II The Union Mans Orphanage Is
the name of a new institution
founded across the bay from San