The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-13
DUNCAN'S POSITION
He Defends His Attitude in Trouble
in Granite Industry.

of James Duncan of Quincy, Mass,
secretary-treasurer of the Granite
Cutters International Association
of America, in the prevailing dispute
in the granite industry in this county,
the Journal wired Mr.. Duncan Sat
urday, asking him for statement
regarding his position, and has re-
ceived the following reply:
an accepting your invitation, will
say that some one sent me copy of
the Montpelier journal of Thursday,
January 6, containing on page
half-column story under the cap
ton 'Duncanism and evidently quot
ed from the Rutland Herald. Accord
ing to that story, the Rutland Herald
had used an extract from the Burj
ington Free Press, attacking me for
being responsible for the 'deplorable
situation in the granite belt of YER
mont, tthen follows contemplate,
misleading and adroitly arranged
tissue of falsehoods. have no oh
lection to you looking for corrobo-
ration of my denunciation of the
Rutland Herald article from either
the members of the Barre Manufact-
urers committee or the officers and
committee of our Mortified branch,
or of the officers of any of our other
branches in your vicinity, our bran
ches especially knowing my attitude
and the employers in a general way
being acquainted with same. l have
no authority in the premises, official
ly, and consequently none as an in
diyidual, excepting as a member and
secretary of our International Exec
utiye Council. AT no time have | Ut
tered word or done a thing, officia,
or individual, to prevent a settlement
in Vermont, in fact, as far as | anu
aware at the present time. L have
been more active than any other in-
dividual, and in fact, as active as
any other ten individuals, which
would include the committee of the
Manufacturers Association and Of
our Mortified branch, in trying to
arrange settlement. Advice from
this office and Influence towards
fair settlement, have been plentiful
ly, freely and promptly given when
a request for same was made either
by correspondence, or the visit of
delegates of our Vermont branches
to this office.
The unwarranted statement that
l am trying, either individually or
officially, to keep the granite cut
tiers, tool sharpeners and polishers
in Vermont on lockout pay instead of
at work. is too monstrous in it's con-
ception and SO unlikely in practice.
that it would dignity an otherwise
abtorrent statement to further give
it thought.
Not Acting for Quincy. :.
That | am acting on behalf of or
in concert with Quincy manufactur-
ers, so that they could get Barre
trade is so almighty narrow that it
only betokens the kind of brain
power the person had whose white
and gray matter bethought the idea
and that if said person were trusted +,
with any responsibility, how that
person would be willing to sell it for |
a price. 1t would be difficult to get a |
Quincy granite manufacturer to en-
press such a friendly thought towards |
me
Propositions Suggested.
In my official capacity, with my
colleagues of the Executive Council ,
OF our Association, two propositions
suggested as settlements have been
at this Office, but neither of |
them was satisfactory to the two con.
tending parties, and in further proof
of my position if that were necessary,
it is not violating any confidence 70
say (because the subject matter has
been already published in the Gran
lite Cutters Journal, December is
sue) that /, in the first place indiyid-
Lally and in the second place with
the consent of my two colleagues at
an informal meeting with the Execl-
tive Board of the National Associa-
ton OF the Granite Industries in
session in the city OF Boston, Nov.
20, offered the following as a recon-
mendation or basis for settlement:
NOV 20, 1909.
" Boston. Mass.
" In the matter of the pending dis
pute in Northfield, Vermont, it ap-
Dearing that there is a difference of
opinion on the construction to be
placed on article eight of the regu-
lations in the pending agreement, we
Jointly agree to recommend to the
parties in dispute that the pending
terminate, the men to
return to work, and the hand surfacer
in question to be again used, when
committees representing both sides,
as per article six of the miscellane-
Gus clauses have mutually arranged |
upon which it is to be OPP
Grated |