Tombstone epitaph., 1921-10-23
WAGE REDUCTIONS
UNDER AMUSEMENT.

"ss taken under acSi>ement this ar
ternoon by the board OF supervisors
following hearing conducted at the
court house. notice OF which had been
previously given by the board.
The meeting was called by the
bsord following request made by J,
\. Gaines. as secretary of the Cochise
County Taxpayers Association, that
wages in Cochise county be reduced
TO the maximum OF wages paid in the
other counties OF the state for similar
work.
Mr., Gaines was the first TO address
the board presenting again his com
parison of wages paid in the other
counties and wages paid in the mines
about the state. and asked that the
Cochise board consider the matter as
whole.
Tom {. Foster, Of Bisbee. followed
Mr. Gaines and addressed the board,
advising them against reduction OF
wages paid the road workers at this
time, owing to the present high living
conditions and the impending railroad
strike All men now working on the
county roads. he said. are taxpayers
and most of them are long time resi-.
dents Of the county and cannot obtain
work in the mines. and cannot posi-
bly, live on a smaller wage. he repre-
scented. and it would be an injustice
TO start in on the lowest paid wage
earners of the county to make cut,
which. he charged. was bound to
spread to other departments ana
eventually to the mines
Mrs. ]. J. Jones. OF Bisbee. repre-
senting a committee of other women
present. went on record strongly as
against cut in wages, as the men at
present working on the roads are
men formerly working in the mines
and they would have to leave the
state, she said. if their wages were
reduced to $3.50. as it was impossible
to live on scale lower than that now
being paid.
Frank Vaughn. contractor of Bis
knew from experience that cheap la
Dor was not worth anything and that
the county could save money by pay
ing more for labor, and later added
that he believed a majority of the
taxpayers of the county would vote
today against cut in wages.
Chas. Young. miner OF Bisbee,
stated that the American standard OF
wages and living should be upheld by
the board and no Gu; made in the
wages at this time as a working man
with family could not possibly get
by on less than $3.50.
Mrs. Alice Mckay said she knew
from experience as she had tried it,
and no family can even as much as
get by at less than $3.50 per day.
S. T. Moss, of Lowell. said road
work was not like working in the
mines. and it would not be a policy
to reduce wages at this time as the
reduction in taxes would be but very
little. Living conditions in this
county are higher than in other coun-
ties. he thought, and wages should be
a little higher to conform. he added
Frank Webb, who said he works oa
the county roads, said it was absolute
ly impossible for him to get by at less
than $3.50 He has 6 children and
wife and they do well to get by at
$3.50. he added. and asked the board
to net reduce wages at this time.
Al Skeel. who has two children and
patches" and does the best he can to
get by at $3.50 per day, asked the
board not to cut as he knows from ex-
perience that the head of a family
can't live for less money.
Harry Kirkman. railroad man.
said he couldn't see how a working
man could get along at less money
and it would be unjust to cut wages
at this time
J. n. Gaines again addressed the
board asking them to study carefully
the problem as laid before them and
then decide and IL a reduction cannot
be made to tell why. He admitted it
n0utc I;t.la 70 live hare than