Eight Hours for Laborers on Government Work; Hearings Before the Committee on Labor of the House of Representatives, February 4, 11, 18, 25,

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904. Excerpt: ... Mr. Jones. It varies with differenty ears. I presume it is possibly 10 per cent, more or less, varying with the years and conditions. The reason I say that we shall nave to cut out Government business is this: Two years ago the union commenced on us. We were the first institution in the Fox River Valley to be affected. Our men struck. The first I knew of it was that I went into the shop, out of the office, and I saw two of the men sitting on the bench. I said to the foreman: John, what is the matter with the men? Are they getting tired? He is a slow-talking man, and he says: No; I guess there is a little strike on. He says: The' committee is out talking with the superintendent. Now, gentlemen, they demanded that we should change the entire character of our business, give them 10 per cent advance m their wages, cut to nine hours, employ none but union men, and they even went to the point of askmg that we discharge our own stockholders. I told them we could not think that fast; we should have to think about it a while. Next morning the office force, from the president down, went into the shop and went to work, and stayed there. The organizer, a man by the name of Arthur Creland, came out and he started in. We had nothing to do with him. He went up and down the valley, up to Batavia, and through all the factories, and he organized all of them. The settlement we finally made at our place was this: After one of the committeemen had investigated this man he told him that he had letters in his pocket, and he said, If you do not want them published before to-morrow night in Aurora you stop your nosing into this well-works business. If you continue it any further you will have it made public. Then and then only was it possible for the well works to settle ...