on.

financially, intellectually and morally by organization, and the process is still going What we need now is a more extended sphere of organized work, so that all of the operatives in the flint and all other glass industries shall be in a condition to receive the benefits of organized labor. The education of the young is now occupying a great deal of attention, and the next few years will show marked advantages among us in this respect." The intelligence and morals of the hands at these works are of a very high order. There is little drinking, and many own their own houses. Although the blowers are governed by their organization, they seldom come into conflict with their employers. It is probable that the wages are the best the business affords. The organization extends throughout the country and takes in all kinds of blowers, as well as the pressers and mould makers. Not only are the wages regulated, but also the quantity produced, and no blower is allowed to make more than six dollars per day."

WINDOW GLASS WORKERS: MILLVILLE.-"We are improving rapidly."

"What

we need is a thorough organization with all the wage-workers of the world, or go confederated that we can control the wages in all countries." Having fixed and maintained our wages through organized effort is a proof of ability to intelligently control our own affairs."

BRIDGETON."The morals of the working classes are better than the so-called higher classes."

"Public libraries should be Arbitration, as taught by our

MALAGA."The proper enforcement of our present labor laws would do much to improve our condition and that of our families." established in every town; we need one here." organization, is one of the best means to settle difference between capital and labor." "The young in our families are being better educated, and our trade is benefited thereby." We are now amongst the foremost trades in the labor movement, and most of our difficulties with employers are settled by friendly conferences through committees." "There are some among us who are not as moral as they should be, but the majority of window-glass workers are good men, moral and religious." "The window-glass workers, as a class, are moral and intelligent; are also gaining financially." "The window-glass workers generally are sober, industrious and intelligent men; rum is the curse of the few; we hope to see it entirely prohibited at no distant day."

GATHERER." The condition of working people has been vastly improved within a few years; our trade, in particular, is upon a higher standard than ever before." FLATTENER." There are men in our ranks who are as competent to determine what is to our interest, and who are actuated by as high and noble purposes as any other class in society." "A reduction of the hours of labor to eight or nine per day, the abolition of all child labor, and that of young persons, both male and female, under a given age, in factories, will make room for many of our unemployed men, young and old. So will a law to compel all employers to see that young persons in their employ attend school a certain number of hours each day, or week, as well as to forbid the employment of such young person without a certificate of age and of attendance at school the required period. A more stringent law for the protection of workmen against accident, when caused by the negligence of employers, managers or their servants, would, I am sure, prevent much of the loss of life and limb caused by the insecure guarding of machinery and like causes."

GLASS CUTTER MALAGA.-"We owe much of our intellectual, moral and finan

"

"Our

cial prosperity to organization." Prohibition and compulsory education." financial condition, if measured by our bank account, is low; still we are comfortable in our circumstances."

MOULD MAKERS: CLAYTON.-" The various secret and beneficial societies have exerted a good influence among workmen and their families, and have been of great advantage in an educational sense."

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MILLVILLE.-Stop foreign immigration by placing a tariff of $1,000 upon any person coming here to engage in any pursuit tending to cheapen our wages; establish the eight-hour system; give us eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, and eight hours for recreation and study; enforce the child labor laws." Eight hours for a day's work; restrict immigration by a tariff of $1,000; enforce the child labor laws." "Laws that will give to the children a better education, and the encouragement of trade and labor unions."

"

STOPPER GRINDERS: MILLVILLE." The physical condition of the working people here is not attended to. Gymnasium exercises would greatly improve them in this respect." The improvement of our financial condition has had its effect, and raised the working people in the intellectual scale." "Good wages are the foundation of all prosperity to the working people; as wages increase, their condition intellectually and morally is improved." The condition of the laboring classes must be improved by legislation; this must be effected within party lines."

POT MAKERS: WILLIAMSTOWN." The prohibition of the sale of liquor, and compulsory education."

CLAYTON.-"At no former time have the working classes stood so high as at present."

Box MAKERS." Co-operative factories would improve our condition." "Night schools have been of great benefit to the working classes in this city, but something more is needed to educate our children, too. Many of our working people cannot live without the help of their children, so they cannot send them to school in the day time. Wages should be high enough to enable the head of the family to provide a living without putting the children to work under fifteen years of age." "Fewer hours of

work would give employment to more workmen and have a tendency to raise wages." PACKERS.- -"The dissipation and extravagance of the people keep the working people down." "Glass packers' condition could be improved financially by an advance of wages; physically, by cleaner and better hay used in packing; intellectually, by shorter hours of labor, and thus giving more time for self-improvement; and morally, mainly through their own exertions."

We must

MASTER SHEARERS.-"Eight hours for a day's work would give more time for improvement, and a large number would employ it in that way. Because some would abuse the time gained in dissipation, is no argument against the law. Those who wish to improve themselves and families should have the chance to do so." "There is not enough attention given by the leading labor men to cooperation. come to this or go down in our wages." "Laboring people do not hold together as they should. They have not enough confidence in each other. Our condition will not improve much until this takes place." "There are many demagogues among us; we should get rid of them."

SHEARERS." We cannot all be tradesmen, but the laborer's lot is a hard one, on account of low wages." "Among the evils is that of Sabbath-breaking, which has become very common, and should not be tolerated." "There can be little done to

benefit unskilled laborers, unless means are devised to increase their wages; as it is now, it is a constant struggle to keep the wolf from the door."

ENGRAVERS ON GLASS-"The social condition is generally what the family make it themselves; society usually takes the correct measure of individuals." "We have a trade organization, and are making progress intellectually."

GATHERERS. "Compulsory education is the great need at present." "Increased facilities for popular education would benefit the condition of the working classes." WATCHMEN." Much has been done in the few past years to improve the condition of wage-workers, and I think all that is necessary is to continue the progressive work a few years longer."

CIGAR MAKERS: JERSEY CITY. "My complaint is an old one; abolish the tenement house system of cigar making and there will be plenty of work." Abolish cheap labor in the State of Pennsylvania so as to give us plenty of work." Abolishment of the tenement-house system would be beneficial to cigar makers; it would help to increase their wages." "Abolish child labor, which, I regret to say, exists to a

great extent in many States." PATERSON." I would favor a law compelling all business transactions to be done for cash, and abolish the credit system. I would have the child labor laws enforced; children are occupying the places of adult labor here. All cigar makers are trades union men and wages are good, all receiving the same rates. As a rule, the men have had some advantages of education, and are generally good men. A few are addicted to drink, which is degrading them. Could we overcome this evil we would be better off. Generally, wage workers in Paterson are poorly paid and are poorly educated. The only way that I can see to improve their condition is to organize them. What little education I have got has come mostly from that source."

IRON WORKERS: PATERSON.-"The locomotive works in Paterson, at one time employing 3,500 men, has not given work to 500 during the last year and a half. The men seem to be ashamed to tell how much they actually make and how they manage to exist. Many of the iron workers, machinists, blacksmiths, &c., could be seen around the city hose house during the summer trying to get a few weeks' work on the streets at $1.25 per day. But there were always four times more than was necessary. It was a common thing to have the policemen keep the crowds back." "Co-operation will be our only relief."

MILLVILLE." Prohibition of the liquor traffic." "Soft money."

NEW BRUNSWICK—"If we had had unity and organization we would not have had a 'cut' of ten per cent. in this shop."

FLORENCE" Prohibition and a high tariff." "Our financial condition is better than formerly; still not what it should be."

JERSEY CITY. "Stop immigration for ten years."

BURLINGTON." I have no complaint to make. We are doing fairly and our condition is improving." "Public libraries and reading rooms."

CAMDEN." We are doing very well."

WIRE DRAWER: TRENTON.-"Shorten the hours. In our establishment we are put at night work during the busy period."

NAILERS: BRIDGETON.-"We are now organized and the future will be better for us than the past has been." We are much improved intellectually, but our financial condition is at a low ebb."

Notwithstanding the long and bitter strike of the Bridgeton nail workers, at pres

ent the best of feeling exists between them and the superintendent of the "works," as the following extract from a local newspaper (November) will show:

"To-day the workmen of the nail works, Bridgeton, get an advance of 5 per cent. on their wages. This advance of wages is entirely voluntary on the part of the company and shows that there is a far better feeling existing between employer and employe than formerly. It also proves that workmen, even when organized, are not disposed to push for advanced wages when an opportunity occurs until it is very certain that they are being unfairly dealt with. The course that this company seems to have adopted in dealing with their hands is very creditable to them, and, as a business matter, we think, will prove a wise one. It is a very unusual proceeding for manufacturers and other employers to voluntarily advance wages, and we can recall but very few instances of this kind. We believe it would be to their interest to do so whenever the state of the market will warrant their making such advance. By 80 doing the hands would be inspired with confidence in the business transactions of the firm with the former, and they (the hands) would feel that employer and employe had a unity of interest. Employers who follow the course now pursued by this Bridgeton company need never fear any trouble with their workmen. We hope that the example set by this large company will be followed by many others."

In reply to this, the following communication from "an old workman" appeared in the same newspaper of a later date:

"I notice in the letter of your Millville correspondent an allusion to the recent advance of five per cent. to the employes of the iron works, in which he says that this advance is entirely voluntary on the part of the company, and shows that there is a better feeling existing between employer and employe than formerly. As an old employe of this firm, allow me to say in reply that I believe it has always been the policy of the proprietors to advance wages without waiting for the men to ask for it, and when the prices of nails and pipe went up the wages followed.

"I give you below the advances that were made since 1879, every one of which came before we asked for them, and some before they were expected. In the words of your Millville scribe, the advances were entirely voluntary on the part of the Cumberland Nail and Iron Company:

"There were reductions during this time, of course, but these advances show the policy is to advance wages promptly, when the market will stand it."

A gentleman, not himself one of the strikers, sent the Bureau the following information on the subject:

"At the time of the strike the wages of heaters were $2; of puddlers, $1.90, and of laborers, $1 per day. There had been four reductions of ten per cent. each during the previous two years. Individual efforts had been made for an increase, but always refused. The helpers attempted a strike two years ago, but it broke down. Nailers run three or four machines at an average of about $10 gross for each machine per week. A feeder tends to each machine and gets half of what the nailer makes-$5. If the nailer has three machines he thus nets $15 weekly. When the present management took possession of the works nineteen tons were considered a good day's work, but now twenty to twenty-four tons are turned out for each of the ten furnaces. Then the pay per ton was $1.50; now, $280. Nineteen tons at $1.50 would be $35.50, or $8.55 per furnace; two helpers being paid $1.75, and two forehands $2.50 each. Twenty-four tons at $2.80 would be $67.20, or $6.72 per furnace; pay of each of the two helpers, $1.25; each of the two forehands, $2.11. A reduction of ten per cent on the latter figures caused the strike, the success of which restored the $2.80 rate. The men are

now in a good labor organization."

PHILLIPSBURG. The following is a copy of an order posted in several conspicuous places in an establishment in Phillipsburg, N. J.:

"Whereas, Certain strangers have come to this neighborhood under the name of Knights of Labor, for the avowed purpose of organizing workingmen to act jointly, so as to control employers in their own business, and on their own premises, and whereas, some of the men employed by the Warren Foundry Company, either from want of right knowledge or right feeling, have allowed themselves to become members of the above organization: the undersigned, on behalf of the company, asks of you individually if one of you would employ a man to work for you, who not only required the market rate of pay for his work, but also required the right to control you in your own business and on your own premises. We do not believe there is one of you who would agree to, or permit such a thing to be practiced on you; but this is just the state of affairs that the so-called Knights of Labor wish to have established here, and, as a means to that end, they propose, by the aid of secret combined action, to assume power to war on and injure the company, till the company will submit to their dictation.

'Now be it understood, this company will not submit to such unbusiness-like condition, but will reduce their business and the number of men under their employment to any extent that may be found necessary to enable them to control their business, on their own premises, as they may think proper, as long as they pay for the labor they buy.

"We therefore request every man who has joined the above organization, and wishes to continue in the employ of the Warren Foundry, to immediately free himself from a combination in hostility to the company and its business welfare.

"If there are any that are not willing to do so, we request them to leave our premises, as we prefer to have our enemies outside our works. Any one not willing to conform to the above requests, and persists in a hostile combination to the business interests of this company, and still seeking the benefits of its employment, will be summarily discharged, as it suits the interests of the company to do so.

"PHILLIPSBURG, N. J., April 7th, 1885."

President,
Superintendent.

FILE CUTTERS: WOODSIDE.-"Thirteen rasps to the dozen are required of me, while the firm sells but twelve." "Immigration has had no effect." "Not much." "Last year we lost eleven full weeks; then went on three-quarters time; then nine hours daily and at last on full time again. We lose too much time to make any headway." We are compelled to loaf too much, and do not get enough pay. Our great grievance is that while our employers sell twelve files to the dozen, we are compelled to put in thirteen." "We are paid every two weeks; would prefer our wages every Saturday." The following is the price list for finishing 'horse' rasps per dozen : 12 inch, 78 cents; 13 inch, 92 cents; 14 inch, $1.08; 15 inch, $1.22; 16 inch, $1.44; 18 inch, $1.98. One quarter is taken off for over-cutting, and one-quarter is deducted for the edges, all of which is done by machinery. After this we get the following: 12 inch, 44 cents; 13 inch, 51 cents; 14 inch, 61 cents; 15 inch, 67 cents; 16 inch, 81 cents; 18 inch, 91 cents. On this there is a percentage of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 32 cents on the dollar, at present."

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LOCKSMITH: NEWARK.- "I have, in former years, accumulated considerable, but now, with an experience of sixty years, cannot make a cent above expenses. If ministers are allowed to ride on half-fare rates and our higher functionaries, even those of the bench, furnished with free passes everywhere, how can we expect any improvement or justice? We, at least, should draw double pay for our service. The government has usurped its powers in delegating to banking corporations the privilege of issuing currency, and in granting to railroads and cattle barons the public lands."