resolved to prevent, if they could, the employment of women, children or strangers in the places of competent journeymen goldbeaters for lower wages than an American workman can live upon. Relying upon the strength of their national organization and the support of the American Federation of Labor, they expressed their confidence in a successful result.

Mr. E. S. Cabot retained the girls in his employ for finishing up work that had been left incomplete, and he declared that he would not discharge anybody because of a demand. The employers said that they had used their goldbeaters well, had made them such an offer as would enable them to earn from $25 to $30 a week, and were not disposed to leave anything to arbitration. In Springfield, where skilled workmen received from $15 to $18 a week, 8 men were out on strike, which enforced the idleness of about a dozen workwomen. The ordinary occupation of girls at a goldsmith's consists in putting the beaten leaf gold into the books in which it is sold to consumers, preparing the leaflets to prevent adhesion of the gold, and forming the books into packs ready for shipment.

The men argued that much skill is required in goldbeating, and great judgment in determining when the leaf is of the requisite thinness. The following correspondence expresses clearly the attitude of the parties to the controversy at Boston:

The Goldbeaters' Union made the following statement through its executive committee, July 26:

The organization of goldbeaters, at present involved in controversy, respectfully requests the privilege of presenting their statement to the public.

Some seven or eight years ago the condition of the goldbeaters was such that the recognized wages were $6.20 for what was

termed a "beating," which enabled the practical goldbeater to earn a living wage, in most cases realizing $21 for a week's work.

It requires years of practice to become proficient in this particular craft, and it is known to be laborious work. Changes in the trade have taken place, in which the organizations have become separated, through the influence of some of the employers who are ever ready to adopt unfair tactics by introducing so-called improved methods, which divide the work from the actual mechanic, and place the remainder of it in the hands of unskilled people.

The goldbeaters, realizing only one course to pursue, were forced, through circumstances, to reorganize, and they have done So. While perfecting the organization, some of the employers of Philadelphia began to discharge some of their men, which resulted in a general strike.

The goldbeaters now claim the restoration of the prices which they formerly received, to enable them to earn what they always were earning, and because the cost of living to-day is far in excess of what it was a few years ago.

Trusting that the public will understand that the gold beaters simply ask for justice, in order to maintain themselves and families and the right to live, we are respectfully yours,

JAMES TOWLE,

FRANK FIFIELD,

ALBERT CARPENTER,

Executive Committee of the Boston Goldbeaters' Union.

In reply, the gold leaf manufacturers issued the following statement, July 28:

A statement of the executive committee of the Boston Goldbeaters Union, in relation to the present controversy between the men and employers, having appeared in the newspapers, and the statement being so manifestly unfair and misleading, it would seem to be the duty of the manufacturers to state their side of the case.

Part of the truth is sometimes a great deal worse in misleading the public than a deliberate falsehood; and we wish to state the whole truth in relation to the points touched upon in the statement referred to.

In that statement it is said that seven or eight years ago the recognized wages were $6.20. This the Boston manufacturers wish it understood was not universal, some of the leading firms in

the country paying but $3.20. This the executive committee neglects to 'state.

The committee also says that at those wages a practical goldbeater could make $21 a week. Any one of the three men of the executive committee who signed the article could make more than that at the prices offered. One of the men who signed the article has averaged more than that at the wages from which he struck, and we are offered an advance of nearly 40 per cent.

They further state that, through the influence of some of the employers, who are ever ready to adopt unfair tactics, so-called improved methods are introduced which divide the work from the actual mechanics, and place it in the hands of unskilled people. This is unfair to the Boston manufacturers, inasmuch as they have none of the unskilled labor referred to, and have always employed actual mechanics in every department. We presume the unskilled labor referred to in the statement of the executive committee to be the employees of other cities, who have been at their respective tasks for twenty years or more. The unfair methods referred to, we presume, refer to manufacturers in other cities who have never been willing to pay living wages. The Boston manufacturers have for nearly three years paid wages 20 per cent. in excess of the recognized New York schedule. This, to manufacturers in and around Boston, means payment for goods produced in their factories of nearly $20,000 in the period referred to. In view of this fact, and that the manufacturers have been compelled to meet in the market competition of low-paid labor, it seems unjust for the executive committee to include Boston manufacturers in the general statement of the nature referred to.

The executive committee further states that "the goldbeaters now claim a restoration of prices which they formerly received, to enable them to earn what they always were earning, and because the cost of living to-day is far in excess of what it was a few years ago. Trusting that the public will understand that the goldbeaters simply ask justice in order to maintain themselves and families, and the right to live.”

The gold leaf manufacturers of Boston believe they have done their full share in assisting their men to maintain their families, and have not interfered with their right to live by what they have done during the past three years in giving the wages referred to above. We believe our men, in the statement issued to the public,

should not get generalize, and lead the public to believe that it was the Boston manufacturers referred to in the statement issued by the committee of the Boston union.

The recognized wages in the United States before the strike were 4 cents per book. They have struck for 8 cents. It is an advance of 100 per cent. We have offered them 7 cents, an advance of 75 per cent. over the regular recognized schedule, and the majority of our men claim to be perfectly satisfied with the offer, and would like to go back to work, but they say they are compelled to stay out by the national union until certain firms of other cities discharge help which had remained faithful to them for from three to twenty-two years.

Our customers understand the situation perfectly, and have expressed themselves as perfectly willing to endure the inconvenience of waiting for gold, provided they have to; so it would seem that, if the men continue in their present course, the strike would certainly be a long one.

It would seem to an unprejudiced person that men who have been treated as fairly as have the men of the Boston union in times past would grant permission to the employers to run the office end of the business as best suits their own convenience.

It would also seem, in view of the treatment they have received in the past, that they would at least give the Boston manufacturers the credit for having been fair, and not attempt to lead the public to believe that the Boston manufacturers were included in the statement of the executive board.

Our shops are open, and our men can come back at any time, singly or in a body; and any man who returns to work will be protected by his employer.

F. W. RAUSKOLB.
EDWIN S. CABOT.
A. A. LAURIAT.

Towards the middle of August the situation in Boston was unchanged, and it is said that 98 per cent. of all the workmen of that industry throughout the country were awaiting an adjustment of their difficulties.

A conference was held on the 13th of August in New

York between employers from the larger cities and officers of the American Federation of Labor. The employers offered $1 a week increase on weekly wages and no increase on piece work, but no agreement was reached. The importation of gold leaf from other countries was urged in some quarters as a solution of the difficulty. Grave fears were expressed of a sympathetic strike in other trades using gold leaf.

On the 15th of August several masters in various sections reopened their shops at union prices. There was some delay in the men returning to work, owing to the tardiness of advice from their national headquarters, which was withheld' because employers did not agree to reinstate all who went out on strike; but on the 20th the goldbeaters of Springfield returned, having received the sanction of their national officers and gained most of their demands. On the same day a telegram was received in Boston from President Lambert of the goldbeaters, declaring the strike off in all shops where 7 cents a book had been agreed to by the employers, and where they entered into a contract to employ no women at men's work; and on the following day all hands returned to their former occupation.

A. J. BATES & CO. -WEBSTER.

On July 19 a difficulty was reported in the factory of A. J. Bates & Co., and the Board interposed with a view to inducing a settlement. The matter became the subject of negotiations between the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union and the employer, and the controversy varied in extent from a few departments to the whole factory, and disappeared from notice until December. In the early part of that month