The Cigar Manufacturers Association of Chicago met at Clare's Hall, North Clark Street, yesterday afternoon. About twenty-five members were present. John Lussem was chairman and Jacob Selig acted as secretary.

According to the treasurer's report, there was $172 cash on hand.

A communication from cigar manufacturers of Baltimore was read, wherein united action in tariff matters was stressed.

A motion was adopted to decrease the revenue tax to five dollars per box of cigars. It was decided to nominate a committee of three to see members of Congress and to show the fairness of the request. The chairman nominated Messrs. M. B. Swartek, George B. Nickodem, and Louis Cohen for the committee.

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Louis Cohen spoke about the cigar makers' strike. He said that he had been in business here for twenty years, and that he had paid $5 per 1000 for clear seed cigars since the crisis. He always paid his men well and was fair, and that he had asked his men to continue working at the present wage scale until he had filled his present contracts which were made on this basis. With respect to other sorts of cigars, he had paid the union scale for a long time, yet his men went on strike and he had to discharge them. He employed twenty-two people again yesterday, and they worked on the better grades of cigars at union wages. He did not know how to change conditions.

Hibbler declared the manufacturers cannot do anything about it.

Nickodem thought the demands of the workers were justified. He always paid high wages and was opposed to any move by the Association which was inimical to the workers.

Various views were expressed. It was shown that the strikers were opposed 3also to certain divisions of the work, and any manufacturer using this system could operate only at a loss. Eastern competition would not permit the increase demanded by the strikers.

Mr. Wagenfuehr, who has been in New York, said that the rates asked for were fair, and that he would continue to pay $4 for rolling and furnish the wrappers. New York has no uniform rates. Cigar manufacturers payed $5.00 per 1000 for the usual forms and $5.50 for special shapes.

Mr. Lussem remarked, that on Monday, of last week his men went on strike during the noon hour, and left their work unfinished. He met their demands and the men went back to work. He considered the rates for cheap cigars too high. He had to pay higher wages in order to fulfill his contracts, and worked at a loss. The higher prices for better cigars he considered justified. However, if the Chicago market for cheap cigars is not to be lost, then some kind of an agreement should be made with the men, and he favored a committee to hold a conference with the men.

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The motion was seconded by Mr. Bond, who claimed that that was the only way to settle the question. Mr. Gelder concurred. Competition in marketing cheap cigars and underselling were both detrimental to everybody, and he favored a set price--high or low was immaterial.

Finally, a committee consisting of Messrs. Lussem, Wagenfuehr, Hibbler, Cohen, and Deutsch was chosen to confer with the cigar makers on the question of paying $5.00 and $6.00 per thousand.

Meeting of the Cigar Makers and Manufacturers

Messrs. Lussem, Wagenfuehr, Hibbler, Deutsch, and Cohen went to Lindemann's hall on Dearborn Street, near Washington Street, where they met Messrs. C. H. Kelmer, H. F. Steele, John Montague, Julius R. Johnson, E. Staus, and John Jurs, members of the union's executive committee. Mr. Wagenfuehr was nominated chairman for both committees. He said, that the Cigar Manufacturers Association had nominated the committee in order to reach an agreement. The manufacturers were 5willing to pay the rates demanded by the union with the exception of the scale demanded for cheap cigars.

Mr. Lussem added that various manufacturers had made contracts on the basis of the old rate, and would lose money if the new rate were adopted. The purpose was to arrive at a selling price so that Chicago manufacturers could compete with those in New York. The cigar makers have demanded $6.00. The old rate was $5.50, $5.00, $4.50, and $4.00. The meeting was called to settle the differences.

Mr. Steele said that $3.00 and $3.50 were paid for rolling the wrappers, and since many cheap cigars were made, this represented the difficulty. The rates would have to be raised, and therefore the men went on a strike.

Mr. Deutsch could not understand why the men wanted $4.75 for rolling [enclosing in the wrapping leaf], and only $6.00 for making complete cigars. The rollers would earn more than the actual cigar makers.

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E. Staus said that the cigar makers wanted to abolish wrapper making and rolling, because the manufacturers at best could then produce cigars for $5.50, while other manufacturers would have to pay $6.00, if the strike were successful.

Mr. Cohen asserted that it was very unfair to cause the manufacturers to lose by calling a strike after the manufacturers had made contracts at the old rate.

Kelmer asked what the workers could earn at $5.00 per 1000 cigars, considering the present material. The men would starve. He said he received $8.00 per 1000 and earned only $7 per week. Nobody doing that kind of work could earn $12.00 per week.

Mr. Lussem admitted that $6.00 and $7.00 per 1000 is not too much, when considering certain material. If the material were good, that would be another proposition, and $5.00, in this case, would be preferable than a $10.00 rate with soft, spoiled tobacco. He always paid $5.00 per 1000, even for the cheapest Ohio leaf cigar. But, if no satisfactory agreement could be made, then 7New York manufacturers would invade the Chicago market. If the parties would only meet half way, then an agreement could be reached. If the strike were general, with the whole country affected, that would be an entirely different story, but under present conditions labor's best friends will suffer. The manufacturers should be given sufficient time to be prepared for higher wages.

John Montague said that $6.00 per thousand was barely enough for the most common work.

Steele wanted to know who could earn $12.00 per week at the $5.00 per 1000 rate. Cohen said that he had workers who made $11.00 per week. Steele replied that not one man in ten could do that.

Mr. Cohen was ready to show, from his books, that two workers who received $5.00 per 1000 produced 4400-4500 cigars per week.

Mr. Steele thought that the manufacturers should give in; he contended that 8they may lose money now, but that later, matters would adjust themselves.

Mr. Beichler remarked that no cigar maker averaged more than $7.00 per week; and that the demands of the union were justified.

Chairman Wagenfuehr proposed that the men should consider matters and hold another session today; both parties should think it over.

Lussem made a motion that the cigar makers elect a committee of five for the conference, so that both sides might hold a session today. All the cigar makers could be present to hear the proceedings.

Beichler asked if the manufacturers had reached a definite conclusion.

The chairman said they had not. Mr. Deutsch declared that, "since we have employed men to make the wrappers, we should not throw them out of work."

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It was concluded that the cigar makers should hold a meeting this evening and elect a conference committee to meet with the manufacturers' committee next Thursday, at two o'clock in the afternoon, at the same hall.

Adjournment followed.

The Cigar Makers

The cigar makers formed a local union and elected the following officials: E. H. Kelmer, president; Samuel Blasey, vice-president; J. Mackee, recording secretary; John Siebenaler, financial secretary; Otto Wick, corresponding secretary; W. Beidler, treasurer; directors: W. Bennett, A. Kivers, and H. Steele; sergeant at arms, A. Cordier.

The ranks of the strikers were increased by the addition of 23 men from George Wagenfuehr's factory. These men did not go on strike before this time because Mr. Wagenfuehr was not in Chicago. Since he could not accede to the demands 10of the union, because of contracts he had made, the men went on a strike.