New-York tribune., 1873-07-25
TIE MASSACHUSETTS, CRIsPINS.

1t is not long since the Crispin Association
was one of the most powerful and promising
organizations which Massachusetts has ever
seem IL was designed to protect Labor against
Capital, aud to prevent the aggrandizement OF
the shoe manufactures at the expense Of the
shoemakers. 1t numbered thousands Of men,
bers; it seemed to be in position to dictate
its own terms; and it now appears to be
among the things of the past-hopelesslY dis
tracted if not hopelessly dead, and add
ing only another page to the long record OF
trade blunders and trade faulty.
An attempt to resuscitate the Society,
just made in Boston, has been followed
apparently by small success. The number
in attendance when the Convention was
opened is said to have been only twenty
fve This was all the representation which
could be secured for the whole State, and a
considerable portion Of tho delegates came
from the neighboring City of Lynn. 1t is
possible that the meeting would have been no
wiser-it might have accomplished even less
if it had been larger, since it would then
have been still more disputatious; but the
beggarly account of empty seats showed that
the shoemakers of Massachusetts, had lost
their faith at least in the Crspin Associa-
ton. The men who were present were profess
sional agitators, to whom strikes and lock-outs
would be likely to bring personal profit. They
told but o melancholy and discOuraging story
of the condition Of the workmen in the shoe
manufacturing localities. The principal City
of Lynn sent up report by no means assur-
ing, yet in no place were the Crispins in the
days of their prosperity more powerful, and,
we must be allowed to say, more arrogant.
At one time the workmen there were in a
position to dictate to their employers, but the
game has been played with the old conclusion,
and Lynn Capital now dictates as proudly as
ever to Lynn Labor. The worimen lost their
interest in the order, ceased to attend the
meetings, felt, perhaps, tho despotsm of
their brethren, and determined to make their
own contracts and to manage their own af-
fairs, each personally for himself. The lead
ers had driven these men with too inexorable
rein, and the consequence was bolt. The
order became so insignificant that the bosses"
cOntemptuously refused to treat with it at all.
First in one shop, then in another, there was
cutting down of prices, until at last tho re-
ductiOn became general. 1t was found that
the manufacturers had themselves combined,
and, as usual, had been rigidly faithful
to the terms of the combination. Worse
than all, tho old Crispins were quietly
working at the new and lower rates,
and laughing at all the efforts Of their deposed
leaders to coerce or to persuade them into q
strike Out of 1900 enrolled Crspins only 60
refused to work at the new prices. The order
was dead in Lynn, and, if dead there, it was
dead everywhere. Again, in Weymouth, an
other considerable boot and shoe town, any
thing like fraternity was soon found to be i'm
possible. Bottomers. treers, crimpers and cut
ters were all in conflict One delegate from
East Abingdon said that it was impossible to
"unite the bottomers and stitchers" Another
delegate from the same town charged
the grossest tyranny upon the Crispins. His
own lodge, he sad had taken away the work
from poor man because he was not prompt
in paying his dues. A Milford delegate boldly
declared that the Crispins, in places in which
they had the power, had "wiolded rod of
lron. and had made themselves 0Tants." !