The Morning herald., 1875-09-30
The Fall River Strikes.

ceuion Of the following The Merchants
Stafford, Flint, Chase, Tecumseh, Wampa
, moag, Sycamore, and Granite. All ths
men who have gonelto work, with the ex
ception of those employed inodhe kinl
Phillip Mill, have signed the articles o
agreement 2 but in this instance it was
said she men were not asked to do so. Tht
two clemens struggling here for control
each have their friends in the community,
and, to study the situation with a desitt
for the truth requires considerable care
. and discrimination. About the middle o1
!, June the, manufacturers proposed to- re.
, duce wages on the ground that trade wa
dull and the market glutted. The help
replied that they would pretera vacation,
fE they knew vacation would come 10
! the Winter ii the mills were open all sum-
mer. They also desired to see if it would
no, tend TO raise the price of prints.
The proposal was refused '7" and
then the q workmen, ? said they
would take.a vacation on their own reepoL-
sibility. They did so accordingly. 1t is
said by the leaders of the operatives that
the prices Of print goods raised three
eights Of cent in consequence The
weayers met toward the end Of the month,
and voted to resume work at the proposed
reduction, but the spinners and earders OBJ
jected. Meetings were then held day after
day, and finally, on September 8, the
weavers turntd sluarely around and de-
Emlanded twentyAseven cents per cut, declar-
| Ing that they Would have that price or
starye. Delegates were sent into Rhode
Island to raise funds to help them jpfolong
their resistance, but funds. came, in very
slowly and some men opposed. the aggres-
sive policy. A week later every, one had
become eager for work. The mainlfactur-
ers then me, and decNled to open themills.
They also had printed articles OF agree
! mcnt for the operatives to sign 1t was
their intention to Keep the articles from the
knowledge of the operatives until Monday,
the day Of opening, but the fact Of their
preparation was disclosed in the columns
OF lhe journal, the organ of the operatives.
This was tirebrand. Manufacturers were
provoked to anger, and the operatives held
excited meetings declaring they would
starFe before thus signing away their lib
critics. Monday morYing came and the
mills we're opened, the articles were pre-
sented, and the scenes witch followed were
sold in yesterdays dispatches. "
As to the motive Of the, mill-owners in
requiring the signing Of the agreement
Which has been referred to, the mill-own-
ers and treasurers cay that the unions have
attempted to dictate TO the operatives con-
cerning when they shall work, and at
prices. Operatives have ecn ordered out
Of the mills, and have been compelled to
obey. When the mills have been running,
even in the usual manner, there has been
an arrangement by whch--when orders
were given by an overseer even on trivial
matters, which were not entirely accepta-
BILE to the leaders-by simply raising their
hands they could, and often did, cause a
stoPpage of all the machinery in the room,
and Of course strike was the result. A
strike having thus been ordered in one de-
partment has repeatedly caused a suspen-
sion Of the whole mill. In all well-regu-
lated mills each department produces al
most precisely the amount of material re-
quired to supply the next department in
advance oft, and any suspension in one
part of the mill Immediately affects ev-
cry other. lu some departments of the
nill not more than twelve hands are en-
gagged, whereas, in other rooms, par
ticularly the weaving room, 100 to
300 are employed. Consequently the action
Of few person Immediately throws out Of
employment several hundred people. To
meet these exigencies the regulations con.
tained in the articles of agreement now
submitted have been adopted, it having
been deemed necessary for the proper pro-
lection and steady employment Of indus
trlous operatives who desire regular en-
ployment
The manufacturers say that they have
not assumed to prevent any organization
for legitimate purposes, and have only at
tempted to make such regulations as are
necessary for the prosecution of business
where 50 large anumber are employed, and
so large interests are at stake. The regula.
ton simply provides that each individual
shall make his own decision as to when and
where he shall work, and for what price,
regardless Of unions. The provision as to
10 days notice for each operative the man
utacturers say is simply intended to insure
regularity in the working of the several
departments, and to insure employment to
all. Any steps taken to prevent Interrupt
tions in the, regularity of work is quite as
much for the benefit Of those who desire
steady work as for the corporations.
Tie question may be more definitely
comprehended Bya statement Of the num-
bet employed IN each department. Of f. mill
Of 10000 spindles. There are employed
in the picker department, s.; card shippers
and grinders, 8; drawing tenders, 4 speed
er tenders, "a ), other card-room hands, 80
spinners, SO; other hands in spinning
room, 56; spoilers, %; Wrappers, s.: slash
ers, 3; web drawers, IL; weaving depart
ment, 200; miscellaneous. 40: total. 45O