The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-10
THE FALL RIVER STRIKERS.
Fifteen Thousand Operatives Taking a
Summer Vacation.
THE GRoCERs REFUSE CREDIT.
1 Midnight Raid on a Potato Field-..WiIl
Bread Riots Follow!


selves to-day in sad and dcplorable condition, and,
what is still worse the misfortune which has come upon
them threatens become painful in all its aspects
before amicabe relations restored between them
selves and tho manufacturing corporations Indeed, it
Is doubtful il ever in any OF the manufacturing districts
OF England the conflict between employers and employees
has been more mutually disastrous than is promised
by the troubles existing in this city 1t is fact
whatever the cause that thero have always more
disturbances OF this kind here than in all the rest Of the
Massachusetts, and New England manufacturing districts
combined Whenever there are striking troubles in
Fall River everything is and prosperous among
the manufacturers and their operatives in other
sections Of New England. Even the
pie and opportunities OF the Fall River work
ingmcn and workingwomcn fail to excite either
the cooperation sympathy Of the mill operatives in
such cities as Lowell, Lawrence and Manchester. For
mery when strikes have occurred here they have been
1t times when the manufacturers could not well afford
10 suspend and naturally the operatives gained their
point Their method Of carrying the strike was
usually shrcwd for instead Of general turnout in all
the mills the strike would be confined to only few,
and the operatives in tho mills where there
strike would contribute to the support OF the strikers
BY this means tho mills which had to suspend were
helping competing mills in consequence of failing TO
keep the market supplied, and therefore it was runous
for them otherwise than to submit to the demands
of the operatives This was the here last spring,
q well tho occasion Of former strikes.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT.
Tho manufacturers themselves have formed combi-
nation and in the present state OF business they arc
about MS willing remain idle to continue the work
OF production The operatives did not count on move
ment of this character the part Of the corporations
when they resisted the ten per cent reduction but prob
ably thought they could bring them to terms for
will find that the manufacturers aredetcrmned TO
force the per cent reduction and there number
of them who do not to resume at present. even
that basis. There many
FEATURES OF THE STRIKE
which are not generally understood by the public In
fact may be said that many of the published accounts
concerning have been coored either in the interest OF
The manufacturers or the strikers have conversed
freely with numerous representative men of both in
tercsts and it is painful to make record of the
cusion arrived at Whatever of justice there may have
been in former demands of the operatives, it clear
that in this they have been unreasonable they
have been unwise This / may add, is the current
opinion of the general community, and not few of the
irresponsible and moro intelligent employees concur in
the same views. is well known that in times of bust
ness depression branch of industry is sensitive
than the manufacture of fabrics which enter into the
making of clothing Wearing apparel is generally the
times That the times have been very hard for many
months is a fact not necessary to dwell upon,
and, therefore, 1t is not strange that
cotton and woocn goods have accumulated in the
try manufactures and warehouses; well in the city
jobbng houses 1t was on account of this state of affairs
and consequent reduction in tho price Of goods that
the directors Of the various mills decided upon n
ten per reduction. At tho time of this reduction
il also ordered that the rents in the corporation
tenements be reduced ten per cent, and of course
similar reduction will follow the part Of outside owners
of tenements This fact may be added is generally
Ep1n
their grievances. When n reduction of wages was
ordered mass meetings were called TO decide what
action should be taken II should be explained hero
that these meetings and the action taken do not
reflect the sentiments feelings of the majority of the
Fall River operatives. They were simply the work of
LoAFERs AND DEMAGoGUEs,
will he shown presently They resulted, however in
arousng spirit of resistance among the unfortunate
operatives, just sufficient to bring about this pending
evil and threatened ruin II Is well known that any
class Of people are likely to be momcnary carried away
under the influence of men who profess to sympahZc
with them in real or imaginary wrong and thus II was
that these unfortunate mill operatives became the dupcs
Of few superannuated loafcrs and labor reform agta
tors-men who have rarely earned n living by honest
work, but subsst upon the contributions OF the egit
mate workngmcn and workingwomen, and who would
death IL il not for these ieuds which they
stir up periodically between employers AMI employees.
1t few such characters these and not the opera
tves themselves who called and managed the meetings
which have resulted in throwing
FIFTEEN PEOPLE OUT OF EMPLOYMENT.
This too in city of only A., 900 inhabitants little
reflection will demonstrate that the situation is indeed
very grave one and in view of the fact that the mill
will recnt IL Is reasonable TO anticipate SUI
fering and trouble in the immediate future These
champion Migrants counselcd the operatives to resist
the reduction, and defined the strike which they urged
vacation. Take recreation of thirty days they
proclaimed, and you can bring these grinding capital
lists to your terms. 1t will reduce tho quantity Of print
cloths in the market and, as natural consequence,
ments used at tho meetings by the unprincpcd leaders
and while major majority OF , the operatives operatives
followers inaugurate with the
manufacturers When the day of general reduction
arrived many of the corporations had an abundance of
help continue operations but the appearance Of
operatives Of the other mills forced closing Of
doors in accordance with the compact entered into by
the manufacturers. Thus, it will be seen, the few OPP
eratives who were influenced by the dcmagogues
and labor agitators have brought idcncss and
want upon thousands of others who were willing
to submit to the proposed reduction. The action
OF the mill owners in making the innocent suffer for the
guilty may be questioned but they answer that they
have been governed by the operatives too long and
they now propose to manage their business in their
own way. They claim that the market is surieitcd with
goods and that they better afford to suspend than
run their mills during the next few months; and this
argument supported by the fact that since the stop
page there has been no increase in the price Of their
products
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DEMAGoGUEs
II was more with the view Of fully realizing the
ness OF one OF thcse Migrants than for the purpose Of
obtaining Information that allowed myself TO converse
with him He was, of course very fluent in language,
and maintained that the manufacturers would have TO
succumb. He could furnish for this state
except that heretofore the strikers had been sue
ccssu The local press he said had been very unfair
and he hoped that the operatives would receive Justice
through the HERALD and to guide your correspondents
he handed him copy OF labor paper, which is pub
shed here III the apparent interest OF the operatives but
really in the interest OF such chronic migrants and
loatcrs as the with whom at the moment
convcrsng The leading editorial in the publication
abusive OF the corporations, and appeal to the
operatives to hold until they triumphant and
the balance OF the paper largely filled up with the
inccndiary speeches which had been made at the meet
ings held few days before Altogether the contents Of
the journal showed that its scky existence is only
prolonged by occasional disturbances like the unfor
in this city, and more than one Of the prom-
citizens Of Fall River attribute this whole
blc-thls calamity it may be callcd-o the pcrncious
influence cxcrted by II and its followers few Of
the misguided operatives
WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS SAY
called upon several manufacturers and found that
the story OF the story of G4 They are deter
mined To maintain their position aud settle forever the
principle that their business is not to be at the mercy OF
INC hclp One strong argument OF the strikers is that
IN the manufacturing towns in Rhode Island only few
miles away, there has been no reduction for the
KIND oil labor as in Fall River. The mill
ling LA Iu.