The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-29
THE FALL RIVER TROUBLES

The indications arc that the labor trout
bes at Fall River, Massachusetts, viii cul-
inmate in serious riot. Mondsv morning,
committee OF The operatives called on the
mayor and demanded bread, but were re-
fused. They then announced Them inten-
ton of renewing the demand On the COVER
nor and, on refusal, Of taking X by force. 4
at eleven o'clock, several thousand opera
tives had assembled and were demanding re-
lief the mayor had called upon themiiitia
to assist in preserving order, and by the lime
this reaches our readers our telegraphic
columns may announce smious conflict
attended by loss of life, on ihet the trouble
Is happily settled. In either event, it my
not be out of place TO briefly ,review the
causes of the difficulty. Fail River 10 one
of the largest manufacturing centers Of the
country, employing between ten and TWEEN
ty thousand operatives, all, OK nearly all,
OF whom are connected with trades nniOnst
Early in the summer, The manufactures
determined to reduce wages, which had re-
NAMED unchanged for several years, ten
per cent, which, taken in connections with
the comparative cost of living n2w and
five or, even, three years ago. was at a
higher rate than was paid ut those dates.
To this the operatives refused TO assent and.
voted to strike or, as they pleasantly
termed it, to take vacation The EN-
ployers were nothing 10th TO 81 ''vacation''
~, t,roern mill
could not be run at profit and theironly
object in running at all was TO give EN-!
ployment to the operatives. a.H
Last week the troubles seemed to be at
an end. The operatives were sick of their
strike or tired of their . vacation while
the increased orders received by the man
ufacturers gave promise of q remunerat-
i've fall and winter. The operatives, ac-
cordingly, at public meeting, unanimous
ly resolved TO resume work at the reduc-
ton, but the manufacturer, Instead of
meeting them half way, posted public no
tees throughout Fall River announcing
their readiness to resume work and to re-
ceive back their striking employees at the
reduced rate of wages but requiring, as q
condition precedent TO such resumption or
employment, the signing Of q written con.
tract pledging the operatives not tocon-
meet themselves with, or to be controlled
or influenced by, any trades union, combi-
nation or association "whose members
are subject to the will Of the majority in
It,ba ,,attar ~ ,,,oroc ~. any .ctt,or ehih
'ject connected with the free right 81 anY
''person to work for or whom and az sucl
crates as he may see fl" The great mass
of operatives presented themselves .foi
work Monday morning, the majority, bow,
ever, refusing TO sign the agreement and
being refused employment, wheFeupon sth(
riotous demonstrations above referred ic
occurred and the greater part Of tho few
who had signed were intmidated frnT
further work.
We have but q word OF commentto nlHf'
on these facts. We have too often eX
pressed our opinion relative TO trades unio'ii
to make it necessary 90 say more nuwl NJ
are utterly opposed TO all trades unio@s
and all combinations or associations oleithel
employer or employe to dictate or contro
the rate Of wages which one manlrnsy au
cspt and another man, lpauI pay.-a1Aiiil
can and should be leitite the lawst uml'
to settle, aud those laws will ulthnatel.
settle it In spite of trades unions, strikes b
combinations on either eide. In this,case
the mapufactures, however foolish " ma.
have been, had the nquestionableFrthtr I
%. require the signing of the isSlcqmept y
condition precedent 10 work, and lhe en-
ployes had the same right to reiuso tbei
assent thereto. Here the rights ceased
and when the employers make one comb
nation and the employees another, although
they may have had the legal right toto do
they violate the morality of business an!
lose the public sympathy, 30 far they
stand equal--both possessed OF the sanlt
rights, and each entering into a cmnliha
ton against the other But the operatiger
go step further. They prevent their fel
lows, by intimidation and threats, y fror
working, and endeayor to procure subsis
tence by riotous demonstrations and by
force. Here they place themselves beyon(