The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-24
CAPITAL AND LABOR JARRING.
The Contest Between Rhode island min own
ers and Operatives.

LoNsDALE, II. l., Jan. 22.-Over 1000 oper-
atives are on strike in Lonsdale, ashton, Hope,
Berkeley, and Phenix, against reduction OF
wages. The owners Of these villages are tho
Goddards, successors Of the ereit firm of Brown
& Ives. family which Is believed to be worth
about tsOOOOOO0. They are leading representa-
tves OF the old Rhode Island so-callcd aristoc-
racy, and had a controlling influence IN State
affairs. Spraguc wasted an immense fortune in
buttine against the Goddards. They were the
chief objects OF his violent speech in the United
States Senate I'm the autumn Of 1869 Capt.
Frank Goddard at that time published a card
denouncnR sprague as liar and poltroon.
Four years afterwnrd spraeue was bankrupt, in
debt to the amount OF eli, 100000, and his power
passed away with hs fortune. lie has sunk into
comparative obscurity, while the house of God
dard looms In irresistible strength. The God
dards never give note, but pay In cash or liz
equivalent. They are equally severe In exarting
the fulnlment Of obligations. They treat their
operatives well. The working people OF Ions
dale and the other villages are well housed, and
"a well paid as any operatives In tue State. AT
Ashton finer goods were made tnan else
where in the country, until the construction OF
the mill at Berkeley. At Lonsdale tho goods
are Of the same class az are made IN many Rhode
Island mills. Tho operatives are OF the best
class-Engish and 1rish-nearly all foreigners.
During the past wear there have been several
reductions Of wages, amounting in all to thirty
three por cent, In accordance with general
understanding between Rhode Island manu-
reduction OF about ten per cent. went into effect
In the mills owned by the Goddard. Before the
reduction, the pay ~ male weuvers was about
SOS month. and Of females about Slg. Out Of
TINS came the rents OF the compauys tenc-
mcnts. from $3to g. amOnth.
Reductions in Rhode Island arc usually
made IN midwinter, the manufacturers be-
lioying that in this season tho operatives
would rather work at any price than be
turned iuto the frozen streets. Usually the
nv inufacturcrs are right in this opinion, but
this month the exceptionally mild weather en-
couragcd the EMPLOYEES IN their resolve to
strike. Thev withdrew In body from tho fac
tories. Police from Providence came to Ions
dale. and tired TO bully the operatives into
making disturbance. In order that there
might be an excuse Tor arresting the leaders.
The operatives would not, however. be dubbed
or frightened into iaw.brcaktnH. Several meet
iugs of the strikers have been held, and the sub
ject calmy discussed. They aver that there
Il demand for the cOmpany's goods far in cx-
cess Of the supply, that the profits are enor-
nous, one mill having netted t2Ol.OO0 the past
year and that there l. no Justification for the
cut down. The Goddards have 1mperiOusly de-
clined to make any expltnati ons, tut hold their
mills and machinery IN readiness for a resump-
tion Of work whenever the strikers accept the
reduced pay. The company mas taken no legal
steps tO eject the operatives from their tene-
meHts. other manufacturers arc looking on,
awaiting the result Of the contest. That the
Gpddards will not Weld Il nearly certain. IL
would be contrary to their record Of century.
They would raze their mills before they would
surrender. \ number OF the best operatives
have left the state Tor Great Britain.