The New York herald., 1876-09-27


miss o! scarcely fourteen summers vas noticed oy the
writer with wan cheeks ana detected look about 10
enter OF the mills. shc had dinner kettle 10 her
hand which sho was csrriog to younger brother who
was inside earning So per month, which was the solo
support OF an Invalid mother. having lost her eyesight
aud herscf AS well She said 10 the wrter:-'Moihcr
worked IN tee mill anu supported johnnie and mo
until her eycsght failed and then ! went TO work.
worked too hard and six looms, and so was
Obliged TO GIVE UP Is DESPAIR,
and my little brother took ny place. fear Will
never be .abie 10 help mother any more, and donr
know what Will become OF u.s. !" And as she said this,
the painful look Of despair depicted on her iace
and she slowly crossed the street with lew 'cold
bits" for little Johnnic's dinner
Several able bodied worx,ncn were found who werc
earning but eighty cents per cay, and gentleman IN
houscs were athers were not earning full dollar Tor
the support OF themselves and iamies mill owner m
formed me that before the cut-down good weavcrs with
eight looms could earn 81 10 per week and lev could
run ten looms, and these could earn 80 90 The
women usually managed but SIX LOOMS and they could
make 81 per day He thought provisions were un-
necessarily high anu IN justice to the l owners II
should be stated that when they reduced wages they
also reduced the rents OF tenements Ten per cent rs
well!
Tho large number OF operatives seen by the writer,
while they are avcrse TO striking ieel that they have
been treated very shabby, and they are yet unde-
cided what they will do They propose to act with The
majority in all matters pertaining the trouble, and
one months reduction instead OF two, AS now pro-
posed They are hrm IN the belief that something
wall turn up in the meantime which viii pro.
vent their employers from giving n back then,
and they cannot anord 10 work at
she prices paid before the cut-down. Unlike
last yeur they have no leaders and as ind
out want mono, ana It Is unjust, as the following
interview Will show TO charge MIR. Seavey, OF
the Labor journal. and the Da,iy Democrat,
the organs Of The labor party with incitng them 10
strike tor higher wagcs. Several OF tho mill owners
speak Of him in tho highest terms, for he Is gentle
man OF culture who seems TO have the best interests
" the operatives at heart The operatives ol city
like Fa! River certainly deserving o soo notice,
aud m ar seavey they have found friend n IN every
tor The work he has done tor them, and 90 wEero you
will not single operative can DO found who VIII speak
aught against hn, and at thor earnest request they
(the operatvcs). Knowing he would give faithful
resume, your correspondent called upon him
rsSarts s rciersnos anr 'er the .muoran,
matter tho following interview took place, and 1t
clearly defines his position IN manner winch can but
rebound 10 his credit even among his cnemes:-
REpoRrER-Mr. Seavey, are the operatives likely TO
strike the terms they now ask or should not bs i'm
Mr. sEAvEy-rhcro will be no general strike, think,
II the manufacturers promise TO restore the last re-
duction OF October l. as you INFORM me the Chairman
OF tho Board OF Trade Mr. jennings has decided TO do
conditonaly but, although such a promise Will Keep
them quiet II will not cOncii late them.
REPoKTER-What is the additional pro0t the advance
IN print goods gives TO the manutacturerf
Mr. sEAvxY-Cer'a'nly no! less than ,h,rsy,ssven M
cotton about cent per pound. There are about
eight pound OF cotton IN cut Of cloth. The advance
cotton being cents leaving clear additional gain to
the manufacturers oil 81 Tho product OF OF
our Mills inc MerCnantS-lS some lOOOU cuts per
week the advance gives lhein therefore, So 700 per
week more profit than they wero making before the
rise.
REPoRrER-But is not the Merchants Mill working
on u contract made prior to the advance?
Mr.. sgAvEY-No SIR. They are reaping the benefit
OF IL.
RIpoarsR-It Is stated that the manufacturers havo
as yot received no benefit from the advance Is that
true
cious iasehood made other purpose than to Keep
the help quiet ana mslead public TO the prey
udlce OF the operative. Thousands upon thousands Of
pieces have already been sold upon the advance. The
Slade aud the Flint mnls had an accumulated stock
OF many thousand pieces and ON these SIR thoy have
got the tOpmost prices.
REPoRrER- The argument Of tho manufacturers Is
that the mills have not made dollar Tor year or two
while the help have anyhow been earning living.
What have you TO say 10 thaty
Mr. SEAvEy-lt s quite true that nearly all the now
mills have earned nothing but others have made a
profit aud declared dividend all through tho hard
times Those which have madc no profit are the mills
overburdened with debt. aud which hold great deal
Improbable land taken at inflated prices for GER
tidcatcs OF stock speculation. The land yields no
revenue, and property which should 60 10 the payment
ofintercst ON legitimate investments and In dividends
TO stockholders Is swallowed up IN this way
The operatives do not deny that their em-
poycrs have had TO grappe with hard times,
but nasmuch tho depreciation OF wages In other
branches OF industry will certainly not average moro
than twenty per cent and theirs have been reduced
about double they think that they have had their full
share Of the burden aud entitled 10 have lifted
Just onrly as their employers
REPoRTKR-Have the operatives been paid yet on the
Mr.. SxAvKY-No, sir. And this IL why thoy are so
indignant The manufacturer Is getting clear extra
gain o hrty-seven cents per cut, and yet insists on
taking two cents per cut from the already pauper.
tied wages OF the poor weaver.
RRroRrER.- the manufacturers say they are only
waiting 10 II the advance can be maintahed and II
1t they inform me they Will freely restore the last
cut down.
Mr. sxAvxY-The reply Of tho operators would bc
that IL in the power OF tho anuacturers 10 mako
contracts al the present prices for three months
ahead and therefore the eniorc OF The reduction
rnnA Aafu Aru1a I'm nnStn hen ~
let me guard against mistake which the Boston
Herald seems to have made The help are not asking
tor an advance, but pleading against cutdowu-the
fonrth In year, or little over ycar.
REroRrER-Why DO toe operatives, then, remain
hero and continue TO work for. such low wagcsS
Mr. rSEAvEY-Unfortunateiyfo for them many Of them
are compelled to do SO because they have not money
enough 10 carry them elsewhere in search Of work
others cannot 60 becauEs when tho land lever pre-
vailed here in 1872 they invested their savings, accu
mulatcd through years OF honest, frugal toll, In real
estate and in the putting up OF little cottage
ement block, and could scarcely give away what
cost so much then There are, however, many OF ocr
most skilled operatives returning to the old coutry
in tho Labor journal and the Daily DEM
ocrat One Fall River steamship agent sent TO
England scvcn families tho Saturday before last,
OF these there were four good loom weavers
The price paid for weaving print cloths In England,
reed and picks to the inch, Is trife over ~
cents per cut ior precisely the same work Fall
River weaver gets only 10 cents. Fall River used 10
have the best help iE tho country II will soon have
the worst. The very lowest KIND Of French Canadian
help rapidly taking the place oil the skini expert
enccd Lancashire help. The difference which this will
make retail merchants In year or Two will be
immense, many OF the French Canadians herd to-
getner after the fashion OF the San Francisco Chinese,
aud instead OF spending their earnings IN the country
and city whero they receive them, when they have
scrapod little together they take u of to Canada
REpoRrER-1he manufacturers attribute their
troubles with their help 10 tho presence OF agitators
and domagogues IN their midst Is there any truth IN
that statement SO generally nader
Mr.. sRAvEy-Most assurcdiy not We havo large
number OF operatives hero working on one kind of
work. 1t Is very natural that community Of interest
and sympathy should exist between them Is 1t rea-
sonabe TO suppose that great BODY oil men VIII
tainey submit series OF four reductions OF ten per
cent and not meet together and endea'or BY all
the In their power pot reasonable and despotic,
to avert ite Tho great agtator VIC havo had In Fall
River, who is responsible tor all Tho disputes and
troubles hich have bealen. is in the ten per cent
ducons. IL he had never visited U.s. or had made hts
otcu, other aRtaors anu deinagogues would
have been powcriess to arouse tho people.
REpoRrER-What Is the present temper Of the opera.
tives?
Mr SEAYEY-lh. temper OF tho help Is moro indIg.