St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-06-20
ertion of what they consider their

sertion of what they consider their
rights.
The manufacturers deprecate the sit
uation, and say that their only possible
course is to completely shut down the
mills. They consider that the locked
out parties are themselves-nOt their
operatives. Accession to the demands
of the spinners, they say, is utterly out
of the question, and their reasons for
not letting the matter go to arbitration
are clearly put in their reply to the
committee of the spinners-published a
few days ago-and they consider them
ample. A clear setting-forth, with facts
and figures, of the recent business OF
the mills, which shows abundantly why
the manufacturers cannot afford to
make any increase in wages, has been
prepared by gentleman of this city,
and one, too, who has generally been
identified with labor agitations. In this
case he sees the situation in this way:
The stockholders of the Border City
mills, with a capital of 81 ,OOO,O 900, have
lost the whole of it; not a cent left.
The mills remain, but they are in the
hands of the creditors, not stOckhOld-
ers. The Sycamore mill has sunk the
whole of its capital, S5O0,000, and then
100000 more was put in, and that is
also lost, making 100000 in all absO
lutely sunk. The Union mill, with a
nominal capital of $4,000, but with
property worth $500, 900, at least, has
all been sunk, total loss. The Te
cumseh mill sunk so per cent. of its
capital. The capital was $500, 900 /;
loss 100000. The Robson mills, with
a capital of $3.50, 900, sunk 60 per cent. !;
loss $156,000. The Fall River print
works, cotton mill under that name,
went into bankruptcy capital 100000
all dead loss. Montaup mills, capital
S250,00O; dead loss. American print
works, capital 100000; all SUNK
that is, the Indebtedness will take all
the property. The losses or deprecia-
ton of the other mills in stock is equal
to One-third at least.
The actual known loss, not including
the depreciation of the stocks in other
mills, is 81, SOC, 900, of which 81 900, 900
is by the people of Fall River and i'm
mediate vicinity. Suppose the spinners
and operatives had been working upon
the principle of cooperation, they
would have shared in these losses. AS
it has been they have been exempt, not
indeed from loss, but from anything
neal as much as they would have suf-
fered had they incurred proportionate
share of injury from the depression of
business that has to a great extent
caused the losses. If, under these cir
cumstances, the spinners still insist up
on strike, they will infiict an injury
not merely upon the present stock
holders or mill property, but upon the
entire community, which must even5u-
ally react upon the spinners and opera
tives themselves. In making the above
statement we have no sympathy with
the snobbism of some of the agents of
the mills. A spinner and an operative
are human beings and entitled to the
same consideration as any other person
who behaves well and earns an honest
living. But, because others have done
wrong, that is no good reason for an
erroneous course among spinners and
operatives themselves.
The point is made by some of the
manufacturers that the whole of this
trouble of strikes is caused by the eff
forts of Il few men sent over here from
as they believe, as agents,
and for the express purpose of agitating
the labor question and melting strikes.
There are not many of them, but they
find ready followers, and these drag on
the great mass, who otherwise would
never think of striking. These men,
they believe, are the prime source of
the mischief. The position of mill
operative is one that has its opportuni-
ties for advancement as well as is af-
forded in other industries. A great
of cases in small circle were
pointed out to the writer where, from
the smallest beginnings in mill, dill
gence and aptness had led up to the
fairest of home comfort, to independ-
ence, and even to atfluence. In one
case mill teamster is to-day lOaning |
money to his employers. One opera
tive not very long ago resigned his
place, because he could devote his time
more protitably to attending to his in
terests as landlord of several houses
that he rented, and which were built
out of the results of his labor and that
of his family, in the mill. A great
many, notwithstanding all depressiOns,
have fair, and some have handsome,
bank accounts. These are people who
have applied themselves at all times,
and are not the people who favor
strikes