New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-20
rcJrJ,g c0rToy MAYrFlcTURE.

Once more the news from England confirms
in = most striking manner the statements made
bv Mr. Porter in regard 10 the condition Of Brit
ish industry. The manufacturers OF Manchester
have announced that n reduction in the wages
of wcavcrs is necessary. At a conference on
the 18th the workingmcn reported the result
of a ballot taken the previous evening, stating,
according 10 Geographic dispatches, that II was
largely in favor of a strike against the reduction
proposed. Notwithstanding this, the dispatch
implies that the manufacturers viii not YIELD
and add, "a great strike will probably be the
result" Some time ago, when Mr.. POrtcrs IN
formation a. To the British cotton manufacture
was disputed, lac gave figures showing that the
Manchester manufacturers of late years had
made no profits, and stated themselves; that
they had been living on their capital while
weaker concerns, particularly IN Scotland, had
been pushed to the wall Mr. Porter added:
- NV belief j. founded on the complaints when
e heard when in the cotton districts ol Great
Britain from the manufacturers themselves,
" that nothing short of further reduction of
wages could keep the most wealthy firms
a lIoat unless by the removal of foreign tariffs
"morc profitable markets were opened
More definite information OF the cause of the
present controversy appears in EIli,onN latest
cotton report, just published. The annual
review speaks of the widespread complaints
" of bad trade which are coming from Nanchcs-
" tcr. and the evident misgiIings with winch
" fine prospects for the new season are regarded
. nm fine Continent" and shows that IN the
Struggle To retain control of foreign markets
the consumption of cotton has grown from
n 600 bales per week four years ago to I2,5OO
bales i'm 1882 'S3 in Great Britain, While on the
Continent it has grown from 10000 bales per
week to GG 100, and that meanwhile the Amerl-
can production Of cotton goods has largely M
creased. and the manufacture has been 50 de-
vclopcd in India that 100000 spndlcs are mt
v,,L there. The review adds ;" The whole of
. our Continental correspondence indicates that
" the production lof goods has ovrrtaktn con-
- .,n,nlinu." Accordingly il appears from
British official reports that the exports 81 cotton
goods from that country in September, 1888,
were smaller than those Of September, 1882,
and these in turn smaller than the exports OF
Scptcmbcr, 1851. During nine months OF the
urc.cnt year, the exports have been little
Larger than those OF last year, but l3o,oOo'OoO
yard, less than for the corresponding months OF
ISL The great development ot manufactures
elsewhere has cuItailcd the market for British
nroducts. and yet the great concerns have i'll
creased their number of spindlcS in use and
struggled to regain control of foreign markets
by chcapcnmg production, until ut last they are
forced to demand further reduction of wages.
Nor are they altogether in the wrong. II they
sullrr their foreign markets to be once wlested
from them, many of their mills must be per-
mauently closed. and vast capital invested
therein must be virtually lost.
The working people, on the other hand, have
right on their side in II different and higher
sense. They cannot live Is human beings
ought to live with the wages they now receive.
Reduction may prevent loss of markets, a
| stoppago Of many mills. and an enormous loss
! of capital to the manufacturers, but 1t means TO
/ the workers II degradation to which humanity
ouelt not To submit Il is better that Great
/ Britain should lose in some measure the SUI
prcmacy in manufacture for which 1t has long
/ contcndcd than that its operatives should DC
! fn,.4..l tn "a l"V.r stage at 'xiSt"ne1 anal a