The Portland daily press., 1886-02-08
THE BATES MILL TROUBLE,
Agent Pratt Says Dalton Will Not be
Restored.

R6SIOf0Qs
LEWISTON, Feb. 9.--The excitement occa-
stoned by the strike at the Bates mills has
somewhat subsidized. Employees have been
pouring into the Office nearly all day asking
for their pay. The paymaster has made ar
rangements to pay them next Tuesday and
Wednesday afternoons. Some of the en-
ployes will leave town as they receive their
wages. The insiders have held meeting,
but did nothing of Importance. The knights
of Labor are holding meetings, and 800 new
members have been initiated since yester-
day. Agent Pratt has returned from Bos-
ton, where he attended a meeting of the di-
rectors of the Bates mill. He declines to re-
store Mr.. Dalton, and has written the follow
ing letter, which appears in the Lewiston
journal of this evening:
Messrs. George W. Monk, N. Baxter and Charles
e. Morgan, Sub Committee Of the Knights Of
Labor:
Dear Sirs-Having understood that the commit
tee of the Knights Of Labor who had waited upon
Mr. Pratt had concluded their conference, a rep
resentative of the Journal called at the Bates
Office and asked If there were any new develop
ments, and, at our solicitation, the following COM
munication was handed him: 81 acknowledge the
receipt of a communication addressed to me In
these words: The executive committee wishes TO
know your reason in writing for locking out your
help on February A. Signed in behalf of the
joint board and by yourselves, the sib,commlttee ee
of Knights of Labor. Although not addressed to
me as agent of the Bates Manufacturing Com
pany, / assume that the communication refers to
a M act Sf mine 9 s eeha Of af III
loom fxers in the employ of this company had
combined and quit their work at ~ O'clock, Feb.
4, 1886; second, the quitting of werk by the loom
fixers was based upon an interference by them, as
a body in matter solely regarding this company
and one of its employees. l determined to test
the question whether this company'S business on
this or any other matter could be interfered with
by those having no authority to act concerning
the same, and whether we had right to employ
whom we choose, and to hold them to strict ac-
countability to us for the faithful performance OF
duties. You further ask upon what terms the
company will resume operations. | answer, II on
Monday morning next, all the loom fixers who
quit work on Thursday shall return to their
places. the other employees of the company will
continue as usual. But in no case will Dalton be
permitted to resume work. On all the above mat
tiers have the full approval and support OF the
treasurer and directors OF this company.
Il. L. PRATT, Agent.
The following has been published:
To the Citisens Of Le.ciston and -4ub,u2e
The knights of Labor beg TO submit the fol-
lowing statement of their. position i'll regard to
the trouble now existing in the Bates mill: We
have had no grievance with the Bates corpora
tion, but we find that some 1900 of our members
are locked out by the agent for which we nave
received from him no reason or excuse.
o. C. PHILLIPS,
Master Workman, District S6, X. l..
Fifty-one weavers of the Bates mills have
published card, in which they state: The
cuts in the Bates have been heightened,
since Mr.. Pratt came, from two to six yards,
and we have received no pay for the extra
yards woven. :"
LEWISTON, Feb. 7.--It is believed the loom
fixers of the Bates mill will not go to work
tomorrow. The executive committee of the
General Assembly of the Knights Of Labor
are expected during the week.
Local Option for the District of CO.
Iumbia.
Senator Colquitt of Georgia will introduce
in the Senate this week bill establishing
local option in the District of Columbia.
The bill, which is quite lengthy, provides in
detail for a vote of the people on the ques-
tion. 1t is extremely rigorous. Under its
provisions no intoxicating liquor can be
manufactured within the limits of the Dis
trict of Columbia or imported there, and if
it becomes law no wines can be used at the
state dinners of the President. The bill has
been submitted to several Senators and Rep
resentatives, and it is said that its main fea-
lures have been approved by many Of them.
Senators Blair of New Hampshire and Hoar
of Massachusetts are quoted as saying they
will favor it.