Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-07-19

viewed after the convention adjourned, |
declared their intention to stand strict
ly by their pledges, even if it should
become necessary to strike. W. II.
SiUiter, in 1Id-Bits.
COTTON-MiLL WORKERS.
A Glimpse of New England Factory Life,
Past and Present.
Eighty years ago, when cotton manu-
featuring was in its infancy, an Ameri-
can mechanic would often start a little
mill with a few dozen employees.
Among them were probably his own
children and the children of his rela-
tives, the youngest of whom might not
be more than seven or eight years old.
1t was not an ideal state of affairs, but
every body shared pretty equally in its
unideal conditions. For twenty or
thirty years the mills grew in size and
numbers, but the operatives continued
to be of the same nationality and the
same class as the employers. Social
relations and intermarriages were not
only possible but actual facts, as an in
vestigation into the private history OF
some prominent manufacturing fam
lilies would show. A caste feeling,
however, began to develop as the prof
its of the employer grew greater than
the wages of the employed, and the
property thus acquired by some sepa-
rated into classes those who a short
time before had been equal neighbors.
1t became an objection to marriage, as
local traditions relate, that "her"
father worked for "his" father, al
though the youth in question might in
early childhood have worked in his
fathers mill, and might pride him.
self. in his successful old age, on the
fact.
During this early period it became
customary for the mill proprietors to
possess themselves of tracts of land
about the factories, and to build there
on tenement-houses, boarding-houses
and frequently stores for the opera
tives. 1t was necessary that they
should do so, as the sudden growth
of the industry attracted into the
river valleys where the mills were
situated large numbers of people, who
must Immediately be provided with
dwelling places and markets in which
to purchase food. The country was
young, and there were no capitalists
to hold the land and put up the houses
but the cotton manufacturers them
selves, the very men whose enterprise
had called to the borders of the
streams the sons and daughters of the
inland farms. The standard of com.
fort was low. The risks of new
business must also be considered, when
we scrutinize the villages that were
built at that time. They were often
far inferior to those established in later
days.
The equality of condition moderated
slowly but steadily. Traces of it lin.
gered nearly as long as native Ameri'
cans remained in the mill in any mum.
ber. have known of one instance OF
very intimate friendship existing,
during the middle of the century, be.
tween two thoughtful women, one ol
whom was the mill-owner's wife and
the other an operative in the factory.
just such friendship would be scarce
ly a conceivable possibility under ex'
listing conditions. Only philanthropiC
| Intentions could bring about even its
shadow.
Difference in wealth, with its inevi
table result of difference in daily habit
had already proved barrier between
employer and employed, when, after
the year 1850, a greater distinction
arose. The mill population slowly al
tered its character, and this change
naturally emphasized its distinctnes;
from the mill-owners, Foreigners be
gan to come, and the Americans wht
had hitherto worked in the mill ros,
into superior avocations, until few o.
the native women remained, and not
many men except those who were
overseers or superintendent. The
next generation accentuated tn,
change. The New England girls o
this period did not go into the factory
as their mothers had gone. The!
sought higher employments dur
ing the interval between schoo
and marriage. The governing clas
in the industry, including own
ers, clerks, superintendents and over
seers, was now of different race ant
: religion from the workers, who so fa
as many affairs were concerned ha'
become a governed class. | do no
} mean that such of the men as had tn
: franchise were improperly controlle'
: in their political action. do not be
lieve that the manufacturers of New
England are guilty of trying to undul,
influence the votes OF their laborers
J 1t must also be noted, in this connec
) ton, that comparatively few of thes
operatives can be influenced in tina
way, since none of the women and fey
} of the men are voters. When, there
fore. l say they are governed by In
manufacturers. | mean that the method
of their daily life and work are unde
control.-Lillie B. Chdce Wymdn, in Al
laRtic.
|, "A petition seven yards in lengt
! and bearing the signature of five hun
dred prominent people was presente
! to the New Haven Board of Education
requesting the establishment of cook