Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-09

Iy DemOcratlc mere III Inis hoPupii-
can stronghold before"
All through the summer and fall
months the Board of Trade has been
considering and reconsidering the
matter of curtailing production by
either stopping or reducing the wages
of the $4,000 mill operatives in this,
the greatest cotton manufacturing
centre of America. Nothing prevent
ed a general cut-down but fears of a
general strike. Joined with the dull
ness in the cloth market is the fact
land fact it surely ISL that the gener-
al expenses of man of family are
higher to-day than before the McKin-
ley bill became law.
Gov. Russell received an increased
majority at the late election because
he fought the campaign on the issue
of tariff reform. Senator Howard,
who is Secretary of the Mule Spinners'
Union received nearly 5000 plurality
in Republican district. He, also, is
tariff reformer.
The Weavers' Union leaders to a
man are for tariff reform, backed by
Cleveland and Russell, Or Boies. 1t
is simply wonderful, the love and ad-
miration that the Fall River Demo-
Gratis have for their young Governor.
1--WE want Cleveland" is the unan-
imous cry, "and if we can't have him
why we have young man here in
the old Bay State that can lead the
Democratic hosts to victory"
A club of tariff reformers is being
organized irrespective of parties.
Canvassers from Boston and Connec-
ticut have been here the last few days
looking over the city for enthusiasts
to 90 ahead with such an organization,
and if possible to organize club in
every ward ofthe city.
There is one ward in the city (the
Third where nine-tenths of the voters
are Democrats. Most of the residents
of this ward earn their living in the
great factories or along the water
front as laborers. On every hand in
that Democratic stronghold the same
answer comes to the question as to
who will be the next President
Cleveland is the man.
Mills seems to be the general choice
for Speaker, but the Congressman
elected hereabout do not appear favor
able to any candidate in particular.
The Ninth Ward of this city is as
strongly Republican as the Third il
Democratic. If Blaine is the nomi.
nee of that party. Cleveland will Ger
tainly carry the ward. There arc
many hundred English Republicans
in this city who are in favor of tariff
reform, and that they seem to be &
well-read class of people accounts fol
that fact.
While in Fall River the writer ha,
learned one thing about the wages O
cotton operatives that must be interest
ing to the public in general. An ole
English weaver, who has been severa
times across the ocean, has just re
turned from Burnley, England, on,
of the great weaving centres. He
says that weaver working fifty-foul
hours per week in that town make.
612 yards of cloth, for which he re
ceives $704, or FL 9s. per week
The same weaver in Fall River has
to run eight loom machines instead o.
four, as in England, sixty hours 6
week, and weaves 1904 yards for q
little more than SO. In other words
nearly four times as much work il
done here for one-quarter more per
week. To add to this difference, every
weaver in England is allowed help
err.
The idea of English born citizens
here being Republicans because Irish
are Democrats has passed away, and
if the feeling all over the State is the
same as here in Fall River, Massa-
chusetts need no longer be classed in
the doubtful column. The fact that
the members of the Republican ticket
who were elected had no majority,
and not one of them as large a plur-
atty as the Democratic Governor,
goes still further to show how nearly
evenly the two old parties are divided.
Then, again, the stay-at- homes in all
the country towns were Democrats,
not Republicans, as comparison of
the vote of past years will show
Next year they will turn out to a
man.
The Massachusetts, Tariff Reform
League is doing good work, and all
the residents of this part of the State
are anxiously awaiting the assembling
of Congress. The Democrats in
New-Bedford, twelve miles from here,