The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-02
Up GO THE WAGES
Fall River Mills About Ready
TO Grant an Advance
AN IMPORTANT MEETING
Prosperity That Comes From Pro-
lection 10 Our Industries.
SIX MONTHS ORDERS AHEAD
Luxuries For the Help-Important Meet
ings Held Last observation-disclosures
to Meet Again To-morrow-Prospects
of n Large Majority For the Increase
Operatives Awaiting tho Result with
Anxiety.
ESPECIAL TO THE SEwsl

ESPECIAL TO THE SEwsl
FALL RIVER, Nov. 2-rhe talk of the
hour here is the wages question, and with
the exception of comparatively weak
minority it seems to be pretty generally
conceded on all sides that the advance in
wages which the whole community hopes
for will be granted by the manufactur-
ers. Ever since the meeting on Monday,
which was so unceremoniously ad
journed, those in favor Of an advance
have been making converts among the
members of the association, many OF
whom voted for Adjournment merely be
cause they did not understand the pro
position which was To be presented and
wanted time to consider IL.
The majority now contend that equity
demands an increase in wages They con
fidently assert that If the wages are ad'
vanced in prosperous times any reduction
which may be made necessary in the fu.
ture will be much more readily accepted
by the operatives than if the manufac
turers now wait until they are forced to
grant an increase by threatened strike.
They know that profits are increasing.
that the orders are booked ahead for six
months output and that IT, would be
ruinous to enter upon conflict with the
help now. which might result in a com
plete shut down. The element OF poll
tics does not enter into this question al
ALL Ii Is business proposition solely
The manufacturers realize that the ad-
vance must come, and the more level
headed claim that il is better TO grant il
at once than wait few days until they
are forced TO grant IL.
The kickers, as usual, are crying that
II fu m is A nh
thropic business, but Que in which the
rights of stockholders are the only ones
worth considering, Every days delay,
they contend, adds dollars TO their
pockets. aad- they propose to Hg ht to the
bitter end.
The leaders in favor Of an advance are
the Flint, the Wan panoag. the Barnard
Merchants, King Philip, Slade and Os
born, while those opposed are the Dur
fee. Union, Border City and Sagamore.
The Meeting Last Night.
FALL RIVER, Mass, Nov. 2.-Lsst nigh
the executive committee of both loca
textile unions held meetings and dis
cussed the question OF an increase IL
wages. A communication was read from
a meeting of the spinners, saying, IN
effect, that an advance in wages over the
present prices would be asked In all
places where theINational Mule Spinners
Association has branches.
So far as the local union II concerned
the committees were unanimously of the
opinion that the manufacturers can well
afford to make an increase at the present
time. The committee do not want &c
ytart any agitation, or create any stir
but they think the mills have had ample
hme to recover from the effects OF the
tlx,
Bbey will bring the question before 9
general meeting OF the unions to be held
next Wednesday night.
Secretary Howard said that the 81 pei
rent gratuitous advance in September
was fully appreciated, and for some time
there were no men who wanted to ask foi
more wages, even though they knew the
manufacturers could we'll afford TO give
them.
Now the manufacturers propose an ad-
vance of Ga per cent, making 10 per cent
in all since September. The spinners,
however, decided to make a formal de
mand for 10 per cent now because they
felt that the manufacturers could afford
it.
They reason that they are justified in
this because when there is n cut-down il
is usually fiat 10 per cent: An advance
afterwards OF 10 per cent does not put
wages back to the old basis, but leaves
them just a little short. Mr.. Howard
could not tell whether the men would DC
satisfied with the 6 2-3 per cent on top OF
the 1-3 per cent in September or not, but
they were willing to discuss the matter
Secretary Whitehead of the Weavers
Association said this morning: "A vol
untary advance is better than one de
manded. Ii makes the help more cheer
full when they realize they are not TO bC
compelled Co fight for an increase.
Everybody at present knows the pric,
of cloth and of cotton, and he knows NJ
we'll as we do that rise in price can wei
be afforded. We therefore have the sym.
pathy of the public with us. To-day tn,
margin between the price of cotton anC
the price for which cloth is selling is ovel
dollar, and when the margin was onl,
63 cents the manufacturers acknowledge
they were holding their own. All W,
want is To share in their prosperity In tn,
same proportion as we have TO wheI
things are dull.
1T is useless 20 compare the pay re
ceived by the help in Lowell and Law
renee with the pay here, because the hell
here work harder and turn off "A large
production than in any other city in tn
United States. An advance of per cen
would bring prints up to the old pri CO o
II cents cut"