New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-06
THE BIG COTTON STRIKE ON.
FIFTY THOUSAND BRITISH OPERATIVES
IDLE.
BOTH SIDES CONFIDENT OF vICTORY-"THE
PAIL MALL GAZETTE SAYS THE HEAVY
TARIFFS on COTTON GOODS ABROAD
ARE THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE


! TARIFFS on COTTON GOODS ABROAD
ARE THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
/ London, Nov. 5.-Engand to-day saw the be
ginning of what seems likely 70 prove the grelt
est industrial war between capital and labor thai
| the country has ever known. Cotton mills EN-
ploying about $4,000, 900 spindlcs were shut down
to-day. The mlll-Owncrs have a Masters Fedora
! tiOn in which 20,O00,OOO of the 44,000,00C
spindes run in England are represented; theiI
mills being in Manchester, Oldham, Bury, Hey
wood, RamSbottom, Darwcn, Bolton, Ashton
undcr-Lync, Staybridge, Stockport, Rochdale and
several smaller towns. The owners OF the
100000 spindes still running will pay to the
Federation fine of farthinc a spindle week
for such as they keep at work There are about
24,O00 operative spinncrs grouped into various
local unions, all federated In an Amagamate ted
Association Of Cotton Spinners. The card and
blowing room operatives who are necessarily
idle when the spinGles stop, number about $4,000,
and have also a strong union II is eStima ted
that from all sources total Of fS,400 will flow
in weekly to assist the operatives.
All the efforts that have been made to bring
about settlement of the threatened strike
have failed. Thirty mills at Ashton-underI Lyme
were closed this morning, and the l0ng-threa;cned
contest was started A general strike of the OPP
eratives began this afternoon and $4,000 persons
are idle.
The spinners have good chief In Mr.. Mawdscy,
secretary Of the ANA lgamated Association Of OPP
crative Cotton Spinners. The sccretarice of the
Spnners' and Masters Association and the mas
tcrs and the men themselves confident Of vic
tory. Both sides are prepared for q long struggle,
and the end Of the contest is hard 10 forcsee. As
far as money is concerned the spinners are in o
III.
Mawdsley promises that each striker will get ten
shillings weekly in addition to the allowances
made for children and the grants of the local asso-
Citations.
The Pail Mall Gazette today says it has no
doubt that the heavy tariffs on cotton goods
abroad are at the bottom of the difficulty. II
Mr. Harrison is elected, it adds, there is no chance
of a better opening in the United States. Even if
Mr.. Cleveland is elected a reduced duty on British
cotton good, is uncertain. With all the European
markets practically closed against the British
product the outlook il not rosy
The operatives made no demonstrations about
the mills but went quietly TO their homes The
spinncrs even talked Of dispensing with the doing
ont Of strike pay" for the first fortn Gut "a they
have been preparing for the lockout. The card
room hands. however want the strike pay 10
begin Immediately.
The delegates 20 tho Spnners Association met
tonight in Manchester The secretary read tc!e-
grams declaring the lockout at Stockport to bo
a complete failure. I.d that at Bury a partial
failure. In these places tlic mill-owncrs are con-
tinuing TO operate their mills at ia" old scale
Of wages However 5000 workmen are eN-
pected 10 BE- idle on Monday. The meeting de-
cidcd to increase the wee ky levy % shilngs
3 pence Great enthusiasm was shown.
The Masters Federation has received seyerc
blow AT Bolton where the Disi'i mployers'
Association has de lined to co-oPnie' with the
Federation in "a scheme 10 reduce wages. lhrrc
l3 900 600 spindles are still kept busy. and the
operatives are working on the old scale ot wage
This action on the part Of the Bolton mil!-owucrS
Is explained 10y the fact that they no. EGyptl1n
cotton. which gives them margin Of proit
Other Bolton masters ueing American cotton adhere
10 the Federation and closed thcir mills.
If tho improvement In trade continues numbers
Of other mills will open. prciculng 10 pay IL"
Federation fine rather than allow their valuable
machinery 20 lie idle ~ loss of INTEREST ana rent
Already the improvement has weakened the 81
ton of the FcIcration and il h continues the
lockout will prove failure Should the improve
mcnt prove Temporary, however, th" mills VIII
shut down again and the struggle with the men
will grow more bitter.