Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-12-20
C0NANT MILL PEOPLE
Hold a Mass Meeting in
Music Hall.
PROTEST AGAINST TARIFF.
Addresses Made by Employees and
Resolutions Adopted.

Il - 1919 .Aeh Whs OIOWuoo luob oNouihk
with 800 of the operatives of the J. q p.
Coats thread mills to protest against the
reduction of the tariff on spool cotton
and yarn asischsdulsd In the Wilson bill.
Parkinson's orchestra furnished OK
csllsnt music during the evening. Those
on the platform wsre Edward Hanlon,
Chairman, w. II. Tracey, g. /. McAlice,
M. J. Csvanaugh, Thomas b. James, r. A.
Page, George Sloan, w. Mcintyre and
James Pearson.
Following were the member of the
committee In charge: Edward .Hanlon,
James Pearson, James Mcintyre, James
Jackson and William Morrison.
Mr.. Hanlon called the assemblage to
order and defined the objects OF the meet
Ing and said In substance that In the
bill pending before Congress IL IL pro-
posed to reduce the tax 80 per cent. on
spool cotton, or 8 cents Q spool. The tax
on yarn used In making spool cotton In to
be reduced 81 per cent, and for this rea-
son the matter was taken up by the
operatives, although they had not moved
| so quickly a. they have In other sections
of the country.
Bin Newark, N. j., q ommittes has been
appointed for the purpose OF protesting,
uhu VIC oPoEhtiNcb VI tuc q +. SOoJB
Company are only following their sx-
| ample. So far, with the exception of one
or two depart msnts In the Conant mills,
the help has not lost any time, and there.
fore began to think there was no busi-
ness depression, but In other parts OF the
country It has been felt and that is Why
they moved first.
Politics was not to enter into the meet.
ing and 1t was not called at the behest of
any party leaders. The whole public
might have been invited only the hall Is
not large enough. Continuing Mr.. Han
Ion, said: "lf we consider this tariff re-
duction closely We grow all the more In
terssted In the taking away of this 80 per-
cent OF q barrier which means to make Il
much easier for foreign companies to
compete.
ave do not ask for o tariff bet woen
States, for conditions are equal, but
where conditions are unequal We want q
tsrih and that 10 why we meet TO call it to
the attention OF our Legislators"
After the conclusion Of Mr.. Hanlon's
remarks, James Pearson nominated
him for permanent chairman and he was
unanimously elected. Frank Head was
| elected secretary.
Mr.. Hanlon called on William II. Tracy
for few remarks.
Mr.. Tracey said he did not feel capa BILE
OF an oratorical effort but he was In full
sympathy with the object OF the meeting,
and another thing that pleased him was
that the chairman had said there was to
be no politics In II. He thought 1t was
| the dawn of the millennium when the lion
| and lamb will lie down together aud the
lion won't take all the clothes. After
number of humorous stories he admitted
he was not "out Of sight" on the tariff.
Charles 1. NcAiice was then introduced
and In an eloquent address said he was
Democrat for the evening with Demo-
| crscy left out. He stood on the platform
| as an American citizen. He pointed out
how q reduction of the tarin would affect
the employees of the Conant mills and
| said they should demand OF their servants
In the halls OF Congress to give them
relief.
Said he: "Over $500 people are en-
ployed In the Conant mills and over Co.
600 are more or less dependent on them.
"I do not claim to understand the tariff,
but do know that a reduction of the tax
on spool cotton would not benefit the
majority. do not fear competition.
believe American genius can compete with
the world. The Conant Thread Company
deserves we'll from the hands of its en-.
ployes and the people of the city because
It has given employment when business
did not demand 1t.
eve are not here to petition O. foreign
parliament, but We are here as q free
people and we should demand of our
Democratic representatives In the lower
branch and Repu blican In the upper to
ka . h<. ;,,at t.h q.
tect Us and no higher"
On motion of Mr.. Pearson the chair
was authorized to appoint q committee to
draw up protest and he appointed tbs
following gentlemen:
George Humes, James Jackson, Frank
Muilarkey, r. A. Page and James Pearson.
On motion of Mr.. Rutters the ushers
were authorized to take up COLLECTION to
pay expenses. Mr.. J. Cavanough then
addressed the meeting and was followed
by Thomas b. James who compared the
condition of the Conant employees and
those Of other mills. He ran into politics
q little Just before he made his fnal bow.
The following protest and resolutions
we're adopted after being signed by the
committee and twenty. Ave other en-
ployes of the mills.
"To the Honorable the Senators and
Representatives Of the State Of Rhode
Island In the Congress of the United
States:
ave, the employees of the J. q P. Coats
Thread Company, Pawtuckct branch, In
mass meeting assembled In Music Hall,
Pawtucket, r. l., Tuesday evening,
December 10, 1898, having heard OF the
reduction In the tarin on spool cotton
and cotton yarns prepared bv the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, and fully be.
l,eving a. We do that such q reduction
will seriously injure the spool cotton
trade IN the country, and consequently
operate disastrously TO our interests 90
working people In the loss Of work and
In the reduction of wages, We therefore
beg Of you, our Honorable senstors and
Representatives in Congress, TO use your
Just endesvors In the House and Senate to
defeat this unjust measure and leave the
duty on spool cotton and cotton yarn as
IL 10 at present.
Resolved, That a copy OF this protest
be presented to each OF our Senators and