The sun., 1894-01-28
HARDSHIP FOR DOLGEVILLE.
eLooM FOR THE FIRST TIME At
IT'S ANNUAL REUNION

The wiIseu Rm blamed By Mr. Dodge FOR
the Great Change That uns Core Upon
lis Co-operauvs Comn,uaIty - Italian
WAGE. for sous OF the work kmer-
THERE'S No Endowment Aceount rats Year
DoraEvtrtr. NY. Jan. 2T.-The twenty-hlth
annual reunion Of the Dolgeville employees to
hear the result Of the years work and to re-
ceive their share OF the profits on the CO.
operative plan, was held to. might. Hereto
fore Il has been joyous occasion. This time
1t was anything but Joyous.
1t has been Mr. DolRe's custom to invite his
employees to a banquet after the annual in
yentory in January. The cost OF these BAN
auets has usually been $500. This year owing
TO the closing OF the mills and the hard times
that prevail in Dolgeyille. Mr. Dodge decided.
instead OF giving a banquet. to present his
check for 5000 for the relief OF any extreme
distress that may exist among the families OF
his workmen.
lie invited his employees TO meet him to-
night in the new shoe factory. The EN- ployees
provided literary and musical entertain
ment. which cost nothing. and then Mr.. Dodge
addressed thom. In his speech he said:
welcome you 10 our twenty NTH reunion.
The party now In power true to its old-time
hatred OF industry and thrift. has inaugurated
n policy so antaEonistic to the welfare OF both
wage earners and manufacturers that cond-
ttons have been created which impel me not to
spend any money this year for festivities. or
even for our customary dinner. Therefore.
invited YOU to sit with me round these empty
tables and ask you TO accept my check for
$500. with tho suggestion that YOU entrust IL
TO committee OF three from your number,
who shall use 1t to assist such II our co.work-
ers as may need aid during the winter.
In reviewing our business for the years
1891 and 1872. was able to report TO YOU that
they were the most successful years we
have had. Each year could announce to you
rise in wages. They will be known IN the
history OF our country as the two years OF
sound economical policy embodied in the Me-
kinley Tariff law. by which the purchasing
power o. the masses was increased TO such an
extent that all the factories throughout the
! land were busy every working day in the year.
| Although we did not ENJOY the much lauded
privilege Of supplying the kafllrs Of Tululand.
| the Bushwackers of Australia. the Hindoos OF
| East India or the Coolies OF China with the
| products OF our factories. our home markets
| consumed all that America could make.
| And now all this is reversed. and at this
| our twenty-ffth reunion, am compelled to
| offer aid to men who have worked with us.
| who can and are willing to work, and yet are
| forced to the level Of mendicants merely lie.
cause supreme Ignorance ana concet reign ut
| Washington.
| - For the first time in twenty fve wears our
| factories are closed for want Of orders for the,
| first time in twenty-five years | stand before
| you to state what YOU ali know that in spite OF
| our earnest efforts. In spite Of our many ad.
| vantHges. in spite Of our acknowledged posi-
| tion as leaders In our lines of business. IN
| spite OF all this and more. we have not mad .
| any progress during 1923
| True, We have been more fortunate than
many others. Dolgeville knows as yet nothing
| OF soup houses. DOlgevillo has not. like many
| other manufacturing towns. had occasion to
| al peal to the outside world for aid to feed and
| clothe starving and suffering wage earners.
| because as stated before. we have managed to
| keep our factories going and our men ems
| plOyed at some work or other
| ' Most o! you own your homes. and when
| the factories closed YOU had saved enough TO
| carry you through tho winter without asking
aims OF anybody. Unfortunately. some OF you
| who earn S2.23 per day in the factory have
| been compelled to work part OF the year along
| side Italians shoveling dirt for 81. 20 per day.
| ! fear that the majority of our felt makers will
henceforth have TO work in the factory for the
| same wages Italians get shovelling dirt The
Wilson bill will compel it.
| The annual statement OF my system OF
| earning sharing shows: