The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-01

duction in which 10 meet foreign competi-
ton, and both the manager and the
new conditions The Mckinley law inn
posed an average duty of IS per cent upon
Tine fabrics. the German bill reduces II to
30 per cent. The rates upon coarse faD-
RIGS. which Were about 80 per cent, have
been reduced TO - per cent l am speaklnS
o ons generally You Know; Tor tne Jot. ion
wonderful affair and can only be under
STOOD by an expert
DO you expect a rise in the market"
"Yes, some; but not much. j have never
known prices so low as they are al present,
and there will naturally be a bracing up all
around as business becomes more active
and the demand for our lines of goods re-
wives. Everything has been dull for a
year or more, as you know; nobody has
manufacturers were glad to sell at any
price that would keep the wheels going
pairs. Then again the tariff agitation be-
ing so prolonged and uncertain had a nat
nral tendency to unsettle conditions ana
make people cautious. But L look Tor bet.
ter times now. and l think our mills VIII
soon be running on a satisfactory oasis,
although l cannot predict when or how.
There are no people in the world who
would prefer TO pay high wages more than
mill managers" continued Mr.. Grape, be
contented workmen. Low wages means
bard times, disconnected workmen and
debts on the mills. You must not blame
the mill managers for these reductions Of
wages. They are not 70 bs blamed for IL.
A piece of goods brings only so much. Out
OF that has got to be paid for the raw
material and labor. and an allowance must
be made for depreciation and something
for the stockholders. If the price of goods
is sufficient there is no need of reduction
or wages. But If the price of the fabric
in the market is not up to what ir should
be, first come reduced dividends. There is
a one-half reduction and more. and in some
cases dividends have to be paid out Of the
accumulated funds.
THE next thing TO do is to reduce wages.
If the operative thinks il is not fair, that
the reduction is too great, that he can do
better somewhere else, it is his righr.and
duty not to submit to 1t and not to
best he can. If he can find employment
in another town or mill he ought
10 go and get his higher wages. The work
men and stockholders are both on short
%ratioDs- The mills have been running more
existing wages as long as they could make
both ends meet Now they have come to
a point where they find it necessary in
order to run to reduce wages, and if that
is not satisfactory / don't see any alterna-
tive but to stop things. There are no earn
ings then and a world OF hardship. and
lawlessness. and crime that is incident TO
a state of idleness. which everybody dep
recates.
n am president of the wamsutta mills.
There are over 100
1.5W. / believe. in this mill. 1t is not
cwnad by very rich men-over a third by
women. Some of these stockholders have
not nearly as much of this worlds goods
as rcany of the spinners have. Is IL not
my duty to think about them? They have
not had extravaganza payment for the use
OF their money In the last I'VE or six
years. 1t is in the market price of fabrics
tie trouble lies. One cannot get any more
on q strike. but If ii runs it has got TO
sell its goods"