The Portland daily press., 1895-04-13
SHREWD MR.. BORDEN.
Did Not Advance Wages from Pure
Philanthropy.
OTHER MILLS WILL BE FORCED
TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
And a Higher Scale of Prices Will Be the
Result-Other Fall River Mills Have
Taken No Action as Yet-An Incendia-
rvs Attempt FoiIed

RVS Attempt Foiled
Fall River. April 12.-The manufacturers
are convinced that Mr. Borden is proceed
ing on business pri lciples. and is not actu-
ated by any motive which do not. bear di-
reetly upon his own enterprises. The con-
cluslon has been reached that he is about 10
cut loose from the low basis which has been
advocated ever since The depression set in,
anas place the industry upon higher basis,
1t follows that if it costs ten per cent
more to manufacture goods. the sellers
must get ten per cent more for them in the
market. and SO long as the demand holds
steady prices are bound to improve.
Just now there is nothing to prevent the
factories from making contracts ON far
more satisfactory returns than were OBJ
tainable forty-eight hours ago.
The American Printing company, Fall
River Iron Works company combination is
managed more literally than the average
mill. 1t handles immense quantities of
goods that touch markets all over the coun-
try, and 1T generally proceeds on broad
basis, and aims to make dollars rather than
to save cents. 1t is not improba BILE THAT
Mr.. Boden foresaw .that his help would not
WOAh sAuCu lOuScf dt CuI rates, aslu Ne
made up hi. mind that cut rates were not
calouated TO boom trade. He was aware
that if other mills declined to follow suit,
he would have the field for himself. The
factories here and elsewhere would be
forced to close their gates.
One broker says, ssIf he means to prop
the market and keep it propped, he has dis
covered the way to do. as we'll as the way
not to do it. He cannot accomplish his pur-
pose Dy buying freely and pulling the mills
out of the rut, but can make competitors
pay more for every yard produced and pre-
vent them fiom selling down quotations"
Up 10 the closing of the market tonight,
the manufacturers association had taken
no definite step looking toward a voluntary
advance to meet the conditions that Mr..
Borden made. The matter was discussed at
special meeting at the Seaconnet mill this
afternoon, but no action was taken. The
members said, after the meeting. that it
was safe to predict an advance would be
granted. The president of the local corpo-
ration says advance is inevitable be-
cause of the absolute scarcity of help un-
der the present wage schedule. One lead
ing manufacturer tonight implied the ad-
vance may be given without calling meet
ing of the association. Today the Barnaby
GinghaIn mill weavers put in an application
for twenty per cent increase in wages,
and the matter is under consideration by
the mill authorities. An attempt was made
last night TO burn one of tie tenement
blocks owned by tie Borden City mill. A
boarder in the house discovered we'll de-
veloped blaze in the hallway and gave the
alarm. The fra was eYtingushed without
calling upon the department.. Investiga-
tion showed that kerosene had been used
literally. This is the second attempt to
burn Il tenement building in the same way
within week.