Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-09-13

Fall River Employees Get Their
Answer From Manufacturers.
Profits Will Not Admit Of an
Increase In Wages.



FALL RIVER, Mass, Sept. 13.-The 90
cision of the manufacturers, with reasons
for their refusal to grant the 10 per cont
by the Weavers' Protective association
last night.
The meeting was not extra we'll attended,
owing to the extreme heat. IL was decided
to hold mass meeting in Music han, Sept.
30, and take action. Strike was talked by
some of the members
The secretary, James Whitehead, said to
the reporters after the meeting that the
present margin, which he figures at TAX
cents. was thought sufficiently large by
some Of the members to be grounds for
strike.
'If the market improves" he said, cor
the margin remains the same as now, 1t
is possible that the union may demand
the advance, and, failing to get 1t, vote to
strike
The following Is the letter of the man.
ufacturers:
James Whitehead, Secretary Weavers Asso-
citation:
DEAR SIR-At a meeting Of the association,
held on the llth inst. your request for
m advance Of wages was considered, and 1t
was unanimously voted that IL be not granted.
You will find in the following facts and state
ments some Of the reasons for our adverse ac-
tion, namely:
While IL is true that our corporations have
done . profitable business during few
months past, 1t has been owing to fortunate
purchases Of cotton bought months before, at
much less than the prevailing prices. and not
the legitimate profit between the current
s,~f<~ - .1&< ~rA ~l<kh Ne
last only q short time longer, and offers no
substantial basis for an advance In wages.
The average price for weaving for more than
II years. ending last April, was 1874 cents o
out. which is only 2x per sent more than we
are now paying, namely Is cents a cut
You now ask for ~ per cent more than the
average, and higher price than we have paid
you at any time during said years, except
about nine months In 1893
The present margin between 45 yards of cloth
and pounds Of cotton, the usual basis for
calculating prices, Is but 1877 cents, and is no
larger now after allowing for the extra cost
ON account Of the last advance in wages, than
a was when cloth sold at ~ cents yard and
cotton was 81 cents pound.
You ought to know that the condition sur
rounding the manufacturers at present do not
place them on the top wave Of prosperity, that
your request for almost maximum price paid
In years Is extravagant, and that our decision
able. Respectfully yours,
@. G. RoUNsEvILLx. Secretary.
Per order committee Of Cotton Manufac
turers association.
As Viewed by whitehead.
Secretary Whitehead, after the meeting,
ma de very few comments on the letter.
He said that instead Of 45 yards being the
standard, the length was 46, and in some
mills AZ. He took ~ yards, while the man.
ufacturers chose IS. That Is why the
margin differs from that of Mr.. Rounse-
Vile.
Mr.. Whitehead took cotton at SX cents,
and cloth at 80, and figured TAX cents of
. margin, while the manufacturers figure
58.7 cents. With cotton closing at 8 3-l6,
Mr.. Whitehead figured the margin to be
about 7B cents.
He remarked that some members were
In favor of striking q certain few mills;
that others were in favor Of striking all.
He said that much Importance was at
tAched to the outcome Of the demand Of
the weavers in New Bedford II the
operatives there won the Fall River manu-
facturers' position would he weakened.
At any rate, the union intended to wait
until the Goth.
Mr.. Whitehead expected the market to
rise, and anticipated the margin would be
greater than 1t is today. He felt, however,
that there might be q vote to strike, even
within the margin rs he had figured it,
TAX cents. BE said that the union had
5000 moro now than it had when the va
eation strike of Aug. 1s, 1894, was begun.
Fall Rivers Labor Trouble.
FALL RIVER, Mass, Sept. 13. - The
Weavers' association held a meeting last
night and the wage question was dis
cussed. A letter from Secretary Rounse-
willie Of the Manufacturers association
was read, in which IL was stated that the
manufacturers had voted not to grant an
increase An wages, because they could not
afford to do so. The weavers voted to
meet tonight to render their decision.
There Is growing feeling In favor of
strike. The spinners arc prepared to sup
port the movement Of any of tho other
operatives in event OF q strike
Strong Resolutions Passed.
PORTLAND, Me-, Sept. 10. - The last
days session of the Epworth league of the
Methodist church was largely attended
Resolutions were passed urging the Meth
odist church to extend the Epworth
league movement In lieu of the Christian
Endeavor society, and oondemning the
open saloons Of the state and the laxity OF
the officers in enforcing the law, and not
M suppOrt anv man oY Marty nj tho ballot