The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-28
THE FALL RIVER SITUATION
MANUFACTURERS DECLINE LATEST PROPOSITION OF OPERATITES.

Eleven and One-ninth Per Cent. be
 Conference be Held-Unions Will Prob-
 ably be Left to Act for Themselves.
 Fall River, Mass, Dec. 27.-The lat est proposition of the operatives and the answer of the manufacturers have again left matters in this city in rather an uncertain condition, although by many the outcome anticipated is an ac ceptance by the operatives. at least for the present, of the reduction. The prop osition is understood to be a, compro- mise between two factions in the con- ference committee, one faVoring imme- diate strike and the other postponement of all action until March. It differs from what the manufacturers, when they first heard of it, expected and is a re- quest that the reduction be halved- that is, five and one-half per cent, in- stead of eleven and one-ninth, until March l, when another conference will be called to consider the conditions pre- vailing at that time.
 The answer of the manufacturers, de- NSiA't"-4~'NN NNN -
 ing this afternoon, is a rejection of the proposition, so that there is nothing for the operatives to do but accept or re- ject the reduction. In view of this con- dition of affairs it is now improbable that the operatives conference commit tee will make any recommendation to the textile unions, but will allow them to act for themselves. The conference committee will meet again tomorrow night, and on Thursday night general meeting will be held for final action. Both of the communications figuring in the latest phase of the situation were carefully kept from the public until the answer of the manufacturers was re- ceived late this afternoon. They are as follows:
 At a meeting of the conference com mittee of the textile unions, held this day, the following resolution was adopt ed: We, the representatives of the tex tile unions of Fall River, having the best interests of the city at heart and desiring to avoid conflict with our employers, request them to make the proposed reduction five and one-half per cent. instead of eleven and one- ninth per cent. until the first of March, | and to hold another conference at that time to try and settle the difference ex- isting between employers and en-
 ployes. (Signed) Thomas O'Donnell, on behalf of the textile unions"
 The reply: Thomas O'Donnell, Esq, | Secretary of Conference Committee | Dear Sir: Yours of even date received at hand. In reply would say that re- 1 duction of wages has been under con 1 sideration for nearly twelve months, | during which time we have tried cur | tailment of production, while our com
 petitors in the south and other parts of l the country have run their mills and supplied our customers. In spite of such curtailment the price of goods has | declined and to-day is at the lowest point in the history of the business. 1 The amount of the reduction proposed
 is. we feel, very moderate, much less than is thought by many to be neces- sary to meet the situation in which we
 find ourselves placed. In view of these facts we feel obliged to decline your | proposition. Yours respectfully, by or l der of the manufacturers committee, (Signed) Cyrus Roenseville, Secre- | tary."
 Secretary O'Donneli has received an
 other letter from eX-Secretary Robert
 Howard in which he discusses the mat
 ter of southern competition and the To-
 cal stock market. He compares the
 financial condition of southern with
 northern mills and raises the point that
 the value of Fall River mill stocks is l q
 stocks are earning seven per cent for
 stockholders a ut-down is not war
 ranted.