The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-22
ANSWER FROM THE OWNERS
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO RE
 DUCE WAGES IN MILLS.

srn Competition-Opposit Shown to
 Likely to be Ordered at Once.
 Fall River, Mass, Dec. 21.-After an informal discussion lasting nearly all of the forenoon a formal meeting of the manufacturers committee was held this afternoon and the answer to the operatives propositions was framed. It recites the reasons affecting the in dustry in Fall River and the reason for the proposed reduction of wages. The full answer is directed to Thomas O'Donnell, secretary of the conference committee, and says that the manufac- turers have carefully considered the three propositions submitted to them by the representatives of the various labor organizations there assembled. It also says:
 "As you very well know, the cotton mills in Fall River find confronting them a condition of things, which. to say the least, is startling, and the con- dition of the cotton cloth trade is such that the mills in Fall River find it i'm possible to dispose of their output at such prices as will admit of any return whatever on the capital invested. The competition which Fall River mills have to meet has been brought about in part by the philanthropy which the good people of Massachusetts have ever shown towards those of her citizens who have appeared to need her sympa- thies.
 'The hours of labor in Massachusetts have been shortened more than in the neighboring states, and more than her manufacturers can stand. While such laws have apparently relieved the bur dens of the operatives in the factories, they have really worked to their finan- cial disadvantage, because such laws have induced undue competition out side of Massachusetts, where hours of labor are longer and where every in- ducement is offered capitalists to in vest
 "The south has modern mills contain ing most improved machinery and a very low cost of labor. Massachusetts is handicapped by the shortest labor hours, an extremely restricted legisla- tion, compared with other and compet- ing states. Mills must run and earn dividends for stockholders, or there is no inducement for capital to invest in Massachusetts or Fall River. It must be evident to you, as 1t is to this com- pany, that there is no money for stock holders nor for employees, either when the mills are idle or running on short time, and that it is useless for all the Fall River mills to do all the curtail- ing of production. When we stop our mills every one else runs full time and if a curtailment of production here brings about better prices it is only temporary and simply offers an induce 1nent for capital to build more mills, not in Fall River, but outside of Mass achusetts. We work against ourselves every time we stop our mills without the cooperation of the rest of the spin dies of the country, and in our opinion our competitors would be willing to join with us in curtailing production only when Fall River Is prepared to manufacture as low as elsewhere.
 s'The facts are that Massachusetts works fifty-eight hours per week; the: other states have sixty-hour laws for labor; the southern mills run from six ty-six to seventy-two hours weekly and in some cases run day and night. The cost of labor in the southern mills is very much lower than in New England and they claim advantages in water power, taxes, cheap transportation and cheap cotton as well as in longer hours of labor. Their mills are as good but no peter than ours, and the fact stares us in the face that they can undersell us in the markets on account of the lower cost of production.
 "But reducing labor is not all. Some concerted action should be taken to see if legislation in this state can be made friendly to it's industries, so that capi- tai may be induced to stay here rather than go outside. When it is considered that mills in Fall River and Massachu- setts run less hours than in other states and that it is necessary for us to meet such a close competition in trade un- der such adverse conditions, it seems to this committee that nothing is to be gained by putting off for two months more the date at which reduction of wages should go into effect, and inas- much as the mills of Fall River have run during the past year or more un- der conditions so very discouraging and unremunerative, during which time We have tried the experiment of curtail- ment extensively, the committee of manufacturers feel that the situation is such that they must adhere to their decision that it is absolutely necessary to reduce wages in Fall River mills Il 1-9 per cent, said reduction to go into effect on the third day of January, 1898, as voted by the manufacturers on December 1S"
 At the conclusion of the meeting the answer was forwarded by messenger to Secretary O'Donneu of the Spinners' association. The various secretaries were seen later and their talk indicates opposition. Secretary O'Donnell said that if the committee should listen to the operatives a strike would be put in force tomorrow instead of waiting un- til January 8. Secretary Whitehead of the weavers said that there was nothing left but action, and that they would act. The sentiment among the weavers is to oppose cut-down. Secretary Tansey of the carders was of the opin- ion that the sentiment at the meeting of the conference would be against the reduction and for resistance. Sacre.
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