The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-12-10
INDUSTRIAL
WARFARE.
workers Of the North and South Pitted
Against Each Other.
SOUTHERNERS WORK CHEAPER
The Treasurer of a Pan River Mill Re
CARDS the proposed Cut in Wages in
Pan River as the Beginning Of
a Serious Time For All
New England.

Boston Dec. 10.-Although Boston is
the center Of the cotton mill business
Of New England the men prominently
connected with the trade would have
little to say concerning the action of
the Fall River manufacturers in voting
to reduce wages beginning Jan. /. The
treasurer of one Of the FAN River
mills, who was willing to discuss the
matter, said he regarded this cut as
the beginning Of a serious time, not
only for the Fall River print mills, but
for all the cotton mills both there and
throughout the state, and to a certain
extent throughout New England The
key to the whole situation, he said, is
the relative cheapness Of southern la
Dor, which could not be better shown
than bv the fact that It costs a mill
in Gerogia or North Carolina 3ih cents
to produce a pound Of material and in
New England cents.
With this fact in mind 1t is evident
that a cut of 10 per cent is not going
to help matters much, and the only
thing that win do any good at present
viii be a radical cut of 20 or q. per cent.
This would inevitably bring on a strike,
but with a cut of 10 or Ii per cent, he
said, there would be little likelihood
of a strike, as the operatives are well
acquainted with the conditions, and
know that a reduction Of some kind is
necessary. Even this would still leave
a difference Of about 25 per cent in the
cost Of labor in favor Of the southern
mills, too great a difference to struggle
against successfully
In the first place says the treasurer,
fhn
advantage. They have cheaper cotton
and less burdensome taxation. Some
of the big mills in Fall River, for in
stance, have yearly payment of $1O,-
900, $4,000 and even $4,000 in taxes to
make whereas in Georgia and North
Carolina the mills are in many in
stances completely exempted from tax
alton for 10 or II years.
1t is in labor, however, that the great
difference lies, according to the official
quoted, for the labor in the south is
as good as it is here, and taken as a
whole, is about SO per cent cheaper
The laborers have had about ten years
training in mills started by experienced
cotton manufacturers and run under
their supervision, and the operatives
there tend as many machines and turn
out as good work as would operatives
in the best New England mills.
Anothergreat advantage of the south
ern mills is not being hampered by
legislation. In Massachusetts, the hours
Of labor are limited to 58 a week, while
in the south they are unlimited. This
difference Of itself is enough to work
heavily against the New England mills,
and this fact is plainly shown by the
fact that from the mills Of Maine, New
Hampshire and other New England
states where they have a so hour law
there has been no complaint, while the
Fall River mills have been suffering so
severely. The only hope for the New
England mills, according to the speak
er, is either in the improvement in the
print cloth market or in a general even
Ing up Of conditions between the north
and the south.