The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-10
FALL RIVERS WAGES FIGHT.
SOUTHERN COMPETITION SAID TO
HAVE FORCED A CUT,

Cost of Producing n Pound of Mate
rial in the New England Mills Al
legged 10 BE Almost Double What
1t Is in the South--ExemptiOn From
Taxation of Southern Mills Also
Cuts "a Figure-Labor as Good as
in the North and 33 Per Cent.
Cheaper.
Boston, Dec, 9.-Altnough 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 Fan River
manufacturers in voting to reduce wages.
beginning Jan. !. The treasurer of one of
the Fall 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 FAN River print mills, but
for all the cotton mills in New England
The key to the whole situation, he said. is
the relative cheapness of southern labor.
which could not be better shown than by
the fact that it cost same mill in Georgia
or North Carolina S1ac to produce pound
OF material, and in New England &c.
With this fact in mind, 1t is evident that
the cut of 10 per cent. is not going to help
matters much, and the only thing that will
do any good at present will be radical
cut of say 20 or % per cent This would
inevitably bring on a strike; but with a
cut of 10 or II per cent, ne says. 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 %
per cent. on the cost of the labor in favor
of southern mills, too great a difference
to struggle against successfully.
In the first place, says this treasurer,
the southern mills have every natural ad-
vantage; they have cheaper cotton and
less burdensome taxation. Some of the
big mills in Fan River, for instance have
a yearly payment Of $4,000 $4,000 and
even $4,000 in taxes to make whereas In
Georgia and North Carolina the mills are,
in many instances, exempted from taxa
tion for ten or twelve years.
1t is in labor, however, the great differ
ence lies, according to the official quoted,
for the labor in the south is as good as il
is here, and taken as a whole, is about 33
per cent. cheaper. The southern iaborers
have had about ten years training in mills
started by experienced cotton manfactur-
ers an attend as many machines and turn
out just as good work as operatives in the
best New England mills.
Another great advantage the southern
mills have is not being hampered by leg
islation. In Massachusetts the hours of
laborers are limited to fifty-elght week,
while in the south they are unlimited
The only hope for the New England
mills. according to the speaker, is either in
the Improvement in the print cloth market.
or in a general evening-up of conditions
between the north and the south
Fall River, Mass, Dec. 9.-Everybody Is
waiting for the presentation of the new
schedule of wages which the mill mems
committee have given authority to put in
to effect. The general belief Is that the
cut down will be about II per cent, though
this cannot be definitely stated.
New Bedford, Mass, Dec. 9.-The cotton
manufacturers here refuse to discuss yes
terday's action OF the Fall River manu-
facturers in voting to reduce the wages of
their 1900 operatives Jan, /. Several ru-
mOrs have been in circulation that re-
duction will be made here, but they lack
confirmation.