The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-22
WAGES Will BE
Fall River Manufacturers So M 7
Their Operatives.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SOuTsv
Again Urged as the Reason for TIC
'KcductiOn.
CHEAP LABOKn THE THEME
However. Lack OF Dividends Tor
Stockholders II Also Traced NJ
n
CHEAP LABok' THE THEME

Fall River Mass. December 2is--~Atter
an Informal discussion lasting nearly all Of
Tie forenoon formal meeting Of the man
ufacturers committee was held this at
tcrnoon and the answer to the operatives
was termed. II recited tho conditions ar
icsting the industry IN Fall River and the
bAasons for the propesei reduction OF
wages The answer says:
''rhc manufacturers have carefully con-
sldcred the three propositions submitted TO
them by the representatives of the various
labor organizations. AZ you we'll know,
tho cotton mlls Va Fail River find con-
fronting them condition of things which,
20 say tue least, Is startling, and tbss con
diton OF the cotton cloth trade Is tuch
that the mills In Fail River ind /, ms
possihleto dispose OF their output at such
pstocs as viii admit OF any return what
ever on the caiatal invested, Tho cont
petition which Fail River mills have 10
meet has been brought about in pact by
the philanthropy whica the good people
Of Massachusetts have shown toward tncse
OF her citizens who have appeared TO NEED
her sympathy. *
Hours Of labor in Massachusetts have
been shortened moro than tn neighoocing
States ana more than her manufacturers
can stand. While such laws have appar-
emily relieved the pufdenS~of the orern
tiycs in the factories they have really
worked 20 their financial diaadvantase ts-
cause su.h laws have Induced undue conf
petition outside OF Massachusetts. where
hours OF labor are longer and where every
Involvement liz offered capitalists 60 invest.
THE South has modern mills, eontalnlng
the mest Improved machinery, and very
low cost OF labor. Massachusetts, Is nsn-
diuarrvd by the shortest labor hours, an
extremely restricted Legislation ronpdicd
with other ana competiting states, Mills
must run and earn dlyids nds for stock
holders or there is no ind,fcement for cnu-s
| ttal 10 invest In Fall River or Massaphu-
aetts II must be evident TO you az II ls'
| TO this COMMITTEES that there II 10 money
| for stockholders nor employees, eithel wneas
| the malls ARE idle or running short time,
! and it2is useless tsir the Fall River Mills
To- do all mo c,t lliug OF production.
J When we stop our mile rsnry one else
} rims full Vmc aud " Il cute I,snhcpi OF pro i
| auctIon ,tepe brings about better prices x
| iB only temporary and simply ohers an
| irjp cemeut for capital TO bald more mti's'.
not In ral River bu, outside OF Massacnd-
| seits.
1--WE work against ourselves every time
| we etop our mills without the CO. cperatcb
| Of the rest Of the spindles OF the country.
| and In our opinion nl,r competitors Auuiu
| be wiilifiR to Join with us In euftaiii's
production only when Fall River " abit 70
manufacture cotton eloth nj AS 10" 'osu
| ms Is possible elsewhere,
| "rhe facts are than Massachusetts mllls
work fifty-eieht hours per week ana o'nsr
| states have sixty hour laws for labor, ne
| Southern mills run from sixty TO seventy
| two hours weekly, and In some cases run
l .E..l.A ia nat sNt n hltI L
Southern mills rs very much lower thar IN
| Now England. and they claim advantages
| IN water power taxes, cheap transpor'a-
| ton and cheap cotton as Wen as In iong-
! or hours of labor. Their mills are as g0pu,
| but no better ban ours. auh tna .apt
| stares us In the face that they can under
sell us In the markets on account OF the
| lower cost OF productions, =
"But reduced labor Is not all Some con-
certed action shiuli be taken u iestsIa-
| ton IN this State can be made triendiy 70
| its industries, 80 that capital may be IN
| dured 10 stay here rather Than 20 0ut-
| side When II Is considered that mills IN
| Fail River and Massachusetts, run less
hours than IN other States and that II "
| necessary for MS TO meet such close
| competition In trade under such adverse
conditions II seems To this committee that
/ nothing Il TO be done by putting off for
l two mouths a rate OF reduction In wages
| witch should 40 into effect. and inasmuch
es the mills OF Fall River have run during
p! the past year or more under conditions 70
| very aiscouFaging and unremunarative.
| curing which time we have tried the ex-
| pertinent OF curtallmsnt extensively, The
| committee OF manufacturers feel that the
situation Is such that they must adhere 70
| their decision that II Il absolutely neces-
sary to reduce wages IN Fail River mills
| II l9 ncr cent, said reduction TO 20 into
effect on the third Monday Of January.
| lS9S. as voted by the manufacturers at =
meeting held on the sth day AZ December.
| 1871
| Tho sentiment OF the employees Ia said
10 be in favor Of resisting the reduction.
\
Labor Federation Asljourns.