The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-16

for S400 was received from the Boston
Traveller as tho proceeds of the benefits
given at the fremont and Columbia
Theatres in Boston Sunday evening.
LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATION.
Massachusetts Lawmakers Inquiring Into
the Cotton Rrill Situation.
New Bedford, February 15.-The legis-
latiye committee on labor began it's in
vegtigations into the textile situation un-
der the Flynn order today, hearings be-
ing held morning and afternoon in Odd
Fellows hall. The witnesses heard today
told the operatives side of the story and
their testimony was taken down by q
faoturers. Milton Reedssof Fall River, as
counsel for the Arkwright club, was pres
ent and cross examined the witnesses. The
operatives were without counsel. Sew
eral of the mill treasurers were present,
but remained only short time. They
will again be asked to testify tomorrow,
failing to dosso will be summoned in due
form.
A sensation was created in committee
by the public statement of Senator Leach.
the chairman, that the members If pre-
judiced in the matter at all had leaning
in behalf of the operatives. Several mem
bers took exceptions to the remark, Later
Mr. Leach withdrew his statement. The
hearing will be continued through to-
morrow.
Senator Leach, who presided, said that
thu committee had decided to hear the
parties in this city that they might not
bs put to the expense of appearing before
the committee in Boston.
An opportunity is to be given all who
Il AIr +@rr 10
express their views, whether they are lab.
orers or employers.
When the hearing went forward, only
about score of persons were in attend
ance, all of whom were operatives or their
| representatives, except William j. Rey-
nolds.
| At one time 1t looked as If the hearing
showing their hand unless the other side
was present, but on second thought they
decided to 40 on. The hearing was held
| in Odd Fellows hall.
1t was decided to hear the representa-
tives OF the laborers on the set questions
adopted and James Cook. president of the
local Mule Spinners' Union, was first
called upon. & sy,,4(s+..e
Mr.. Cook said that In his opinion the
Dingley tariff had not kept, fine goods out
| of the country, as it was expected it
would. He did not think any hardship
was imposed on the manufacturers by
legislation. Between now and ten years
ago he said there was great difference
in the amount of labor required OF a mule
simmer With much more work the addi-
tionaI pay is about $3.50. While the
wages have increased the price of piece
work has decreased. The wages have not
been increased in proportion to the price
of labor.
Mr.. Cook was sure there has been over
production of cotton cloth. Reducing
the hours of labor. he thought, would inn
prove the condition of the laborers.
Reducing wages, he argued, is reduc-
ing the purchasing power OF the people.
He preferred national legislation on short
er hours to state legislation. II all the
United States were working on the Mas
sachusetts system Of hours he thought the
condition of the laboring people would
improve. To Senator Towle. MIR. Cook
said the highest week wages he knew a
mule spinner to make In New Bedford ls
SlS, the lowest $40. The average, he said,
is S14. To Mr.. Ross, Mr.. Cook said that
there were only $50 mule spinners now
out on a strike, out of 5000 operatives
in idleness The only reason Mr.. Cook
could see for the reduction was the COM
bination Of the mill treasurers in Boston,
whereby the mills with modern machin-
cry should help out the mills with old
machinery.
Senator Towle asked If the cause of the
strike could not he laid to two or three
old mills in Fall River Mr.. Cook re-
piled that in his opinion if Fall River
had not accepted the ten per cent reduce
tion he did not think tnat New Bedford
would have struck. Mr.. Cook said that
the highest number of yarns spun in New
Bedford at the present time is 170 to
I4O S, and the lower S to S. Mr.. Ross
explained that the number S runs $40
yards to the pound; number 2 S twice
$40 yards to the pound; number 100 q
hundred times $40 to the pound and SO on.
To Milton Reid, counsel for the Ark
wright club, Mr.. Cook said that the
spinners have to work for low wages in
the old mills. He could not tell where
spinners are paid more than in New Bed
fora, although he knew there were such
places. There is very little difference
in New Bedford and Fall River. So far
as he knew, the new scale of wages goes
into effect very uniformly all over the
section. To Mr.. Ross, Mr.. Cook said ne
knew of places where it cost the mills
more to spin yarn than in the mills OF
New Bedford.
Mr.. Cullinane of the committee at TINS
point commented ON the presence OF Mr.
Reed AS the counsel for the manufactur,
ers. Mr.. Donohue of the committee saia say
if the ODerativec had kunwn the mills