The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1898-03-26
THE NE ~ ENGLAND cor
ron IND CS7R
Times Democratic.

pointed out that even this reduction
would no: place them on Az e1uah-
~ with the Southern mills IS far as
advantages are concerned. 1he
competition is not matter o.
wages; it goes far deeper than that;
and even If the hours OF labor and
wages are the same in New England
and the South the former cannot
successfully compete wiki states
where the cotton is raised ia fields
Immediately adjoining the factory.
The Boston Herald now contesses
this, and says:
'.ftie repo,. stating 1hc opinions 81 some
Massachusetts manufacturers on the coIioi:
Foods market arc esisa:,rccahlc facts. This
tho mill operatives all over New EnSlan''
mus, aam;s. The news appears 70 Indicate
either tina, the greater number of New In
trtard mills must be sna: down fer a time in
.hc immediate failure Or that there must he
ae1,her GU, III WAGES, To the working
people who have been engaged in strikes
:h,s aspac, Of their position can bc anything
bu, gratifying. All the hope that The
psycr,ly fsi'->l The reduction in wage.
has not served C DIMINISH the troubles Of
tho managers to any ce'cni The strikers
have in some cases !oss The chance Of adding
70 III. amour, of wages which they would
have received: had they accepted iar terms
offered them. The manufacturers h.ssc
involved period Ct waiting for which they
were uDi,rcparetl Tho labor >:-:,a,ocs
among the striker: have approached in con
:aence a season when they are Gcs!'ncs; 10
fec! the pressure Of hardship more severely
than their experience would haze warranted
them in expecting 10 rsorhcss St.
This is indeed tiisagreeab}c news,
esps cialiy to the Herald, which has
refused to recognize the other con
s!ition o; affairs existing. When
the New England mill men reduced
wages on Jan. :, although they
were actually below the wages ct
.he panic year 1898. they tried 70
persuade their employees that this
reduction would straishten matters
ou, and pat the Industry on good
footing again, 4 large proportion
81 the mer were unwilling 20 yield,
and went out on strike. There
was proposition tb:,t ali should go
out aud the strike be made general.
bus fortunately this tuistak: VA
avoided.
The strike still continues, al
though the mill mem havu practically
wun it. aud the cause Of the opera.
;i4es.;s IN about as forlcrn a con
sli;icn as It could lenssioly DC. Hnt
although tho owners Of the mills
have been successful, !: mas been
pyrrl,ic victory. like tyrrhus,
mother such vittory and they
will be undune. They promised
sheir employees that il they would
submit to reduction in wages it
would place the co;,ora industry on
u good, safe an., secure footing.
Mos. Of the employees submitted.
although stlk;ng(y and unwiliirg(y.
After two months and hal: OK.
perieuce OF reduced wages tire en-
pioyesS now come fowars: and say
tha. it was a failure. and that there
will have tc be new reduction %:
wages or closure of tuc mills, or
both. And even if these demands
were granted! they can give no as
sufance .: the continued prosperity
Of the Industry,
1t IS 81 struggle against fate,
against the supeior advantages ot
the South IS manufacturer OF
cotton goods, whicl, New Enslan,
would have done we'll 80 have Jzcog-
n;zed at the beginning,
co IRON -ssfEL.S.
Times Democrat,
The Chicago Record has been
investigating the Gotten Industry ia
she South on so:newha, different
lines from those hereto;ore treated
of. IT does not enter into a dis,
Sussion on The relative merits OF