The Portland daily press., 1898-01-22
AN APPEAL FOR AID.
New Bedford Strikers ASK for Assistance
From Other Cities.


New Bedford Strikers ASK for Assistance
From Other Cities.
New Bedford, January 21s-The strike
has settled down into rut again, and it
is conceded by all who have carefully fol-
lowed it that settlement is far of. The
manufacturers have done nothing and
they declare that there is no change in
the situation. The joint strike committee,
which met this afternoon, did not act on
the fines issue which has been pushed in
to the fight by the weavers. Instead they
manifested their disposition to keep up
the strike by issuing the following ap-
peal:
70 the Textile and Other Workers of
America:
Fellow Workers, Mon and Women-Nine
thousand cotton operatives in our city are
now on strike against proposed ten cent
reduction Of wages A strike in mid.
winter is a fearful and terrible thing, but
when 5000 men and women quit work
simultaneously in the face of hardship,
suffering and prlvations, 1ntenslneu py
the severity of winter, there must be some
good ground for such action. For the
year just ended, 1887, the mills concerned
paid the following dividends: Potomska,
o: Dartmouth, o; Whitman l l. 2; Wam-
sutta, 6; Pierce, &; Grinnell, 9; Hatha-
way, 10: Acushnet, 16.
The Potomska is an old mill. and
during the past year has made extensive
changes in machinery and motive power.
The Dartmouth is new mill, has been
less than year in full operation. The
Whitman Is also a new mill and owes its
present unsatisfactory condition to the
defalcations of the men who were imam
ciering the mill. OF the remaining mills
they have an acknowledged capital OF S6,-
200, ,OGO and an average dividend for 1897
of 76 per cent
The only argument advanced by the
manufacturers thus far as to why they
wish to reduce wages has been ''that the
other New England manufacturers have
reduced wages and they intend to do the
same - and the only argument advanced
is. chat the winter is upon us and we
would suffer severely in case of strike.''
After considering the circumstances the
spinners by only four dissenting votes,
and the weavers by only five dissenting
votes, decided to strike, the remainder of
the organizations taking similar unani-
NOUS action, such action being heartily
endorsed by all organized workers with
the stated result that nine thousand men
and women are now idle, the greater
portion of which will have no other
means of support than that which is re-
ceiyed from outside sources.
On behalf of these 5000 men and women,
who ara fighting battle not only for
| themselves, but for all American textile
| workers, we make an appeal for financial
assistance, believing, hoping and trust
! ing. sincerely trusting, that our appeal
| shall not be in vain, we are,
Yours in behalf of the strikers,
| THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
The outlook tonight for speedy settle
ment of the strike appears further oil
| than ever.
Today WAS pay day at the South End
| mills. The weavers at the Acushnet mill.
| who expected to find their pay affected by
| fines, were happily surprised. They COM
pared notes as they received their enve-
| lopes, and not one was fined, so far as
could be learned. Consequently the kick
which they expected to be obliged to make
was not forthcoming.
ANOTHER LITTLE STRIKE.
| Fall River, January 21.-Added to the
| list of petty strikes in this city Is one of
the the snooiers nc at the Narragansett mill,
who claim that they were out about six
I teen per cent. They claim that the mill
authorities offered to give them rebate
| of five per cent If they would return to
work, but they refused the offer. A few
days ago the frame spinners at the Pocas-
| set mills sent committee TO confer with
| Superintendent Gilligan regarding the
reduction in their wages. They were as
sured that the matter would be attended
| to and when they received their envelopes
this week they found an additional enve-
| lope awaiting each of them, the latter
| containing the difference between the
| IL 1-9 per cent reduction and what they
received last week.
| HELP FOR NEW BEDFORD.
| Lowell, January 21.-The Cotton Spin
ners Union of this city has taken up the
cause of the New Bedford strikers in
earnest. 9. @ At q meeting tonight it was