Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-21
INDUSTRIAL WAR.
Senator Flynn Desires to Have
Cut-Down Investigated.
An Order Prepared Directing the Com
mittee on Labor to sift the En-
tire Question.
(speelal Dlspatch to the snv.l

the dtlentlon or the legislature if for
only a very short time. Senator Flynn
Of Lawrence has prepared an order
which he intended to introduce at this
afternoons session of the senate. pro
viding for an investigation by legis-
lative committee of the troubles and
causes leading to the New Bedford
strike The order was held up, however,
by the senate rules committee, and prob
ably will be introduced tomorrow. The
order is as follows:
Ordered, That the committee on labor
IS hereby authorized and directed to in
Nestgate the causes of the recent reduc-
Uon In wages in the cotton mills of the
commonwealth, with full authority to
send for persons and papers, and the
committee is instructed to report to the
general court at its present session, and
as soon as practicable the results of its
investigations, together with such rec
concentrations as the committee may
deem appropriate.
Senator Flynn said in regard to this
order: II Believe that the reduction in
the wages of the cotton mill operatives
of New England is wholly unwarranted
and unjust, especially when made by
mills which have been paying large div
fdends to their stockholders, such mills
joining hands with the mills which have
not been earning any money, in the
scheme of reducing wages
When mill or corporation is not
earning money it does not seem unreas-
enable for them to cut wages in order
to. earn a dividend for stockholders; but
when a mill is earning and paying divi-
dehds of 10 per cent every year and up
wards, and then cuts wages in order to
compete with other mills which are not
making money, it is time for us to ask
what we are coming to. | am free to
confess that l have yet to meet man
not interested in a cotton mill who
thinks favorably of the plan of reducing
wages at this time in order to improve
wages On the other hand, some gentle
men who are themselves interested in
the cotton business, have told me that
they were very much opposed to the re-
duction in wages as a means to relieve
the market of stagnation. To my mind,
however the matter has assumed even
a more serious phase than the loss to the
operatives Of 10 per cent Of their wages,
and if it is true that the cotton mills of
New England, through the Arkwright
Club, have combined and conspired to
cause this reduction in all the mills, as
seems apparent, the act is not far from
criminal.
IF such combination can exist in
this state, what is to become of our lib
critics and our boosted freedom. The la
boring classes have been enjoined by
the courts for combining to prevent
wage reduction, and yet we are to allow
these cotton mills to combine TO cut
wages below a point where the opera
lives can earn living. In view of this
serious aspect of the question, 1 believe
II is proper that a legislative committee
should investigate the matter fully and
report what recommendations for leg
islation they may consider wise.
THE prison commissioners were given
additional notice this afternoon that
they must hurry up with their report,
and that no appropriations for expenses
and work in the prisons will be ad-
vanced until the report is at hand. Two
bills relating to appropriations of this
nature were held up in the house this
afternoon. Yesterday the bin making
a general appropriation for prison labor
was tabled for the same reason.
Several labor bills were introduced in
the house this afternoon. The principal
one is the measure, defeated last year,
on the enrolment stage, to prevent
women and minors in manufacturing
establishments from working over time
to make up for time lost from the stop
ping of machinery and other accidents
Several general suffrage bills were also
introduced, to the end that women may
have the same privileges with men in
voting.
A motion to reconsider the vote refer
ring the Innes Boston aldermanic bill
to the committee ON election laws, pre-
vailed The bill was referred to the
committee on metropolitan affairs.
The Mccarthy aldermanic bill was re-
fe1'red to the committee on metrOpoli-
To off
house having referred this with the
Times bill, to election laws.
Senator Towle of Suffolk petitioned for
legislation to provide for temporary
organization of the Boston board Of al
dermen. 1t provides that whenever a
quorum of the board assemblies for or
ganzation, the member who shall have
served the greatest number of terms
shall preside until a permanent chair
man is chosen, both over the board and
conventions If there sis no senior
member the city clerk shall preside,
and the board shall be claimed to be
organized for the transaction of bust
ness until permanent organization"
Mary A. Livermore and others petit
toned for an amendment to the con-
stitution, striking out the word male
from the qualifications of voters.
Electa N. l.. Walton and others asked
for law enabling women to vote in
municipal elections; for one enabling
them to vote for all officers and in all
elections not otherwise expressly pro-
yided for in the state constitution; and
for law enabling them to vote for
presidential electors, under authority
conferred on the legislature by the
United States constitution
IN THE HOUSE.
State Auditor Kimball sent in a state
ment relative to the expenditures in ex-
cess of appropriations by several de-
partments. as follows: Taxation com
mission, $151.43; inspection of milk, food
and drugs, s6211; registration books
and blanks. $1675S; Bridgewater normal
school buildings $294S0; treasurer's in
cidentals, $432.21; ballot boxes for
cities and towns, $471.76; exchange
and distribution of public documents.
S47319; insolvency courts, $966.31 sup
port Of state paupers, $S,127.32; printing
and binding public documents, 81, 493. 10;
total, S1O,6S9.S5. The report was referred
to the committee on ways and means.
Mr.. Snow Of Webster introduced a
bill to prevent the unlawful use of fer
refs for hunting purposes.
Mr. Donahue of Fall River introduced
bill providing for a cash surrender
value for industrial insurance policies
after three years from the date of their
issue. The same member introduced a
bill for the repeal of the present law al
lowing women and minors in manufac-
turing establishments to make up time
lost through stopping of machinery.
Mr.. Beckford of Revere introduced a
resolution for the printing of such por-
lions of the colonial records not al
ready printed. as the secretary of state
may deem proper and important.