The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-01
WAGES IN THE COTTON MILLS

l. operatives in new England, amounun
! to something over 10 per cent, has jui
been inaugurated Tho first mills {
make the reduction were those OF Fa
/ River. Mass, and in due course othe
/ large and wealthy corporations engage
:. In the cotton industry followed suit Tn
y situation of the Fall River manufacture.
i Is somewhat peculiar a large part O
J. their manufacture consists OF print cloths
Is the simplest form OF cotton goods y. o
dliced They are made very easily, N
particular skill is required and no chang
IS has been made In their character Tor
hundred years. From these cloths ar
made the prints Of calicocs OF commerce
: The time was when the demand for thes
Z calicoes WAC enormous and the print cotl
Z WIS really the key note OF the cotton o
: the cotton goods business. But that tim,
mas passed AS the people have become
q moro wealthy they look for better, had
: somer and more durable goods than cali.
Fl, Goes. hence their sale has declined and the
goods, In place OF selling as freely as pro-
duced, accumulate on the manufacturers
, hands. The result Of overproduction and
diminished consumption onsued. Prices
became abnormally low and the manuiac-
turers found themselves In u position
where profits were rather meagre. In place
or adjusting themselves to the changed
demand. they seem to have contented
themselves with their old methods of
manufacture and consequent unsatisfac-
tory results. They can scarcely be blamed,
therefore, H. under the Influence OF their
unhappy situation. they sought relief by
Increased economy OF cost and production.
6ienoe the reduction OF wages.
Other manufacturers. where no such nee
essity exists. were quick to avail them
selves OF the same reduction. The first
to follow the example of Fall River was
af int rnpti
which has amassed in the manufacture of
cotton goods probably the largest fortune
ever made In that business. Another con-
Germ In the same city. with n fortune of
not less than sl2. 900 900, made by manu-
| featuring followed suit. The next con-
Germ was a gigantic corporation in New
| Hampshire, employing 5000 operatives and
having an accumulated surplus Of several
| millions. The New Bedford mills followed
! the same course, although 1t is generally
believed they are fun of orders at lucra-
tive prices and certainly the most promi-
nent mills in that city have been phenom-
enally successful almost without INTERRUPT
tion for thirty years. Some large and
wenlthy corporations in Biddeford and
Saco, Me-, adopted the same policy.
All tho above mills with the exception
OF those at Fall River, are and have been
FOR many years peculiarly fortunate in
their circumstances Without exception
they have been long established and their
goods are all sold under their own ticnets |
or trade marks. In Almost every instance
these tickets have become so well knowa |
that the goods which they represent sell |
IN the market at about per cent higher |
than similar cost goods which are not |
so popular or wen known. The result |
was all those mills having such a great |
advantage over @reir competitors, accumu- |
lated money very rapidly and have become |,
enormously rich. The advantage in price |
over thor competitors which their tickets |
give them continues today, and they have
practically monopoly through these |
tickets OF The particular goods which they |
manufacture. While 1t is possible their |
profits mt tho present time may not be |
satisfactory, it is difficult to imagine that
they are not making something, and their
pfoiits for the last thirty years have been
enormous. Meanwhile their operators |
whose pay for the last few years has been
quite nfeager. are cut down 10 per cent
or more at the beginning OF winter and |
at Il time when all the necessities of life |
are considerably increased in price.
Their wooden and dress goods cost them
about rs per cent more.
Flour costs them about so per cent more
Corn and corn products cost about 30 |
per cent more
Pork costs about 20 per cent more; other
meats are dearer.
Under these circumstances one can not
help wondering how these poor people are
to live.
The manufacturers claim they are COM
pelled TO make these reductions In wages
largely ON account of the competition OF
Southern cotton mills. This is hardly
fair statement of the case. for the South
ern competition is no more acute now than
1t has been for years past No sweeping
reduction has been made in wages in the
Southern mills, nor are there any strikes
there nor have we heard of any strike In
n Southern cotton factory for many years
II is true the Southern mills having cot
ron mt their doors do not have to nay freight
on cotton. as they do in the North. This,
however, Is offset by the custom OF the
trade. The New England cotton goods are
sold to the merchants all over the coun-
try, delivered In New York or Boston, free
on beard. The Southern mills. however.
deliver the goods. freight paid. to the mer
chants wherever he NAV live whether in
New York, Cleveland. Chicago. st. Paul or
any other city. It will thus be scen that
the freight paid by the Southern manufac-
turer on HIS goods offsets the freight paid
by the New England manufacturer on his
cotton.
Only few months ago this country voted
Tor considerable increase IN our tariff.
being vociftrously assured by the cotton
of New England that In
ireased duties would mean increased pay
or American work people. Probably the
working people vote insured the republican
Victory and the Increased tariff which was
demanded. This increased tariff is. in
lecturers by the people OF This country for
y consideration on their part. that con.
being the improved condition
'nd better pay OF their work people. Every ,
uhabltant OF this country contributes his
r her share to this increased tax. The
people are doing taeir part Loyalty and
we'll and they should require from the
a fultillmeut from them OF
heir part Of the contract. Reduced wages
or largo body OF factory hands. many
y whom are poor and helpless women "a
directly contrary TO what the people were
led to expect and there should be some