The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-01-22
MANY IDLE SPlNDCES.

Results of the Cut in the New England
Cotton MIlIs-The Fight Has Begun, But
Where it Will End Can Not be ForetOld-
The Future Viewed with Apprehension,
as So Many People and Their Depend
ants are Involved.
Boston, Jan. 1.-THE fight between
employer and employe in the New
England cotton mills is on, and what
it will lead up to cannot be foretold.
The great corporations in New Bedford
are silent and thousands of operatives
are idle. While here and there discon-
tent cropped out all day, the most Sc
rious was at Biddeford, Ne, where
$500 persons refused 70 work,
thus closing two mills, and at
Lewiston. where one mill was Grip
pied by 400 eaver staying out. The
general wage reduction is estimated to
affect 12T 900 persons in about $50 mills,
although these mills had previously
adopted the new schedule and several
others had given notice of Immediate
reductions. Here and there dissatis-
faction vas brought to the notice of
agents and OverseerS over minor griev-
ances and in most cases these were
either remedied or an inquiry promised.
Tonight finds the textile operatives
everywhere intently interested in the
New Bedford struggle, for here the
test of strength and endurance will
come, and upon the outcome will de-
pend the question of an industrial bat
tie, the entire length and breadth of
the New England states. The chief
point in this battle will be discipline,
and the first command of organized
labor brought well-nigh perfect obe-
dience. The day passed quite peace
fully, which incident is in some quar-
ter feared as a forerunner of odds the
strikers will take if driven to despera.
ton.
From the point of view of the mill
owner the New Bedford situation is
now a lockout. Intervention by the
state board of arbitration this week
is hardly likely to be allowed, and no
and no attempt to open n mill is ex-
pected for a number of days.
The New Bedford strikers will re-
ceive strike money from operatives
elsewhere, but the total will be re-
served until a protracted battle brings
on want and hardship, which the
unions will try to relieve.
All the New Bedford mills opened
at bell time, a. usual. When no help
came in lights went out, speed stopped,
overseers and second.hands prepared
to make everything snug and mill
gates were closed indefinitely. The
- 4. 80
carry out plans of campaign which will
be developed only as faint-hearted
weaver seek to return to work.
Of the other strikes little has devel-
oped in them as yet to forecast the flu
ture. The Laconia and Pepperell mill
workers in Biddeford struck because
they were anxious to, while the weav-
ers in the Androscoggin mill, Lewis
ton, simply took matters into their
W hands regardless of other depart
ments. These two strikes, while on
identical issues, will serve only as
minor fights along the line unless the
strike fever grows and they become
the nucleus of the general fight in
Maine cities.
One other minor fight now on is that
in Burlington, VT, where the Queen
City mills shut down indefinitely be-
cause the operatives refused point
blank to accept the reduction. This
trouble, however, began a number of
days ago, but reached the acute stage
today.
Taking the days events throughout
New England, it may ~conservatively
be said that things came to pass just as
expected. 1t is the Immediate future
which awakens apprehension.