The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-12
Statement Made by Low
eli Manufacturers.
MILL SITUATION AS 1T IS.
Southern Competition Not Fig
ment Of Imagination.
MADE NO ATTACK ON EMPLOYEES.

Lowell. Mass, Jan 1.-THE agents or
the seven mills which have posted
notices of a reduction have made public
the following signed statement: The
undersigned, local managers OF the seven
principal cotton manufacturing cor
porations OF this city in which general
reduction of wages is to take effect next
Monday, consider that circumstances
Justify them in breaking their rule OF
silence upon what they are ordinarily
accustomed to consider their private af-
fairs. That portion OF the public which
IL interested has had spread before II In
the newspapers large amount OF al
legged information, most OF which is in
accurate or otherwise misleading, ac-
companied by comment generally from
persons having no connection or expert
acquaintance with the textile manu-
featuring business. who are therefore
liable to make erroneous deductions, and,
led away by sympathy, TO pass unjust
Judgments. Under these circumstances,
and i'm view of the threat Of strike
which viii. if entered upon. affect a very
large proportion of the people OF our
whole city. we think IL proper to state
authoritatively some things which de-
serve consideration by every one in this
city who is interested either directly or
Indirectly.
"One would suppose from what IS
locally printed that some new and
deadly attack upon our employees was
contemplated by us. This is absolutely
untrue. There is no such absurd idea as
the quotation embodied in the mind OF
any OF the Lowell mill managers. The
wage scale TO be adopted is not at all n
horizontal reduction OF 10 percent. but is
in many, If not most cases nothing more
than a return 10 the schedule of Sep
tember 1898. which prevailed for about
two years, or until August. 1895. At the
last named date an advance OF from to
percent was made, discounting what
seemed like the dawning OF a new pros
perity. The event proved that the ad-
vance then given was not justified by
business conditions. During the year
ending March, 1896, at which date an ad-
vance was made, wages were in many
cases lower than II is now proposed to
cut them.
1T is not argument. nor deserving n
serious answer. for anyone. he he mu,a
spinner, or clergyman, or editor 10 say
20 us that II is not necessary to reduce
wages because the seriousness of south
ern competition is exaggerated: or be-
cause this or that alleged cause of the
depression is open 20 contradiction. 1t
is condition. not a theory with which
we are obliged as business men, TO deal:
and we repeat that the condition is be-
yond the possibility Of dispute. except
by ignorance or malice. We are not con-
sidering the rest OF New England, but
our own Lowell concerns, about which
we know.
The only other remedy for our trouble
which has been proposed is curtailment
Of production. This was the only sug-
gestion made 10 us by the mule Spin-
ners To whom we recently listened.
Well. the memories OF Lowell people
must be short If they do not remember
the stoppages OF the past three or four
years More than 81 100000 have been
lost by curtailment from the wages OF
our workers within the time named and
the result has been--what7 Merely to
stimulate the competition from which
we suffer today. Contracts for cotton
cloth do not in these days go about beg
ging for takers.
That there are IN the south many
lIliSs nlifu WITH oln DldchnefN
and running on low grade goods Is true
enough, hut al,p immaterial. The fact
remains absolutely indisputable that the
southern mill OF recent date which we
have most cause TO fear as a competitor
is built on the very best plans that the
most skilful engineers of New England
can draw, and the best contractors in
the country can erect: Is filed with the
best machinery that America or Eng
land can produce; is ofIicAred by able
men; and IS turning out first class goods.
as coarse or as fine as any made in any
quantity in Lowell. AT n living profit. at
prices which would net n loss 10 any mill
In this city This we know; let who will
deny II.
We invite the careful attention OF
whom IL may concern 20 the points above
stated which in our opinion are all that
need be considered 10 determine what
action should be taken under the cir
cumstances. Poetry and eloquence are
pleasing In their place: unadorned facts
are what practical men want. and what
We have endeaNQred TO supply tothe dis
cussion % the hour. that no one may
plead ignorance of our position"