The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-11

WANSKUCK STRIKE.
Continued from Page I

proposal favorahly. but OF course the
ONLY authority they had was to make
their report TO the weavers as body and
they probably not seeing Its force, re-
jected IL.
III this proposition should 90 into effect
IL would permit the operatives OF the
Wanskuok mills to receive the highest
average weekly wages that ths mill has
ever paid since IL was started.
In regard To the claim that by the
dou ple loom system the price paid per
yard was cut from 10 cents TO i.3 cents
That Is true, but IL is also true that otter
the cut was made the weavers earned
more money than they dId before be-
cause the looms turned out more than
twice as many yards as the ones they
had been operating.
So that the cut was no out after ALL
only the impaoved machinery.turned out
more goods and required less men TO
do It.
IL is the same old story that operatives
have always fought az st the lntroduc-
tion OF any improved lapo saving device,
because IL reduces the number OF opera
tors required TO turn out the work.
Then an attempt to go onto the SINGLE
loom system would be suicidal. Mr.. Met
calf said. AS a matter OF fact more
would he 10y the single. This is explained
hy saying that by adopting the single
system the industry would be killed and
no weavers required This, however, re-
aui res an explanation. Not that the
manufacture of all woolen goods would
have to stop. but only.th of tho Wan
skuck mills
The case is right here. American man
ufaoturers were formerly never able %
make clay worsteds because Of English
competition. English goods coulc be
made so cnuap that American makers
could not get in on the market at the
prices they had TO get
by establishing the double loom system
a saving I'm the cost OF production WAS
made whereby the domestic makers could
compete with the Enalish. The Vans
kuck Company WAS the first TO intr oduoe
the manufacture OF these goods into this
country, and today they have but ono
competitor in this country. lhis great
saving was brought about by the much
greater number of yards OF goods that
the improved looms could turn out So
that the piece per yard paid the weaver
could be made less and still the weaver
could earn more money than before. III
this system was to he abolishu Aneri-
can clays would have uo go out of the
market. and then 81 course those weavers
would have no occupation.
The ore competitor OF the Wanskuck
mills pavs its men on the average % per
cent. less than the Wanskuck Company
has toen paying. Again, at the Wan
skuck mills the looms nre run 20 within
10 per cent of their maximum efficiency,
in fancy goods mills the loss is about 20
per cent on account Of so MANY stops
having 10 be made for changes So the
weavers are able here u make ID per
cert. more goods than those In Olney
willie. The Olnevville mills dc not come
into the composition with the Wanskuck
Company as they make different Kind
of goods and no comparison can be
drawn The Wnnskuok Company now
paws larger ges ~ Its weavers than any
mill ipsthe United States.
While In 1893 the other mills made n
reduction on all their help. the
Wanskuck Company did not, so there Is
no oldrcut down 10 he restored.
MIR Metcalf further stated that the
engines would shut down az noon today
a Nd no further work would be done un-
iii the weavers decided 10 accept his
and come baok, or other
weavers come In TO take theiriplnoes
As 10 the talk OF the severity Of the
work on tho double looms, Mr.. Metcalf
said that 10 was but talk. Every cics Of
men is won't to feel that his work Is
harder than others have TO DO. That's
theIwsy feel about nv own position.
and | would he glad IN excange positions
with YOU, said Mr. Metcalf to the news.
paper man who was talging with him.