St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-01
WORKERS CONFERENCE,

Fall River, Mass, Oct. 31.-The con-
ference between the textile council, rep
resentlng the operatives Of this city, and
the committee Of the Manufacturers
association, eliminated In q request by
the representatives Of the employees for
10 percent advance In wages. The
manufacturers committee will report
back TO the general body at a special
meeting, to be called shortly. They
had not power to grant the advance.
This in brief is the outcome of yester-
days conference between the two COM
ponent parts of the mill industry Of Fall
River-the employers and the employed
and the request and the result proved
to be just what people conversant with
the situation in this city had surmised
Previous to meeting the manufactur-
ers committee the textile committee
met and completed their plan for the
presentation of the laboring peoples
case to the employers of labor.
The conference was called to order by
Secretary Whitehead Of the Weavers'
union, and was presided over by Presi-
dent Chase of the manufacturers. 1t
lasted three hours, and the proceedings
were harmonious and the discussion full
The request was for an increase of 10
percent on the old basis Of 2% cents a
yard for regulars. 1t was represented
by the Textile council that the market
conditions favor the request The reply
of the committee of manufacturers was
defensive and against granting the re-
quest, based on margins. 1t was set
forth by the manufacturers that the
margin Is now some points lower than
when wages were increased last spring.
They admitted that the price Of cloth is
higher, but cotton costs cents a pound
more. The margin figured from prices
of cotton and cloth last spring was Tx
cents, while now it Is but 64%.
The Textile council claimed that these
margins, as in the past have been reck-
oned from a basis of regular prints,
which now form less than 10 percent Of
the goods manufactured here now 1t
was also urged that the price of the
regulars, from which the margin is reck-
oned, Is held far lower comparatively
than the other grades Of goods produced
from the loom. There are 10000 looms
in Fall River running daily and less than
10000 are on the regular prints, from
which the margin Is reckoned. The fair
thing, they urged was to make the price
OF regulars equal in comparison to the
odds, say rs cents, when the price Is 2%
and then figure. A margin would then
be shown equal to that point, the last
winter, when restoration was granted
to the help.
The manufacturers, in turn, said that
the extra prices for odds, in many in
stances, were a result Of holding the
goods on speculation; that they might
have lost by holding; that the employees
In that case could not have been asked
to share the loss; that the operatives
have no right to share in the result of a
successful speculation. They also
claimed that figuring regulars at rs
cents, even then the margin would fall
nearly point short of what it was when
wages were raised last winter.
The textile representatives insisted
that the present condition, when odds
and special grades are selling so high, IL
is perfectly fair to urge for an increase.
The manufacturers committee con.
tended that the mills could not make fail
returns to stockholders If the increase
should be granted. However, they were
not authorized to take any position al
the conference, but were present to heal
what their employees had to say, and re
port to the association.
Secretary Whitehead Of the weavers
who is also secretary Of the Textile coun
Gill; said after the meeting that he wa!
satisfied with its progress, even Will,
nothing definite was decided Asked
what would be done if the manufac
turers refused to comply, he said tina
could only be decided by the severa
labor organizations in mass meeting as
sembled.
Secretary Rounseville of the manufac
turers said he did not feel that the mills
could afford such an increase, but tn
association must settle that question TO
itself. The present duty of the com
mittee. he continued, was to make it
report to the general body.
The decision of the Manufacturers as
ISOLATION and its reception by this cit.
of mill operatives, will now be awaite
with interest by the cotton manufacture
ing interests of the country.