Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-31
REDUCTION IN WAGES.
Agreement Circulated Among Fall River Man
uiaciursFs Tor II 10 Per Cent Reduction

| Fall River, Mass. Aug. 30.-An agree
| ment IS being circulated among man
| ufacturers in this city calling for a re-
| duction in wages of IL l-9 per cents
to take effect. Monday. Sept II, affect
ing all Fan River operatives and the
| signatures of mill agents. representing
| about l.ODH,0o0 spindles. or one third Of
| the corporations If the city. have al
| ready been obtained. The fact that
such an agreement is in circulation is
guarded with the utmost secrecy ana
members of the selling committee OF
| to" Manufacturers Association deny
| any knowledge Of its existence. but
| thr statement uaGe above is confirm
| ei 10y trcasUrers who have been ap-
! preached fur signatures ana by others
who have already signed the agree
meut.
The agreement. which il is proposed
| 10 put into effect. On Sept. II, the end
Of the present curtailment term. with
! out reference to the effect which the
shutdown may have at that time upon
| market conditions. calls for a reduc-
| ton based upon the present prices Of
weaving regular 64X6i's. The rate now
paid is 1913 cents per cut and 4 reduc-
| ton of II 1-9 per cent. would maxi
the new wage scale basis Is cents per
cut.
The causes for the secrecy observed
in circulating the agreement lie in the
fact that by making the plan public
nUW Stockholders who are opposed to
a reduction ut this period Of the year
might thwart the scheme Of the sell
ing committee and that buyers might
discount the effyct Of the reduction and
insist upon a proportional decrease I'm
the print cloth quotation. The mill
men VINO are pushing the scheme for
ward reduction contend that an Is cent
| basis is the only one on which mills
! iii this city can run protitably. except
in times 81 extraordinary demand ana
| high prices, such as We're noted, last
| fan
| 1t is pointed out that the margin,
| today. is but 5G2i cents. ana if regulars
| alone were figured it would be but 52as
! cents When the reduction of January,
! 1895 was made t. IS cents the margin
| was "a. ana when wages Wrr" increased
| to Is cents. in February, 1899. it was
1 1iA. When the last advance was made
| to the present rate the margin was 93
In view Of the fact that mills like
! the Border City. Shove. Union, Davol.
| Parker. HarGraves. King Philip, Flint,
ArkWright, Bourne and Fan River
! IRON Works have been paying extreme
! ~ large dividends and in some in
sancts running nights to Keep up to the
demand for their product it is difficult
| to understand how they can consist
emily abide by or sign an agreement
calling for such a decrease in the
wages of Fall Rivers mill population
! Opponents Of the plan claim that
/ while there is no demand for goods 4
reduction Of wages cannot solve tn"
market problem which conflonts mill
| men. today. Curtailment of production
| is the only means Of relieving the mar
! kct and creating a demand. A move
mcnt is on foot to create q strong opin-
| ion among stockholders, who. If it ma
| tcrializes within q few days. may he
able to prevent The reduction agree
| ncnt from being carried out. This
movement is the only means by which
the reduction can be averted. Other
wise. according tO present indications,
wages will be placed on an Is cent
basis, Sept. II.