New-York tribune., 1901-08-16
A STRIKE NOT WANTED.
MILL MEN CLAIM WAGE REDUCTION rs
NECESSARY TO ENABLE THEM
TO MEET COMPETITION.
tpx -r1reRArn TO THE TRIBuSE.l

Fall River, Mass, Aug l5.-The annouhcenhel1
that NJ c. ID. Borden had stated for publication
thar he believed manufacturers were trying to
force a strike IN FAN River astounded the mill men
whose ears It reached this evening. and those VINO
talked Il over appeared at loss TO understand
why the great operator should thus commit hirn-
self A number OF them, prominent in the present
situation. were interviewed upon this subject ana
expressed themselves as certain that somebody
had made mistake. They declared that the inten-
ZION OF the manufacturers far from that at
tr5buted 70 them by Mr. Borden. and that the lat
ter ought know IL. despite the fact that MI
Borden is running his mills and doing no calamity
bowling. Said one OF the mill men:
Our purpose in cutting wages is to place our our mills mills
e 1m h t then anae m the ress UPON US h the
strife There may be few mangfaftuT7 ,n fGI1
whether The operatives accept t9e % @an
fsct@rers as body are against strike. They
believe that fight Of the kind does not aid them
irary. il works against them. stl must be be
able TO meet our soinP froYtSence mill
have been quoted as saying that they see no 1
thai strain. They are working now upon basis
that is no better than ours vii be when ve ene d -
70 avoid such issue. We tried curtailInent aIo
the results TeT 90f I bs smeces sn iU Should be
general scaling Of the prodYetion IN al OF oII Ihe
place 70 curtan. For two months the pr9agct 9f
Was a big relief to the entire market, but other
places prohted by the increased demand while we
were closed. II want TO close the mills we nave
easier a3S better ter MAY 70 81 i eaaPs sfan 2y ca
ssry only 70 that the market . i oyer H,Tt
down Bjlt we do not want 10 do that for While While
we are IDLE other centres ne axe axe eeIS I've want 10
nun our mills. but TO run them We must ne puI
upon an even S basis nrSsent Ssn s6a Of Wages Our
operatives are better on than t2cSg 1ar I their
books to prove H. II continue 10 rrn;, there M Is
same level as others To accomplish that we are
forced 10 reduce wages
UNCERTAINTY AMONG THE MILL MEN.
The statement was made in the presence OF sew
eral mill men and met with their approval IL e1-
pressed tho sentiment OF others who were seen
There is however, g feeling among mill men that
was not brought out by the statements OF any ol
them. They were simply making denial OF Nj.
Bordens insinuation and giving no further view OF
the situation. Tonight there is e feeling OF un-
certainty among the mill men. and in some quar-
-ers II borders upon oscord. To bring about the
reduction IL viii be necessary 20 secure the sig
natures Of men representing 10000 spnoles or nan
the total in FAN River The paper is being passed
ana IS not receiving signatures as freely as eN-
,ected II NAV be some days before IL is filled.
The print cloth mills. those engaged upon the com
mon grades hold 10000 spindles. and all OF them
will sign Some of these mills old, ana others are
not IN the best of standing in the market ana
they are proving drag upon other mills The mills
engaged upon fancy goods have 10000 spinoes, and
are unalterably opposed to the reduction Ihen
there nre 10000 spindles IN the doubtful col
umn. These include the mills engaged upon the
wide goods and NJ c. D; Borden plant: Inc Br4S- az
ton interests, among The most lfnpoIIIanL IN ] .ae
city are IN that column. They are making money
aq they m signed 3 o I be necessary for those at the
head Of the movement TO guarantee some fo'I+ p5U
making any such move. Another matter that IS
bothering some of them is the contract work upon
which they are engaged. Every contract has a
clause providing for curtailments, breakdoWns,
legal point invoived and that many converters who
have been working on the hand TO mouth principe
factarers TO deliver upon required time This mat
agreement The mill men are by no means a unit.
despite their effort display feeling OF harmany
IN the interviews this evening.
THE POSITION OF THE OPERATIVES.
In striking contrast to the condition in their ranks
is the position of the operatives. They are unit
declaring that the reduction is unnecessary and
that they VIII submit 10 it. Heretofore secre-
taries Of the unions have advised caution and have
called for conferences in which they might talk it
over with the mill men. Now they announce that
they in the right they will ask for no confer
% strike when informed Of NJ G. D. Borden's
eIated and looked for it TO have some effect upon
the stockholders. who being worked upon to
break the hold OF the men who are about 10 plunge
the city into what promises 10 be the hardest fight
OF recent years Inc various secretaries calm that
the movement is engineered by some men who have
They say that the situation does not warrant re
G1eon because ne ~ mills HIS ae are aRg m money & sA
the latter 90 favor the cut. In regard to the
point that higher wages are being paid here than
elsewhere they invite comparison with other large
manufacturing places like Lowell, Lawrence and
others. from which talk Of a reduction is heard.
They claim that other cities paying better
wages than FAN River mills. They say that re-
duction in wages never relieved staRnant mar
ket. and quote drop in prices since the cut was
announced prove it. They think II strange that
while the mill men upset this city for the
year with curtailments. talk Of reductions and
other forms Of calamity bowling. other New
England cities in which cotton manufacturing plays
an important part have never been heard from. eX-
ceptng 20 report satisfactory progress. ana tnaL
those places are now surprised TO hear that this
city has voted a reduction They claim that in
competency has placed some treasurers agents
in a tight box. and that they seeking relief
from contracts on which they losing money
because OF their shortsightedness and that strike
viii enable them 10 drop those contracts. They are
breaking away from agreements, say the labor sec
retaries by doing just what n. c. d. Borden ac-