Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-23
WAGES ARE INCREASED.
Cotton Mill Operatives Get Raise o
10 Per Cent.

SOSSOH WIN SPSTdltYCO SOS q beasSO "
10 Per Cent.
Fall River, Mass, Oct. 23-Matthew
C. D. Borden, who a few weeks ago
averted strike Of 10000 cotton mill OPP
eratives of this city by breaking away
from the manufacturers organization,
which had decided upon a 10 per cent
reduction of wages, and by increasing
the pay of his employees 8 per cent, yes
terday posted notices in his mills an
nouncing another advance of per cent
in wages, to take effect Nov. 4.
The textile council last night instruct
ed its secretary to send communica-
tion to the other manufacturers asking
for a 10 per cent increase in wages to
take effect Nov. 4. The action of Mr..
Borden has stirred the operatives to an
unusual pitch, and they talk strongly
of fighting for the advance. The manu-
facturers, on the other hand, firmly de-
clare that an increase in wages will not
be given
Mr.. Borden is regarded by the oper-
atives of Fall River as benefactor
because of many things he has done to
better their condition. Several times OF
recent years he has prevented cut In
their pay. When the manufacturers,
etrly this fall, declared that because OF
overproduction it would be necessary to
reduce wages, he went into the market
and bought hundreds Of thousands of
pieces of cloth. When they contended
that the stimulus given the market by
these operations was but temporary he
offered to take their product for months
to come under contracts to be based on
present prices.
His detection made 1t Impossible for
the other manufacturers to carry out
their purpose to reduce wages. and he
has now further shown HE independence
of them and done great service not only
to the several thousand operatives he
employs, but to the army of Fall River
workers by increasing wages to basis
10 per cent higher than was ever before
paid in this city.
Mr.. Borden has been buying cloth in
this market until he now has stock
enough in eight to keep his enormous
printing works in full operation until
August of next year. He has everything
to gain in the money way by his adj
vance of yesterday. II the operatives in
the other mills strike. his contracts with
those mills will be of no value, as the
mills can not deliver the goods. His
printed goods will be advanced in value
because of the scarcity of gray goods.
If the manufacturers grant an advance
they will be compelled to keep the price
where it now is or shut down the mills.
They can not manufacture below cents
at present wages and cotton prices, and
they say there is little profit at that
figure.
When notified of the second wage adj
vance manufacturers were not wholly
unprepared for 1t. Some of them ex-
pressed anger. Others were philosophic
and hopeful that the operatives would
appreciate the situation, as it affects q
great majority Of the mills and not only
Borden's mills None of them would
venture to say what the future course
would be, but several OF them were Inn
mediately convinced that Mr.. Borden
was ready for a stand~up fight. and they
were disposed to give it to him as far as
they were able. Their policy will de-
pend largely upon the action taken by
the operatives.