The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-26
ADVANCE
IN WAGES
ASSURED
Fall River Mil Management
viii Put New Scale Into
Effect April I.

Fall River. Mass. Feb. 26.--The agree
ment I'm the voluntary advance OF the
wages of mill operatives here received it's
full quota OF signatures today. and the
increase will go into effect. as planned. on
Monday, April :.
The promoters OF the plan were active
yesterday afternoon and this morning and
were able TO secure the necessary sigma
tures. making formal announcement OF
The plan this noon. hoping to forestal the
agitation OF the operatives for greater
increase. To go into effect i'm the middle
OF March.
The advance proposed is general and Is
based upon the price paid for weaving a
cut of regular y inch "a by CAS-. that price
being the accepted standard of wages
The present price for weaving regulars
Is 1913 cents per cut and the proposed
advance will increase IL TO 81 cents, slight
ly over per cent.
The weavers' meeting will be held as
originally called tonight and tomNrow
night the textile council will meet Labor
leaders say this voluntary advance will
have no bearing upon their plans and
they Will formulate demand for advance
of at least 10 per cent and ask for stan
dard length of cut over which there has
been much controversy.
The executive committee OF the Weav-
lers associatio held an import ant meeting
last evening Following a thorough dis
cusson of the wage question, the com
mittee voted TO present before the gener-
al meeting OF the weavers tonight. a
proposition asking OF the manufacturers
a general increase OF 10 per cent upon all
grades of goods, this increase to go into
effect on and after Monday. March IL.
The committee will also present before
the general meeting the request that a
conference with the manufacturers be
held as soon as possible TO determine up
on a recognized standard length OF cuts.
which the committee suggest be IS yards.
The agreement I'm circulation among the
manufacturers will control the action of
mills employing total OF about 1900 OPP
eratives. The Fall River Iron works will
not be affected directly by the agreement,
that concern. which is owned by NJ. c. ID.
Borden OF New York, not being a member
of the Fall River Manufacturers asso-
ciation.
Ii is thought, however. that some
change may be made in the wage sched-
ule at these mills should conditions war
rant. Some of the local mill men are
afraid that Mr.. Bordens advance. il given
will be more than now being agreed upon
by the other manufacturers.
Whatever happens the feeling is that a
strike will be avoided In Fall River, al
though some haggling is expected over
the efforts of the unions 10 induce the
manufacturers to grant a raise OF 10 per
cent.
Another feature OF the revival of the
wage issue here is the effect IL may have
I'm other cotton mill centres, especially In
New Bedford. where the textile unions
recently asked that prices for weaving
he increased. The New Bedford manufac-
turers declined TO grant an advance at the
time but ii is thought the question has
not been settled. New Bedford mill men
claim that conditions I'm this city cannot
govern wages there as the class of goods
made is not at all the same.