Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-18
OUTSIDE MILLS
Will Demand Same Rates as
at Fall River.
Executive Council of Textile Workers
Will Meet Next Week
To Consider Complaints and Demands
from Many Cities.

Fall River, Mass, March IA meet
ing of the executive council OF the
United Textile Workers of America has
been called by Secretary Hubbard for
next week in this city and many I'M
portant matters will come up for con-
sideration. One of the principal ones
under discussion will be the request of
the operatives at Augusta, Ca, for
permission to strike for an Increase OF
10 per cent in wages.
Other matters to be adjusted are the
troubles in the silk mills at Reynolds
vile, Pa, and among the carpet weav-
ers at Thompsonville, Conn.
James Tansey, the president of this
body, was asked if he thought that the
demands for an advance in wages
would become general in this section of
the country and he replied that he
thought they would. The operatives in
Lowell and New Bedford have already
asked for an. increase of 10 per cent.
and the Lawrence operatives are about
to do so.
He also says that the operatives in
those cities would have the support of
the national body if after the investi-
CATION the officials deemed the request
a reasonable one.
He said that it had been his expert
ence in labor matters that outside OPP
erstives, operators and manufacturers
alike generally followed the lead of
Fall River. He did not think that there
would be much trouble in securing an
advance asked for.
In regard to the cut grievances which
the Fall River mills will now settle,
James Whitehead, secretary of the
Weavers Union, was asked if the mat
ter of a standard cut would be taken
up at once and he laughingly replied
that he did not know, as he understood
that the Manufacturers Association
was upon the point of dissolution. If
that was the case there would be no
use trying to do business with the mem
bers of an association. He supposed
that each would have to be dealt with
separately and in this case he thought
there would be but little trouble.
The weavers have petition now be-
fore the Legislature for a standard cut
of 2 per cent The law now allows a
relay Of per cent, and the action of
the Seaconnet mills in granting a | per
cent. relay is claimed by the weavers
10 show that the manufacturers have
not been giving the exact state of af-
fairs in their testimony before the com
mittee on labor.
In regard to the. dissolution Of the
Manufacturers Association, President
Borden said that il had not dissolved,
but in his opinion its usefulness had
gore for a long time. Several manu-
facturers said this afternoon, that they
would sign no more agreements and
would not again attempt to treat with
the operatives through an association.
The Bourne mills, a Rhode Island
CORPORATION whose operatives have been
receiving ) per cent. more than the
other. operatives since last October, to-
day, gave an advance of per cent,
bringing the standard in that mill up
to the others in Fall River
NJ. c. d. Borden'S brokers were in the
market, late this afternoon, bidding 37s
for regular goods for delivery as late
as August. Manufacturers have con-
cluded not to sell freely. but the bids
are being carefully considered and the
prospects for large sales at the new
price are generally considered as being
good.