Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1903-12-09
MAY CUT PRODUCT.
General Movement TO Reduce Pro-
ductiOn and Wages Imminent.
NEW ENGLAND LOOKING SOUTn
President Saudford of the America.
Cotton Yarn Exchange Says tho
Situation is Serious and Calls for
Concerted Action.

Boston. Special. That widespread
curtailment Of prodi .ction by cotton
mills in the United States will be found
necessary during the next few months
on account of the great cost of the raw
materials. is the opinion of leading mill
men in this city, from which the policy
or many cotton mills in the North is
directed. The market for finished ma
terial has been unsatisfactory for
months. and prices have not risen cor
respondingly with those of cotton. Ths
cotton mills in New England employ
lully 10000 hands. Go 600 OF whom
nave had their wages reduced 10 ner
cent. this fall and $1,000 additional will
Suiter cut within the next two weeks
matter of great interest in Naw
england is the project now on foot ;n
'ne southern States to bring about
SS.l Son.,al curtallment. 4 meeting or tho
~ ".noIh manufacturers has been cali
ed ior next Tuesday and if n noIicv ~,
widespread curtailment is odontnS :.
VIII nave much influence ON tho r,tr-s.
acllon IN large New England mill con.
tres ''' 'e""
Whether or not general agreement
in the North can be reached 10 mt
known at this time. but il is expected
that II the Southerncrs decided gon-
srai policy IT will induce large mum
per or Northern Manufacturers. esne-
clally in Fall River and Rhode JsI,ns
to stop their spindlcs. If no arraemant
is reached In the South. there is mn
likelihood of an understanding beins
arrived at between Northern mill own
CTS as whole. for those who have cof-
Ton 10 not care to stop manufacturing
Whlle their competitors are turninS
their usual amount OF goods .nto tbs
market
Most manufacturers here agree that
the cotton situation is the most criti-
cal for % years.
Arnold b. Sanford president OF the
American Cotton Yarn Exchange here
says:
Ihe situation Is very serious and
the outlook offers no announcement.
cannot see anything but general cur
tailment. The conditions confronting
the industry are the worst in MANY
years. The mills will not manufacture
at loss. They must, therefore, cur
teii production and reduce wages. This
VIII result, undoubtedly, in great suf
fering.
The one thing to be done under these
circumstances to save the situation is
Tor the manufacturers to get together
throughout New England and tho
South, as well-for ii cannot be done
without concerted action-curtail pro-
duction, reduce wages and break tho
present speculation by not buying cot
ton.
Seldom In the history of the bust
ness has ii been so difficult for tho
manufacturers and their selling agents
to make terms acceptable to buyers
and consumers. This has been ths
cause OF III" poor demand and the poor
prices. Reduced prices ami reduced
wages seems to be the only way to
meet the situation"
several mill treasurcrs have today
predicted that an extensive curtail-
ment is snevitable Should no genral cur
talment in New England beagreed upOn
during the winter. it is thou@ht that
OILY the mills that are financially tho
STRONGEST will be able to keep all their
machinery in operation. In Manches-
ter N. H.. Lowell and n number OF
Maine points. there is said to tc "A
large supply of old cotton on hand buk
In Fall River and many Rhode Island
towns and elsewhere the amount is
limited
There are about 800 cotton mills in
the United States with nearly $4,000
600 spindles. or this number SO mills
with nearly 1450O.OO0 sDndles are in
New England About 2i32 eco bales ot
cotton are consumed annually in the
Northern States, when the mills are al
running.