Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-26
COTTON LINES.
No Change in Great Fall
River Strike.
Few Are Rash to Predict the
Outcome.
Position Of Strikers Is Simply Against
the Demands of the Manufacturers
The Cotton Situation in the Fall
River District.

Fail River Mass. July 25.-The end
of the first day of the strike of 26 Don
cotton mill operatives of this citv
found little or no change in the stun
ton. The day passed quietly and so
did the evening and so, in all proba bill
ty, will the succeeding days of the
strike for the reason that the opposi
ton to the strike on the part of the
operatives is so slight as to be hardly
noticeable
The mill owners and their operatives
are determined in the struggle for
supremacy and few are rash enough
to predict the outcome. With the strik-
ers it is simply a question of how long
they can do without their wages and
exist on strike benefits. On the part
of the owners it is but a matter of how
long they can afford to have their mills
closed down at time when the cotton
and cloth market is not at its best.
"A portion of one mill operated until
noon and at another mill some twenty
men worked all day. When the mill
gates were opened. this morning. less
than three hundred, conservativcly
estimated. out of an army of some &C.
900 operatives reported for work.
The Bourne and Narragansctt mills
opened at the usual hour but when
the operatives came out at the noon
hour, a large force of strikers was on
hand and their arguments were so ef-
fectiv" that not enough workers re-
turned to the Bourne mills to operate
the plant and the mills were closed at
go o'clock. Only score Of employees
returned to the Narragansett mill.
The strike leaders rcpea tedly warned
their followers throughout the day that
violence must be avoided at all costs,
and with single exception uninpor-
tant in itself, their advice was needed.
The streets were quiet, this evening,
and there was little in the mill sec
tons to indicate that the breadwinners
Of thousands of families were engaged
in struggle certain to be accom-
panied with hard ship and privation
for many.
Neither tho officers of the Textile
Council or the mill owners would make
a statement. tonight. the situation, in
their opinion, showing little or no
change since morning
Fall River, Mass, July 25.-The strike
order issued by the Fall River Textile
Council calling for upwards of $1,000
operatives to remain away from the
mills, Monday, in protest against re-
duction of 121a per cent. in wages, be-
came effective, Monday, and the re-
Spouse was as general as the labor
leaders had predicted. In the 81 mills
involved in the agreement to reduce
wages but few, comparatively, of the
usual force went to work. There was
no disturbance, 10 demonstration by
the operatives. In one instance some
children INDUCED in stone throwing but
no harm was done and there was lit
tie to Indicate that Il great labor move
ment had begun, save that in place
of the tide of operatives which between
6 and $50 o'clock every morning sweeps
through the various mill gates, only a
thin stream was noted in some cases,
while in others it was almost entirely
absent.
Eoth sides admit that this is the be-
ginning of one Of the most determined
contests which Fall River has ever
seen. The manufacturers maintain thai
they have tried cvary plan which they
could think of to avoid Il reduction in
wages and took that final step only
when driven to do 50 to save their bu ii
ness. On the other hand. the operatives
say that the conditions affecting cotton
manufacture here are such that a re-
duction in wages is no more a remedy
than such a step would be in attempt
ing to prevent the ravages of the boil
wccvil.
The closed fronts of some of the
smaller stores, augmented by the de-
serted appearance OF the streets. added
10 the general air Of d.solation in the
mill sections. The stores had been clos
ed because the proprietors had no hope
of continuing with the strike on.
AS to the possible duration of the
strike no one could be found who was
willing to make prediction. The la
Dor unions were particularly anxious
to maintain their front for two weeks.
claiming that if they were able to do
that any Of their number who were in
clined to WAIVER would be convinced of
their ability to fight to the end. On the
other hand the manufacturers were
ready in view of their failure to secure
a sufficient force to draw their fires and
shut down their plants.
AS early as quarter of O'Clock, the
were aStir IN some sections
anxious to watch developments. Some
of them took places rear the mill gates.
BY quarter past 6 it was apparent
that the strike order had been gener-
ally obeyed and at $50 o'clock. the usu-
al starting time, the only mill having
more than a score of employees ready for
work was the Bourne.
The union leaders were greatly
pleased at the effectiveness of the strike
order. 1t was explained that at the
Bourne mill the profit sharing plan had
been followed for several years. This
is thought to account In a measure for
the action of the weayers in reporting
for work. 1t was admitted that some