Semi-weekly herald., 1908-09-21

ers and ancestors have done for gen.
erations. upon their scanty earnings
Very few of them save any part OF
their wages.
not 5 per cent OF the wage earners
OF Belfast patronizs the savings banks
They live from hand to mouth, and.
knowing this fact. their employers are
| compelled to look after them In hard
times. II they did not. the operatives
who are out of employment would
scatter and when work was resumed
II would be difficult to fill their places.
Therefore. during the present crisis,
which is very severe to the linen trade,
| most Of the factories have continued
In operation, but have been working
only thirty-two hours a week since
October. There has been no reduc.
tion of wages. On the contrary, they
have been paying for thirty-seven
hours work when they have been ir
operation only thirty-two. The work
ing force In most OF the factories has
also sean reduced by suspending op.
erat!ves who have brothers or sisters
or other breadwinners of the same
family In the same factories. For ex.
ample, where there are two sisters at
the looms or the spindles. one of them
has been suspended. They have al.
ternated on duty according to their
own option, but have received only one
wage. There are said to be now 20 900
women out of employment In this city
The work of the operatives In linen
factories is very trying on the health
because the atmosphere of the rooms
is kept as damp as possible In order
to soften the threads and make them
more pliable. Few of the operatives
live past middle life unless they have
unusually strong constitutions.
More than half of the flax used
here comes from Russia. Only about
10000 tons is raised in Ireland, and
that entirely in Ulster province, where
$4,000 acres are devoted to its cultiva.
ton. An average Of 10000 tons a
year Is imported from Holland, Bel.
GUM, and other countries, as well as
Russia. S. S. Knabenshue of Toledo
the american consul here, has attempt.
ed to get farmers In the northwest
of the United States. who grow flax
for seed, to ship over here the straw
they throw away. but he has not sue
ceeded iii arousing any interest, al
though they might find a permanent
and profitable market.
Until recently the spinning OF the
flax into thread was done by separate
companies and the thread was sold to
the weavers, but several years ago a
combine was organized and many of
which has enabled them to command
better prices and be more independ.
ert. The linen manufacturers, how.
ever, are practically dependent upon
the United States. We take more than
half the products OF Irish linen. The
average for the last forty years has
been 51.l per cent sold to the United
States, 1913 to the British possessions,
and 29.6 per cent to other foreign
countries.
In 1907 the value of the linen ship
ped to the United States was $l4,.
970.051 out of total export of $685.
s95.014. In 1906 our purchases were
about 100000 less. but the proper
tion remains about the same. and
American buyers may be always found
at the hotels here. although most Of
the big manufacturers have their agen-
cies in New York.
Since last November there has been
very little buying for the United States
owing to the panic and commercial de-
preston there, so that II is estimated
that the exports to our country for
1908 will be only about 40 per cent of
these OF 1907. Trade is picking up,
however, and better times are prom.
ised
Belfast has the largest rope walk In
the world, which employs 1000 hands
and for years was under the manage
ment Of ths late w. II. Smiles, son OF
Samuel Smiles, author OF "Self-Help"
and other well known books. II Is q
model Institution, and among other
features the firm maintains large
cookhouse and dining hoom. where
the employees and their families can
obtain wholesome meals much cheap
er than they could be supplied at their
own homes. Such bepevolence would
serve to decrease the drunkenness Of
Ireland and Scotland more than any
other measures that could be adopted.
Medical authorities agree that the
principal cause of alcoholism is in
sufficient punishment and ill-cooked
food, which creates craving for slim
ulants. and argue that II the working
people could have better food they
would spend less money for drink.
Messrs. hichardson. Sons 4 Owden
one OF the largest linen firms. have a
model town at Besbrook. about an
hour and half by rail from Belfast
which is composed entirely Of their
own employees and where they own and